This Epsom Salt Bath Helps Relieve Stress

by | Mar 23, 2020 | Health, Immune & Inflammatory Balance, Mind, Spirit, Emotions

Think a bath is too simple to ease stress?  Think again!

Does a daily bath seem like a leisure-time indulgence?  Did you know that something as simple as an Epsom salt bath can actively help relieve stress?  It’s true!  This simple self-care technique not only feels great but also supports your health.  So, let’s talk stress and solutions!  Let’s talk self-care… I’ve seen the way people roll their eyes when talk shifts to self-care, and I bet you have too. In some ways, self-care feels like a four-letter word because it’s gotten this rap as being something self-ish and self-centered (as if those are always bad things?!)

As a Certified Functional Nutrition & Lifestyle Practitioner, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Aromatherapist, Reiki Master and Laughter Yoga Teacher, I talk to people everyday who are trying to figure out how to relieve stress and live healthier. And one common denominator in most of my clients lives is STRESS!

Of all the burdens on the body, it’s stress that tends to make people feel unwell and stress that perpetuates the cycle of neglected nourishment and neglected self-care. The stigma around self-care is that we’re somehow selfish or self-centered or self-absorbed rather than being giving, nurturing and caring for others in our world.  So, we side-step the basics needed for our own well-being under the guise of being strong and selflessly caring for others. How backwards it is that our perception of self-care can make us feel as though we don’t deserve the same care and compassion that the world expects us to provide for others!

You’re Invited!

I’m going to invite you to stop sabotaging self-care, to re-member yourself, to restore your commitment to your own health and well-being, to nourish and tend to your spirit, your body, your self.

One of my favorite self-care strategies is to soak in a deliciously steamy tub. I love adding Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) and baking soda to create a relaxing, silky soft soak.

Your skin will absorb some of the magnesium from the Epsom salt, which can help relax your muscles; the baking soda may help neutralize bacteria and fungus while calming skin irritation and lifting oil and debris.

Together, the Epsom salt and baking soda create a delightful tub.  Aromatherapy can amplify relaxation.    Adding a few drops of essential oil to the baking soda before stirring it into the water can enhance your experience.  Roman Chamomile and Lavender are my favorite essential oils for relaxation.  A drop of Eucalyptus or Frankincense may be added to ease congestion and support the immune system.

SIMPLE DETOXIFYING EPSOM SALT BATH

2 cups Epsom salts
2 cups Baking Soda
Optional: 5 drops pure essential oil (add these to the baking soda before adding to the bath)

Add the ingredients to a bathtub filled with warm water (not too hot!).  Soak for 20 minutes.

To take it to the next level, dim the lights, set a candle on the counter and turn on your favorite piano music.

Take your time.

Reclaim self-care.

It’s a strategy for health.  It’s nourishing.

Recharge your batteries.  You absolutely deserve it!

P.S. Click here to get more FREE goodies to help you reclaim your health… right now! Some of my best tools will be delivered to your inbox within hours!

P.P.S. You might also be interested in this post…

Pack this into your daily detox toolkit!

by | Mar 2, 2016 | Health, Hormones & Neurotransmitters, Immune & Inflammatory Balance, Mind, Spirit, Emotions, Nutrition

I am in love with the castor oil pack. Years ago, a very talented acupuncturist and dear friend, told me about castor oil packs.  This was early on in my journey, shortly after I enrolled in my first Nutrition and Holistic Health Coaching school. I was really intrigued and immediately wanted to learn more.  Grab a glass of water and spend a couple of minutes with me learning why you should pack this into your daily detox toolkit!

 

If you’ve known me a while or have been following me, you won’t be surprised by what I’m going to say next… I started researching castor oil and the benefits of the castor pack.  Then, I did a deep dive into herbal medicine texts and combed through studies and found incredible information to support the use of castor oil and castor oil packs for eliminating toxins.  Here’s a summary of what I found:

1. Helps the bowels move, improving digestion and absorption. Read more here. 

2. Improves antioxidants, like glutathione, essential fats (omega 3, 6, 9) and fat soluble vitamins like vitamin E.  The study is here.

3. Breaks down the biofilm that creates a hospitable environment for bad bacteria. This detail was found in dental studies, (study link) (study link)but is relevant for the microbiome in general.

4. Improves parasympathetic tone and enhances your feel good hormones of oxytocin (the data is here)  and dopamine through topical application

5. Reduces inflammation and increases alkalization (info here, here, and here).  Helps to support immune response.

 

Can you see why it was such a no-brainer to try castor oil packs? Not only is there solid science, but castor oil packs are easy and inexpensive!  I got hooked and have been using castor oil packs in my life, weekly, ever since!  I encourage my detoxers to do this as well as my private clients.  Traditional techniques stand the test of time.  I mean, castor oil is something that my grandma used… and her mother before her!  If you’re not convinced, let me share a couple more benefits of this super easy, super cheap technique!

Lymph Mover. The castor oil pack can flush your lymphatic system (which is like a sewage system in your body). The lymphatic system must get flushed daily to reduce digestive issues, water retention, inflammation, common illnesses (like colds and flu), weight gain and allergies. Unlike your circulatory system, which is pumped by your heart, the lymphatic system relies on the movement of your body to stimulate flow.  If you are more sedentary or if you are less active because you aren’t feeling well, your lymphatic system may need some extra support.  Castor oil as a has been used as a detox tool for centuries. 

 

Circulation Booster.  Castor oil packs can support your circulation, pull toxins and help stimulate digestion. When placed over the liver, you can feel the castor oil begin to stimulate the organ.  When placed over the abdomen, there is an ease of any bloating and gas as peristalsis gently engages.  I wasn’t convinced that something so simple could do so much, but ever since I tried it and felt the benefits for my own body, I have never stopped. I could feel an improvement in my digestion, the swelling in my ankles started reducing, and I had a better sleep.

 

I’ve had an autoimmune condition for many years and am always on the lookout for natural ways to detox my body.  It’s even better when I find things I can do in the comfort of my own home. Daily detox really is key for my health. I look at the castor oil pack as an awesome detox tool that supports my immune system and it protects me from seasonal funk.

 

Whether you have an autoimmune condition, a chronic illness or are just looking for a simple, easy, effective tool to add to your detox routine, why not give this a try?!  I mean, we all have some degree of toxicity just from everyday life – pollution, environmental toxins, chemicals in our personal care products and in our clothing, residual junk from medications or OTC products like NSAID’s, acid blockers, etc – so, why not support your body to get rid of it and see how you feel?

 

My 3 favorite options:

1. Make Your Own Castor Oil Pack

  • Take an old shirt and cut it into 12 x 18 inches in size and fold it into 3 thicknesses.
  • You want it to be about the same size as the heating pad you will be using so that the pad heats the entire pack but does not touch your skin.
  • Put the shirt in a pan, such as a large disposable baking pan, and pour in enough castor oil to cover. The oil will absorb into the cloth.  You can work it in with your fingers to make it go a little faster.
  • Once the cloth is saturated, it is ready to use!  You can place it on a layer of plastic wrap so it’s easy to apply to the body and less messy.  Details on how to apply the pack follow.
  • Note: after each use, you will probably need to add a little more castor oil. You can reuse the pack many times. When not in use, store your pack in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

2. Hit the Easy Button

and order a castor oil pack kit here!

3. Make A Super Simple Version

You can also put castor oil directly onto your stomach and upper abdomen. Then, wrap your stomach and upper abdomen with plastic wrap and sit for 45 minutes. This simplified version is quick and quite effective.

 

Usage Guidelines:

  • Use the pack in the evening before bed. Fold a towel (dedicate an old towel for this use as the oil is almost impossible to wash out completely). Take the cloth cover off a heating pad and place the heating pad on top of the towel. Place the prepared Castor Oil pack on top of the heating pad — the plastic wrap you laid it on after preparing it will be in between the pack and the pad.  It is important to heat the pack before you put it on your body.
  • Lie down on your back on another towel that you don’t mind getting oily. Place the pack on your abdomen with the heating pad on top and the towel on top of that. The pack should be on the right side of your body, extending from a little bit above the bottom of your sternum (breastbone) to about 4 inches below your navel. The pack should wrap around the body on the right side, from the navel as far to the side as you can get it. Keep the pack on for 45 minutes. Use the pack for 3 days in a row. Take a break for 4 days, and repeat.
  • While the pack is in place, relax. Enjoy the warmth around your body.  Settle in with a book or put on some music you enjoy and just take a break.

 

Remember, the castor oil pack is a natural and inexpensive way to rid the organs of toxicity. Know that you are taking good care of yourself when you use the pack.  And send me a message if you want to share your experience or if you have questions!

 

ENJOY!

XO,

Sarah

 

Safety note:

Before starting anything new, always check with your doctor if you have a condition or are on medication.  Also, if you are menstruating, castor oil packs are not recommended because they can increase bleeding.  Just wait until your period has ended to enjoy the benefits of a castor oil pack.

A Simple Juice Cleanse

by | Mar 2, 2016 | Cooking, Digestion, Health, Hormones & Neurotransmitters, Immune & Inflammatory Balance, Nutrition

Your busy life is probably as wild as mine.  Family, business, friends… weekends aren’t the respite they used to be! Our lives have too much going on, and I tend to make crappy food choices when I’m on the go OR I don’t eat at all – either way, my body suffers.  Feel me?

We’re not alone in any of this!  As a society, we are stressed, we get sick, we lack energy, we do not feel like doing anything, our skin is bad, our health suffers, our weight fluctuates, and things just don’t seem right. Busy business people, busy parents, busy weekend warriors… busy, busy, busy bees!  I don’t know anybody who doesn’t need (and 1000% deserve) a break!  Times like these call for simple solutions.  Times like these are when we need is a simple juice cleanse. (Gimme an “amen!”)

A simple juice cleanse supports your body’s natural ability to detoxify by giving your bod a break from all the junk that you have been putting in there! You will be amazed by the results that you will see and feel in just a few days of a simple juice cleanse. You will feel lighter, your skin will glow and begin to clear, you will have heaps of energy to conquer your day (and you may even be able to finally lose that last bit weight that has been hanging on!)

Here are a few easy, simple detox juice recipes to try. My favorite is Call a CAB!  For a simple plan, drink one large glass first thing in the morning instead of breakfast or take it up a notch and substitute your choice of these juices for your regular meals for a day or two!

To make each juice, combine all ingredients for the recipe in your juicer. Blend until well incorporated and serve.

 

Green Juice

6 celery stalks

1 whole cucumber

1 large green apple

3 big leaves of kale

3 big leaves of romaine

A handful of spinach

A handful of parsley

1 lemon

 

Call a C.A.B.

This juice is best after a strenuous workout. It provides a great energy boost that your body needs to recover from vigorous exercise.

3 large carrots

3 large green apples

2 beets, including green stalks

1 lemon (peeled)

1-inch piece fresh ginger

 

My Friend P.A.M.

This juice is best when you are feeling sleepy or fatigued and need to wake up. It tastes just like a mint margarita and is much better for you than that afternoon coffee!

1/3 of a pineapple

2 large green apples

Sprig or two of mint

 

This Means Business

The ingredients in this juice are alkalizing, anti-inflammatory and supportive of your liver!

 

2 cucumbers

½ a beet

3 celery stalks

3 dandelion leaves

1 lemon

1 lime

½ teaspoon turmeric or 1 inch of fresh turmeric

 

 

I use juicing as part of my daily detox routine to keep my body running well.  Because I am on complete thyroid hormone replacement, my metabolism is relatively fixed… for me, juicing needs to be either a replacement for a meal or a focus for a couple of days (basically a juice fast).  If I ADD juices into my nutrition plan AND eat normally, I gain weight.  Juices are just to calorically dense for me in that way.  But, if I use them as a substitute or as a gentle liquid fast, I am a-okay!  You may need to experiment to find the perfect fit for you, but fresh juice, rich in nutrients and enzymes is a gorgeous way to flood your body with goodness!

Need some support finding your perfect nutrition and health plan?  Click here and message me with a bit about you and let’s see what we can do to get you feeling more like yourself!

Yours in health and wellness,

Coach Sarah