| Do you take time in your busy week for soaking in a | | | | that happens, take action to help your body's natural |
| bath, or is this a luxury that you can't squeeze into your | | | | healing processes get back into balance with a |
| schedule? You might make time if you understood the | | | | botanical bath. |
| many self-care benefits of a botanical bath--a bath | | | | 5. Cellular care. Neglecting to listen to our bodies can |
| upgraded inexpensively with natural Epsom salt and | | | | result in chronically tight muscles, postural distortions, |
| herbs. Or with Epsom salt and aromatherapy with | | | | and inefficient breathing, to name just a few of the |
| essential oils from fragrant plants. This article gives you | | | | ways we suffer when we continually try to power |
| seven important ways that botanical bathing can boost | | | | through life without stopping to take care of our bodies. |
| your health from the outside in. | | | | Unremitting stress can result in invisible changes in your |
| | | | blood chemistry, with damaging consequences at a |
| 1. Internal Cleanse. Both baths and showers can clean | | | | cellular level. The simple pleasure of an aromatherapy |
| your body outside, but a natural aromatherapy bath | | | | bath can be one of your best counter-measures. |
| with Epsom salt helps cleanse your body inside. The | | | | 6. Self care. In the quiet of your bath, take time to |
| warmth of the water increases circulation of the blood. | | | | notice your self-talk. Remind yourself that time spent |
| The Epsom salt help draw out wastes trapped in | | | | nurturing your own health need not be selfish. Rather, it |
| tissues under the skin. Essential oils can be added that | | | | can be an exercise in gratitude and humility. Nourishing |
| help tone and quicken the inner cleansing work of the | | | | self-care is necessary if you are to be your best for |
| body's lymph system. | | | | the people you love. |
| 2. Nutrients. As the Epsom salt dissolve in the bath, | | | | 7. Deep relaxation. My experience and training as a |
| magnesium and sulfates are released into the water. | | | | massage therapist have convinced me that intentional |
| These natural components are absorbed through your | | | | relaxation is one of our strongest allies for healing. The |
| skin and can be used by the body in hundreds of | | | | ancient poet David knew that God, as a good |
| internal enzymatic reactions, benefiting your skin, | | | | Shepherd, "makes me lie down in green pastures". |
| circulation, digestion, nerves, muscles and joints. | | | | Rest is part of the restorative process for both body |
| 3. Stress Relief. A natural botanical bath boosts your | | | | and soul. Chronic, low-level inflammation markers-linked |
| ability to cope with stress. A twenty minute soak in a | | | | to many systemic disease conditions-increase when |
| botanical bath with organic essential oils and Epsom | | | | people do not obtain sufficient restful sleep. The |
| salt can be a holiday for your senses. The touch of | | | | comfort of a warm, aromatic bath is a wonderful way |
| the water, its comforting temperature, fragrance, and | | | | to let go, relax, and get ready for a good night's sleep. |
| buoyancy work together to refresh your sensory input, | | | | Now that you have seen just 7 of the ways that |
| helping you gain a new perspective on the issues of | | | | natural botanical baths boost your health, I hope you will |
| the day. | | | | carve out time for therapeutic soaking. Make aromatic |
| 4. Self-regulation. God designed our bodies to | | | | botanical baths a part of your routine at least two or |
| self-regulate for inner balance, using natural internal | | | | three times a week. This is a terrific time to rest in the |
| processes. These mysterious mechanisms can be | | | | Lord, speak to Him from your heart, and listen for the |
| blocked or hindered by injury, stress, or disease coming | | | | Shepherd's voice to your soul. |
| at us physically, psychologically, and emotionally. When | | | | |