HEALING HERBS: Feel-good uses for Epsom salts

Bathing in Epsom salts helps to reduce water retention and tummy bloating, says life coach Janey Holliday of Making Life Easy.
Some Caribbean people use it to assist in relieving constipation and headaches. An article on the website www.stylist.co.uk/
beauty revealed that health and fitness expert and Jennifer Lawrence’s trainer, Dalton Wong, gave the actress some Epsom salts to bathe in the night before the BAFTA Awards in 2013 to help get rid of any bloating in the body. Wong said: “It’s a great trick that anyone can use if they’re working up to wearing a particularly clingy dress.”
Additionally, the Epsom Salt Council on its website posits that Epsom salts is regularly used by a growing number of models and actresses – “a popular choice for beauty enhancement”. To a lesser extent others revealed that they use it to assist with diabetic care.
The use of Epsom salts for healing especially stress was never questioned by our elders. Epsom salts, a pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate, has many health benefits. Research reveals it is added to warm water and used to:  
1. ease stress and relax the body;
2. eliminate toxins from the body;
3. prevent blood clots and hardening of the arteries;
4. help muscles and nerves to function properly;
5. relieve the symptoms of athlete’s foot and soothe the discomforts associated with gout;
6. remove foot odour;
7. dislodge black heads;
8. exfoliate dead skin;
9. treat toenail fungus;
10. soothe sprains, bruises and rheumatoid arthritis;
11. assist in removing splinters;
12. remove excess oil and hairspray from the hair; and
13. sooth itchy skin and bug bites.
I continue to take sips of Epsom salts as initiated by my mother when I was a child. I also continue to soak my feet in Epsom salts, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and bay leaf when I have to work through stressful conditions. The elders were using Epsom salts from time immemorial and many of them still swear by it. It may taste unpleasant but let me tell you, I will never ever give up on my Epsom salts remedies.
• Annette Maynard-Watson is a teacher and herbal educator.
DISCLAIMER:?It is not our intention to prescribe or make specific claims for any products. Any attempts to diagnose or treat real illness should come under the direction of your health care provider.