Of all the flips of my calendar, I think my favorite one happens this time of year. Why? Because IT'S SPRING!!!! Well, close enough anyway. I absolutely love springtime. My crocuses are croakin'. Everywhere I look, there's the promise of new life. And what other time of year can we experience all four seasons in a single hour? There is an inescapable vitality in the air that inspires me out of Winter’s sleepy lull and makes me want to… CLEAN!?! Whaaah?
Okay, for those who know me, cleaning doesn't make my top ten list of fun activites----EVER! It’s embarrassing to admit, but if you come for tea on Tuesday and then again on Saturday, you will likely see your teacup right where you left it. Yep. The compulsion of spring is a mighty powerful force to cast a spell on a gal like me!
Cleansing begins with a bath!
It probably comes as no surprise, but many of my friends could best be described as lovely hippie-witchy people. They love to forage the woods for nettles this time of year, brewing up cauldrons of detoxifying nettle tea. In fact, many do a cleanse every spring as part of their personal health ritual. And I have a feeling that if you're drawn to reading this article, you do too. So whether you choose to fast, do the “Master Cleanse,” pick nettles for tea, or schedule a colonic, this spring, I’m inviting you to go add daily Epsom salt baths to give a healthy boost to your springtime cleansing ritual.
When I first began building my skills as a healer, I had no idea that most of the toxins we eliminate are not expelled through our digestive tracts, but rather through our lungs and skin. Why do you think Breathalizers are modus operandi when the blue lights flash in your rearview mirror? In fact, many schools of thought report that up to 70% of the toxins eliminated from our bodies occur through our lungs. (D. Lewis The Tao of Natural Breathing). 20% of the toxins are eliminated through our skin. Yep! For those of you doing the math as you read along, that leaves only 10% of the toxins in our bodies are eliminated through our digestive tracts. Ten percent! Yet most of us focus on our diet or digestive tracts when cleansing when we might actually get better results taking a Detox Support bath made with Epsom salts.
Get a detoxifying boost from bathing!
Epsom salt baths blended with organic essential oils are a wonderful enhancement to any detox cleanse. Why? Any regular 'cleanser' knows, detoxifying can be extremely stressful on your body and sometimes, even painful. Headaches and muscle aches often come with any deep cleanse, especially if you don't drink enough water. A hot Epsom salt bath can provide a lot of relief, as sweating releases toxins not processed through your intestines. Adding 4 to 6 cups of Epsom salts can relieve muscle aches and help draw even more toxins from your body. Even the simple act of immersing yourself in a tub full of water (rather than showering) exerts greater hydrostatic pressure-- which actually pushes extracellular fluid (and toxins) back into circulation, improving blood flow and allowing the toxins to be eliminated.
Of course, at Shepard Moon, we think using the products we created to support your cleanse is an excellent choice and a sign of great intelligence! All kidding aside, we designed our Detox Support Bath and our Release Bath & Body Oil with cleanses in mind.
Detoxifying essential oil formula
We start with our organic essential oil blend of Lemon, Helichrysum, Juniper, Fennel, Carrot Seed, Ginger, Cypress, Chamomile, and Ylang. This concoction was originally created as a special formula for colon hydrotherapists working with patients with severely compromised digestive systems. This potent blend is effective in helping support all your body’s organs of elimination in a gentle, balancing way to nurture you while enhancing your body’s own ability to cleanse.
So when you decide to do a detox cleanse this spring, be sure to include bathing as a daily part of your cleansing ritual. And when you do, add Shepard Moon’s Detox Support Bath or Release Bath & Body Oil to your regimen and feel your body say “ahhhh… thank you!”