When we hear the word Chakra, we may think of esoteric things, when it is an ancient word that simply names points in our body where the central nervous system connects with the peripheral nervous system. Each of these points circulates and disperses the electrical energy that flows through our nervous systems and out to our bodies. This electrical energy is what keeps our cells functioning, our mind thinking, and our body working.
Yes, I said electrical. Very low-level electromagnetic energy that is created, stored, and utilized throughout the body. Many people believe this electrical energy to be the soul, life force or spirit. This electromagnetic energy is technically carried along nerve fibers with the help of charged ions (sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium) that use positive and negative electrical charges to push/pull electrical signals along the nerve fiber.
The nerve fiber is more conductive using the myelin sheath. Myelin is a layered material composed of phospholipid, cholesterol and protein that winds around nerve cell axons. Myelin insulates nerve impulses from neighboring nerve fibers, and it increases the speed of impulses through nerve axons.
Each chakra is located along the spine and brain where large bundles of nerves exit the spinal cord and innervate the body. These junctions or nerve bundles circulate or spiral the energy from the bundle out towards the body as a type of active transport using the myelin sheath. These are considered energy centers, there are seven main centers, five along the spine and two in and on the brain.
When our nerves are nourished and healthy the electrical impulses travel easily from brain to body and back again. When they are unhealthy, inflamed or malnourished, the electrical impulses are impeded, and dysfunction occurs within the corresponding area of the body. Meaning our chakra is blocked and we should take steps to get the energy flowing again.
Opening and promoting chakra flow is as simple as eating nutritious food most of the time, exercising regularly, meditating often (chakra meditations for example) and practicing self-care every week. If you’ve developed an ailment or disease try these simple things first and you will see a drastic reduction in or complete reversal of your illness or disease.
Mother Jai is always concerned with providing natural products made from raw ingredients collected from the Earth. What we did not consider was the amount of pollution people have accumulated in the environment where these raw ingredients are collected from. So we now know that even ‘food grade’ bentonite clay or montmorillonite is full of heavy metals and pesticides absorbed from the environment. These harmful chemicals are then easily absorbed by the body when the clay is used. Originally the clay was useful and healing but because of what humans have done to Earth, that is no longer the case.
The testing done on products made by Mother Jai with ‘food grade’ Bentonite Clay showed 79 parts per million of lead. More than 100 times the allowable amount in foods. Other samples of ‘food grade’ Bentonite clay have tested at 39 parts per million which is still sixty times the amount the body can process in a day.
Mother Jai wants to protect her customers and has chosen to remove bentonite clay from all products. The evidence is just too strong to ignore.
Mother Jai now blends toothpowder and mudd mask with food grade Activated Charcoal.
Here is some evidence from the FDA –
The FDA focused on “Bentonite Me Baby,” a brand of powdered clay sold at stores including Target and Sally Beauty Supply. The label says it can be used as a facial or hair mask, or for ingestion. However, laboratory testing found that the product has a lead concentration of 37.5 parts per million (ppm). By comparison, the FDA says that lead levels above .05 ppm in fruit juice “may constitute a health hazard.”
What are the dangers and side effects of Bentonite clay?
#1. Toxic When Consumed
Despite the clay being one of the finest way to get a clear skin through cleaning the body system. It also internally detoxify the body to eliminate internal toxins believed to cause blemishes on the skin and quick aging. So, is it true that a Bentonite clay detox contribute to certain harmful impact? One of the main motives for applying this clay as an agent of detoxification is its capability to eliminate heavy metals from the body system. But, in the process of doing so, the mud can cause you intestinal distress. The remedy of this adverse effect of clay ingestion is drinking a lot of water since it may help pass out of your body system the dangerous compounds.
#2. Damages the Digestive System
Taking this mud is reported to clog up users’ lower intestine. If the situation gets out of hand, a surgical intervention may be required to save the victim’s life. The prospective of nutrient deficiencies is also claimed to the adverse effect of ingesting this clay. Your digestive system, teeth, and gums also can take a hit.
#3. Renders the Body More Exposed to Metal Impurities
Many bentonite products retailed in the market today are not naturally produced hence may contain certain toxic elements. Most of them have high levels of lead and arsenic. The presence of arsenic increases the danger of having lung, bladder, and skin cancers. The lead, on the other hand, can negatively affect your cardiovascular system and kidneys. It can also harm a young child’s central nervous system. Thus, a baby is put at risk if a pregnant mother consumes this clay. Summarily, the side effects of the Bentonite clay detox that you are likely to experience while taking it to rid your body of unwanted toxins and cleanse it include:
Joint stiffness and pain, which when combined with muscle pain, are symptoms of negative impact of the toxins deposited in the muscle and joint fluids being eradicated from your body.
Muscle tiredness and pain
A minor side effect of this clay is headaches
The above mentioned side effects are shared among people attempting to detoxify their body externally.
How much lead are we talking about?
The FDA report found that bentonite clay contained up to 37.5 micrograms of lead per gram. Mcg/g is same as parts per million (ppm). With an average oral dose of bentonite clay being 2 Tbsp. (0.72 ounce or 20.4 grams), this means your oral lead dose could be as high as 765 mcg.
Other companies, worried about the public being aware of lead in their products, have argued that we already consume high amounts of lead in common foods:
Fresh collard greens: 30 micrograms of lead (50x higher than prop 65 stipulates)
Dry roasted mix nuts: 20 mcg of lead
Brussels sprouts: 15 mcg of lead
Sweet potatoes: 16 mcg of lead
Spinach: 15 mcg of lead
The amount of lead present in the commonly used amount of bentonite clay is less than half of the lead found in spinach. To make the most direct comparison, if you assume an average serving size of 100 grams, spinach would likely have no more than 0.3 mcg total lead per serving as opposed to 765 mcg from clay.
How much lead is safe?
“There is no safe threshold for lead exposure,” according to a literature review on lead in psychiatry.
The World Health Organization states, “There is no known level of lead exposure that is considered safe.”
The Centers for Disease Control concludes the same: “No safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Lead exposure can affect nearly every system in the body. Because lead exposure often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized.”
OK, so none is safe, strictly speaking. In foods, since lead absorption varies tremendously from food to food, the FDA sets limits on different food categories. Most are below 0.1 ppm.
Why is lead a big deal?
Lead is one of the most thoroughly studied toxins and has been a bane to humans for millennia. Credible scientists have even blamed lead in the water as one of the principal causes behind the fall of Rome.
In kids, it creates behavioral problems, lower IQ, hyperactivity, hearing loss, seizures and growth delays. Kids and babies are less able to naturally detoxify lead from their bodies than adults.
In adults, lead can also slow our brains and affect mood symptoms, including depression and anxiety. Lead can cause vague symptoms like fatigue, numbness and tingling, digestive issues and joint pain. Growing evidence suggests that it can also be the culprit behind high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney damage, infertility in males and females and some cancers.
In my last article, Color in Marketing, we learned about how corporations use color to affect our emotions and our choices. We gained an understanding that it is much more than a whim when you purchase something without thinking. Your reactions are guided by the colors chosen. So now we’ll look at how you can use color to your advantage and protect and heal yourself.
How Colors Affect Us
Color is one of the languages of the soul, just look at inspired or meditative paintings.
They influence our mood and emotions.
They have their impact on our sense of well-being or un-easiness.
Using and avoiding certain colors is a way of self-expression; it sheds light on our personality.
Colors affect our way of perception (light colors make a space look big, a high ceiling looks less high when painted in a dark color, etc.)
Colors have a symbolic meaning which is immediately recognized by our subconsciousness. It must be said that not all colors mean the same to all persons and all cultures.
They influence the flow and amount of energy in our bodies.
Colors tell something about biological attraction and sexual availability.
Chromotherapy
Color Therapy is the method of treating ailments through the use of color. Chromotherapy can be done by shining an appropriate color on an area of the body. It can also be done through the eyes by looking at a particular color, though this should be done with the utmost care to avoid any strain on the eyes. It is a complementary therapy and should not be used as an alternative to professional medical care. Its results vary and cannot be guaranteed – its efficacy will in large part be dependent on the individual.
How Color Healing Therapy Works
Healing with color is simple, it comprises of applying single or multiple colors using their vibrational energy to heal. When embarking on self-healing with color, a good rule of thumb to remember is: “Energy follows thought”, in other words where you concentrate your thoughts is where the energy will go. Therefore, by concentrating on a particular healing color through visualization for instance, the energy of that color will be projected by your thoughts. The “unbalanced” vibration in your body will begin to change and start to resonate with your particular chosen healing color.
Red: is a passionate and warm color which induces vitality and stimulates energy. It increases adrenaline and elevates blood pressure-so avoid using it when the patient is suffering from hypertension. Bright crimson red is even a more potent stimulator than orange. This should not be given to anyone on the head. But if really concentrated on to rheumatic joints it will be beneficial. This could be the reason why red is used only moderately in hospitals. At home though, you can use this color for stimulating appetite in weak patients. Red can also alleviate depression. It is one of the top healing colors for enhancing sexual appetite and overall vitality. As the light frequencies of red are slow and very long, they have high penetrating properties, therefore can be used to stimulate the aura (and physical body) to such an extent that circulatory blockages can be cleared.
Orange: According to color healing therapy, orange is one of the best colors for hospitals and particularly for children’s rooms. Orange radiates warmth and is associated with joy and happiness. This is a stimulating color which can be given to the spleen, liver, kidneys, heart and indeed to any organ which helps to promote good circulation. In fact: even oranges which are packed with Vitamin C-the powerful antioxidant- are known to heal and fight free radicals to boost immunity. Therefore, as far as cancer healing colors go, orange is an important color in the color healing chart.
Yellow: Search for healing colors for hospitals and yellow would be high up in the list. This bright and cheerful color can help stimulate intelligence and also detoxify the body and mind to heal patients quickly. Yellow is particularly recommended for patients with skin problems. It can inspire creativity in people who feel sluggish or lethargic. Yellow is the color which signifies wisdom. Any mental deficiency, no matter how it shows itself, will be relieved by the use of yellow if concentrated on to small areas of the body. Avoid overuse of yellow as it can hamper the digestive health and lead to stomach problems and insomnia.
Green: known for its balanced healing properties. It is a restful color that symbolizes growth and renewal. It also encourages comfort and equilibrium and is particularly beneficial for the heart, lungs and circulatory system. This green is the great color of balance, which harmonizes the flow of prana or universal life force, throughout the psychic centers. It operates, as do all other colors, firstly on the aura, the reflection of which reacts upon the physical body. As green is the great balancer and harmonizer it causes many people to become very relaxed. It tends to counteract subtle energies which have built up in one nerve ganglia and causing starvation of another nerve ganglia. Start your treatment with an application of green and always finish with an application of green.
Blue: This spiritual color is also the color of the sky and sea. Blue is an important healing color as it is linked with calm and serenity. It helps lower blood pressure and can reduce rapid heart rate. Blue is relaxing for the mind and body. It is associated with organs like eyes, ears and nose and involved with the senses of smell, sight and sound. If you are sensitive that you are liable to get physically cold under the application of a blue light. This is caused because the high vibrations are short and quick, and they manifest as cold rather than heat. From this you can see that orange and red produce heat and are therefore necessary in cases of low temperature; blue produces coldness and is therefore necessary in cases of high temperature. Blue causes most people to relax. An application of blue color vibrations will also help people to sleep who suffer with mild insomnia.
Pink: feminine yet a soothing color that shows caring and affection. It is a protective and compassionate color that heals and soothes. This lighthearted color can stimulate happiness. Too much of bright pink might stimulate energy and incite passionate behavior just like its distant cousin Red. Pink can be however be safely useful in hospitals and prisons to reduce erratic behavior.
Purple/Violet: Both, purple and violet, as well as its related shades like lilac and lavender are connected with spirituality. These healing colors are also linked with perception, higher consciousness and insight. Health wise, these colors are linked with the cerebral and nervous systems. Violet tends to bring great relaxation and also like blue, can often be felt as waves of coldness. It does not stimulate basic circulation, but it does stimulate the flow of the subtler energies throughout the psychic centers and the nervous system. Because of this it is especially beneficial when used on the forehead and neck.
Indigo: a great purifier of the bloodstream and also benefits mental problems. It is a freeing and purifying agent. Indigo combines the deep blue of devotion with a trace of stabilizing and objective red. Indigo is cool, electric, and astringent. It is, also, the color ray used by Spirit to help entrance a medium. Indigo links with and stimulates the brow chakra (third eye) and controls the pineal gland. It governs both physical and spiritual (not psychic) perception; that is, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and clairsentience. Thus, it can be of great assistance in dealing with ailments of the eyes and ears, as well as assisting in problems or conditions related to mediumship. Finally, indigo is considered the ray of the Holy Spirit.
White: the perfect color; for it is all color, in perfect balance and harmony. It is the color of the awakened Spirit; the light of perfection; the light of the Christ and Buddhic consciousness. It is also the Divine Light. Just about everyone has heard of surrounding people with the “White Light of Healing and Protection.” Directing white into the aura helps stimulate the person’s own divine nature into healing the self.
Brown: absorbs pain and sorrow, increases physical energy and primal strength, relieves disorders connected with feet, he legs, the hands, the skeleton, all back pain and also the large intestine.
Table of Color Healing Properties – Physical
Color
Physical Ailment
Violet
Lapse of cellular memory, negative emotions accumulated since birth.
Endocrine system, eye balls, other undetected ailments.
Color breathing and meditation for healing: simple yet powerful color healing and color breathing meditation to gain benefits of color healing therapy.
Sit outside in a chair or on the ground in sunshine.
Close your eyes and count slowly as you breathe in.
Hold the breath as you count slowly to 8 counts.
Repeat this until your mind automatically quiets down and ponders over the healing harmony of colors that you receive from the sun’s rays.
You can easily and gently try to focus your mind on the place between the eyebrows. This is the third eye center where the pituitary body is located. This little gland can increase your perception and sixth sense. Now let colors flood the entire body and mind.
Repeat the exercise several times a day until you start to see Auras.
There are many colors that help healing but the colors described above are proven to work through every cell of the body even exert influence on the soul, consciousness and spirit. Use these healing colors wisely and bring peace, joy and vitality in you and your loved ones.
Ways to Apply Color for Healing
On the subtler planes by the power of thought, by visualizing a color in your mind.
With colored lights applied to the physical body.
With colored stones applied directly to the body or held in the hand.
With colored paper set directly in your line of sight, gazing at gently to avoid eyestrain. Or place a colored cloth over a lamp shade to make the whole room that color, just don’t start a fire.
Set the color you choose on your desktop or phone. Focus on the color to absorb its healing energy.
Colors are a major healing force. They stimulate energies that support the entire energy system and a clear mind. They bring in a subtle substance to the cells and tissues of the body. The color of the mind amplifies mental understanding and clarity, making possible the integration of thoughts with the vast knowledge of the soul. The color of the physical body and brain also bring healing to the physical body. All seven colors emanate from the one primary color of this Solar system, indigo/sapphire blue. The soul of each individual functions on one of the seven rays, and each ray has its own color.
Contact Healing with Crystals
For healing choose smooth polished stones about the size of a large coin. Use an counter-clockwise movement to remove pain and clockwise to infuse the body with healing energies.
Crystal quartz: will unblock stagnant energies; infuse the body with energy and positive feelings into a person who is ill or sad. Clear quartz will also trigger the body’s immune system and innate regenerative powers. This crystal is for fast results and can substitute for any other crystal
Citrine: This is a sparking yellow sun crystal that is naturally warming and energizing but is gentler than clear quartz. Melting pain and tension, citrine fills you or the patient with a slow even flow of warming energies that will create a sense of well-being and rebalance the body. It is ideal for chronic conditions or where a patient is weakened or distressed
Rose Quartz or Amethyst: These pink or purple transparent crystals have similar properties and are both excellent for use with children, older people and animals. They are also helpful where calm, quiet-acting energies are necessary to soothe and harmonize a body that is over–stressed and a mind that is over-active. They will remove pain and problems caused by tension, hormonal swings or emotional crises that give rise to physical symptoms.
C. W. Leadbeater in “Inner Life,” Vol. 1, page 447-460 describes the colors and petals of each energy center in the human as follows:
The base of the spine, four petals. These petals are in the shape of a cross, and radiate with orange fire.
The solar plexus, ten petals, rosy color with admixture of green.
The heart center, twelve petals glowing golden.
The throat center, sixteen petals of a silvery blue, with blue predominating.
The head center in its twofold divisions:
Between the eyebrows, consisting of ninety-six petals, one-half of the lotus being rose and yellow, and the other half blue and purple.
The very top of the head. A center consisting of twelve major petals of white and gold, and nine hundred and sixty secondary petals arranged around the central twelve.
When your body is purified, and its energies rightly directed, and when the rhythm of the soul is achieved, a radiant life is created. This works out literally as the life currents are directed by the soul through your nervous system and circulatory system.
Magnesium sulfate is an inorganic salt with the formula MgSO4(H2O). It is often encountered as the heptahydrate sulfate mineral epsomite (MgSO4·7H2O), commonly called Epsom salt. The overall global annual usage in the mid-1970s of the monohydrate was 2.3 million tons, of which the majority was used in agriculture. Epsom salt has been traditionally used as a component of bath salts. Epsom salt can also be used as a beauty product. Athletes use it to soothe sore muscles, while gardeners use it to improve crops. It has a variety of other uses: for example, Epsom salt is also effective in the removal of splinters.
Magnesium sulfate is a common mineral pharmaceutical preparation of magnesium, commonly known as Epsom salt, used both externally and internally. Magnesium sulfate is highly water-soluble and solubility is inhibited with lipids typically used in lotions. Lotions often employ the use of emulsions or suspensions to include both oil and water-soluble ingredients. Hence, magnesium sulfate in a lotion may not be as freely available to migrate to the skin nor to be absorbed through the skin, hence both studies may properly suggest absorption or lack thereof as a function of the carrier (in a water solution vs. in an oil emulsion/suspension). Temperature and concentration gradients may also be contributing factors to absorption.
The magnesium contained in Epsom salt is a mineral that is crucial to the human body’s functioning. Some of the key roles of magnesium include keeping blood pressure normal, heart rhythm steady and bones strong. Sulfate is an essential mineral key to many biological processes, helping flush toxins; cleanse the liver; and assisting in the formation of proteins in joints, brain tissue and mucin proteins. Recent studies have shown that Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) can even be used intravenously for the treatment of asthma and pre-eclampsia (pregnancy induced hypertension) in pregnant women.
Epsom salt is used as bath salts and for isolation tanks. Magnesium sulfate is the main preparation of intravenous magnesium.
People use Epsom salt baths as a home treatment for:
Arthritis pain and swelling
Bruises and sprains
Fibromyalgia, a condition that makes your muscles, ligaments, and tendons hurt, and causes tender points throughout your body
Ingrown toenails
Insomnia
Psoriasis, a disease that causes red, itchy, scaly skin
Sore muscles after working out
Soreness from diarrhea during chemotherapy
Sunburn pain and redness
Tired, swollen feet
Benefits of Epsom Salt
There is a laundry list of ways to use Epsom salt in your daily life. Here are some of the top benefits of Epsom salt:
Boosts Magnesium Levels: Appropriate levels of magnesium are absolutely key to good health, and it is very common to have a magnesium deficiency. Known as hypomagnesemia, low magnesium levels can be caused by alcoholism, severe diarrhea, malnutrition or high calcium levels (hypercalcemia). By simply soaking your feet or entire body in a bath containing Epsom salt, internal levels of magnesium can be increased naturally without taking magnesium supplements. Magnesium regulates over 300 enzymes in the body and plays an important role in organizing many bodily functions, including muscle control, energy production, electrical impulses and the elimination of harmful toxins. Magnesium deficiencies contribute to today’s high rates of heart disease, stroke, arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, digestive disorders as well as mental illness. By boosting your internal magnesium levels through external use of Epsom salt, you can help improve or ward off many avoidable health ailments.
Reduces Stress: Everyone has heard of the recommendation to have a good soak in a warm bath after a rough day (whether mentally or physically rough) — it’s a great way to bust stress. If you want to amplify the stress-reducing benefits of a nice, long soak, then add a cup or two of Epsom salt to your bathwater. Not only will the magnesium in the Epsom salt help to relax your muscles, it can also help to relax your mind. According to research from the University of North Carolina, magnesium deficiency enhances stress reactions. Further studies show that magnesium has a profound effect on stress and neural excitability — and magnesium salts such as Epsom salt can reduce stress and improve neuropsychiatric disorders. Magnesium is critical to the production of energy in cells so, by increasing magnesium levels, you can feel revived without feeling restless (as opposed to how people feel revived from caffeine consumption).
Eliminates Toxins: The sulfates in Epsom salt assist the body in flushing out toxins and providing a heavy metal detox from the body’s cells, hence lowering the internal accumulation of harmful substances. Human skin is a highly porous membrane; by adding minerals like magnesium and sulfate to your bathwater, it sparks a process called reverse osmosis, which literally pulls salt out of your body and dangerous toxins along with it. For a detoxing bath, add at least two cups of Epsom salt to bathwater and soak for 40 minutes total. The first 20 minutes will give your body time to remove toxins from your system while the last 20 minutes will allow you to absorb the minerals in the water and help you emerge from the bath feeling rejuvenated. Make sure to consume water before, during and after the bath to protect yourself from dehydration and increase detoxification.
Relieves Constipation: Epsom salt is an FDA-approved laxative and is commonly used to naturally relieve constipation. When taken internally, Epsom salt acts like a laxative by increasing water in the intestines and cleansing the colon of waste. A roundup of studies published in Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology notes that there is strong evidence that Epsom salt “has potent laxative effect in vitro through the release of digestive hormones and neurotransmitters.” Internal use of Epsom salt can bring about temporary relief from constipation, but like any laxative, it is not meant to be a long-term solution or a substitute for a healthy high-fiber diet. If a laxative solution is a must, it’s smart to avoid many of the harsh laxatives on the market today, which are commonly loaded with artificial colors and flavors and questionable chemicals. To take magnesium sulfate orally, it’s typically suggested to dissolve one dose in eight ounces of water. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away. You may add a small amount of lemon juice to improve the taste. Make sure to drink plenty of liquids while consuming Epsom salt to prevent dehydration. Magnesium sulfate taken orally should produce a bowel movement within 30 minutes to six hours. Adults are usually advised to take 2–6 teaspoons (10–30 ml) of Epsom salt at a time, dissolved in at least 8 ounces (237 ml) of water and consumed immediately. You can expect it to have a laxative effect in 30 minutes to six hours.
Reduces Pain & Inflammation: A warm bath containing Epsom salt is known to ease pain and relieve the inflammation at the root of most diseases, making it a beneficial natural treatment for bronchial asthma, sore muscles and headaches (including migraines). Epsom salt can also help heal cuts and reduce the swelling that accompanies sprains and bruises. Have an annoying and painful splinter stuck in your hand? Soak the problem area in warm water and Epsom salt, and the splinter should be drawn out of the skin in no time! Soreness after childbirth? Epsom salt can help with that, too. In general, healthy magnesium levels from Epsom salt use can help overall bodily inflammation since low magnesium has been linked with higher C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation in the body.
Improves Blood Sugar Levels: Healthy magnesium levels have been linked with a reduced risk of developing diabetes. Epsom salt is an excellent source of magnesium. Both magnesium and sulfate help improve the body’s ability to produce and utilize insulin. Regular intake of Epsom salts, either orally or transdermally, can help to regulate blood sugar, lowering the risk of diabetes and improving daily energy levels. Studies continue to show how a healthy intake of magnesium is associated with a lower risk of the development of type 2 diabetes in both men and women, proving Epsom salts work as natural diabetes remedies.
Promotes Sleep: Adequate magnesium levels are essential for sleep and stress management, likely because magnesium helps the brain produce neurotransmitters that induce sleep and reduce stress. Magnesium may also help the body produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. Low magnesium levels may negatively affect sleep quality and stress. Many report that taking Epsom salt baths can reverse these issues by allowing the body to absorb magnesium through the skin.
Volumizes Hair: Adding Epsom salt to hair products can help decrease excess oil, which contributes to hair looking flat and weighed down. One easy way to create your own volumizing conditioner at home is to combine equal parts Epsom salt and conditioner (example: two tablespoons conditioner + two tablespoons Epsom salt). After shampooing hair as usual, apply the volumizing conditioner mix to hair, coating it from the scalp to the ends. Leave the mix in for 10 to 20 minutes before rinsing. This is a great weekly hair treatment.
For Skin Care: Epsom salt may be used as a beauty product for skin and hair. To use it as an exfoliant, just place some in your hand, dampen it and massage it into your skin. Some people claim it’s a useful addition to facial wash, since it may help cleanse pores. Just a 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) will do the trick. Simply combine it with your own cleansing cream and massage onto the skin.
Soften callused feet. If your feet are feeling a little rough around the edges, try this simple at-home softening treatment: Pour ½ cup of Epsom salt into a tub of warm water and soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes. “It will soften the skin,” says Bhatia. You can then take a handful of Epsom salt, dampen it, and massage it on your feet to slough off dead, callused skin.
De-flake lips. Cold weather and even just repeatedly licking your lips year-round can leave you with a parched, flakey pucker. For smoother, healthier-looking lips, mix a few tablespoons of Epsom salt with a teaspoon of petroleum jelly, gently massage the mixture onto your lips, and then wipe off.
Soothe a sunburn. If you miss a spot with your trusty sunscreen and end up with an angry red mark, try this trick for easing a sunburn: Dissolve 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt in 1 cup of water in a spray bottle, and then spray the mixture on the sunburn to help reduce irritation.
Gallbladder Flush. The gallbladder is not as well-understood or talked about as our other organs, but an optimally functioning gallbladder is something we all should strive for when it comes to our health. Some of the warning signs that you may have a gallbladder problem include gallbladder pain, poor fat digestion, rosacea of skin and leaky gut syndrome. Epsom salt can be utilized in a gallbladder and liver flush recipe.
Headache Relief. There is quite a bit of evidence that magnesium may help headaches and even migraines when used regularly. Some sources even think that magnesium deficiency may increase the chance of headaches. I’ve noticed that when I consume magnesium or use it transdermally, I also don’t seem to get headaches. And my husband swears that the best hangover cure is a long swim in the ocean, which is much higher in magnesium than lakes or swimming pools. What to do: Use any of the methods to get more magnesium. I also find that magnesium spray and magnesium lotion are especially helpful for headache relief.
Epsom salt has a long history of use in the garden as well. For more robust vegetables, you can try adding a tablespoon of Epsom salt to the soil underneath a plant to boost growth. Epsom salt is also great for indoor gardening. For potted plants, simply dissolve two tablespoons of Epsom salt per gallon of water, and substitute this solution for normal watering once a month.
Looking to get rid of slugs from your walkways and patios without using chemicals? Sprinkle some Epsom salt to keep them away!
For itchy skin, bug bites or sunburn, you can dissolve a tablespoon of Epsom salt in a half cup of cool water in a spray bottle and spritz on skin as needed.
Epsom salt can also be used for household cleaning. To clean tile and grout, mix equal parts of liquid dish soap and Epsom salt and apply this mixture to dirty and/or stained surfaces anywhere in your home. Allow the mixture to soak in for a couple of minutes, scrub away the loosened filth and rinse clean.
Epsom salt helps draw the moisture out of lesions caused by rashes, such as poison ivy, according to the doctors. And with bites or stings, Epsom salt reduces the swelling, which eases the itching sensation because the body’s nerves fire less frequently, the doctors say.
Healthy House Plants. House plants are great for cleaning indoor air and we love to keep them around. Just like garden plants, house plants love a magnesium boost once in a while. Add some Epsom salt as part of a regular watering or fertilizing routine for more robust house plants. What to do: Sprinkle a little Epsom salt on the soil in a house plant container or add a little Epsom salt to the water when watering. A tablespoon is usually plenty for a month or two.
Scour Pans. Scrubbing pans with a quarter tablespoon of salt and warm water should get them clean and gleaming.
Regenerate Your Car Battery. The mother of all Epsom salt uses! Make a paste by dissolving about an ounce of salt into warm water, and then spread onto each battery post.
Clean Your Washing Machine. Fill your washing machine with hot water, add the salt and run an agitate-soak-agitate cycle.
Get Rid of Toenail Fungus. Soak feet three times a day in warm water with a handful of Epsom salts dissolved into it.
Remove Hairspray. Combine one gallon of water, one cup of lemon juice and one cup of Epsom salt. Cover the mixture and let set for 24 hours. Apply to dry hair and leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing for squeaky clean strands.
Make a Mask. If you’ve got oily skin, mix one tablespoon of cognac, one egg, a quarter cup of non-fat dry milk, the juice of one lemon and a half-teaspoon of Epsom salt. Apply to damp skin and leave on for 20 minutes.
Soften Fabrics. Mix four cups of Epsom salt with 20 drops of essential oil for homemade fabric softener crystals. Use a quarter cup per wash and add at beginning of each load.
Remove Blackheads. Mix a teaspoon of Epsom salt, three drops iodine and half a cup of boiling water. Dab the solution onto blackheads, allow to dry and rinse with warm water.
Remove Tree Stumps. Drill holes into the tree stump, fill each hole with Epsom salt and then add water to each hole. In a few weeks, the stump should begin to decay.
Health Uses of Epsom Salt
Doctors cite many health benefits from either soaking your feet or taking a bath in Epsom salt, including: soothing muscle pain and aches, providing itch relief from sunburn and poison ivy, removing splinters, decreasing swelling and boosting your body’s levels of magnesium and sulfate. Here are some natural recipes for different at-home remedies and uses of Epsom salt:
What to do for sore muscles, aches, pains, bruises and splinter removal – In each case, experts say taking an Epsom salt is a natural, at-home remedy. Here’s what you do:
Add 2 cups of Epsom salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub (double the Epsom salt for an oversized garden tub). Soak for at least 12 minutes. The Epsom salt will dissolve quicker if you put it under the running water. Note: For human use, the Epsom Salt Council recommends only Epsom salt with the USP designation.
MAKE COMPRESS – Soak a cotton washcloth in cold water that has been mixed with Epsom salt (2 tablespoons per cup)
CREATE A PASTE TO APPLY TO THE SKIN – Adding a teaspoon of Epsom salt to about a cup of hot water until it dissolves. Chill the solution in the fridge for 20 minutes. Note: Clean the skin and pat dry before applying the paste.
SOAKING ACHING FEET IN AN EPSOM SALT FOOT BATH – Create an Epsom Salt bath by pouring 1 cup into a tub of warm water.
Epsom Salt Detox
Magnesium absorption is the biggest benefit of an Epsom salt bath. There need to be more studies to confirm that your body can absorb magnesium across the skin. One 2004 study looked at 19 participants and found increased levels of magnesium and sulfate in the blood after the baths.
Benefits
Method
How it works
softer skin
20-minute bath soak
may soften skin, reduce inflammation, and strengthen the skin barrier to keep skin hydrated
muscle soreness and pain
12-minute bath soak
reduce inflammation, muscle aches, and tension; there’s moderate evidence that magnesium can reduce muscle cramps
relaxation and anti-stress
1-hour bath soak
can help relieve stress (magnesium deficiency may induce anxiety, depression, and stress)
laxative
20-minute soak or oral ingestion: 10 to 30 grams for adults; 5 to 10 grams for children 6 years old and above (talk to your doctor if you have an infant under 6 years)
leads to bowel movement 30 minutes to 6 hours after dose
ingrown toenails
12-minute foot soak
reduces inflammation and pain
splinters
Epsom salt paste
can help draw out tiny splinters
magnesium balance
12 to 20-minute soak
might restore magnesium (this may benefit people who are at risk for low levels, including those with fibromyalgia)
Safety and Side Effects of Epsom Salt
While Epsom salt is generally safe, there are a few negative effects that can occur if you use it incorrectly. This is mostly a concern if you take it by mouth. First of all, the magnesium sulfate in it can have a laxative effect. Consuming it may result in diarrhea, bloating or upset stomach. If you use it as a laxative, make sure to drink plenty of water, which may reduce digestive discomfort. Furthermore, never take more than the recommended dosage without consulting your doctor first. Some cases of magnesium overdose have been reported in which people took too much Epsom salt. Symptoms of this include nausea, headache, lightheadedness and flushed skin. In extreme cases, magnesium overdose can lead to heart problems, coma, paralysis and death. This is unlikely as long as you take it in appropriate amounts as recommended by your doctor or listed on the package.
Why do we need magnesium?
Magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body and impacts blood pressure, metabolism, immune function and many other aspects of health. Some experts claim that magnesium deficiency is the single largest health problem in our world today. There are many reasons that deficiency is so widespread in modern times (even though it wasn’t in the past). Depleted soil conditions mean that plants (and meat from animals that feed on these plants) are lower in magnesium. Use of chemicals like fluoride and chlorine in the water supply make magnesium less available in water since these chemicals can bind to magnesium. Common substances that many of us consume daily, like caffeine and sugar, also deplete the body’s magnesium levels. So does stress. In other words, the lucky (but small) percentage of the population that lives near the ocean (a good source of magnesium) and eats foods grown in magnesium rich soil, drinks magnesium rich water, and doesn’t suffer from stress or consume sugar or caffeine might be ok… but the rest of us might need some additional magnesium.
Magnesium Deficiency Leads To:
Calcification of the Arteries – Though this is not (hopefully) the first symptom of magnesium deficiency, it can be one of the most dangerous. Calcification of arteries from low magnesium levels can lead to coronary problems like heart attack and heart disease. In fact, half of all heart attack patients receive injections of magnesium chloride to help stop the blood clotting and calcification.
Muscle Spasms and Cramps – Just as calcification causes stiffening of the arteries, it can cause stiffening of muscle tissue as well, leading to cramps and spasms. I had horrible leg cramps during one of my pregnancies. Potassium didn’t help at all, but magnesium fixed the problem almost instantly (which makes sense in light of the sodium:potassium pump).
Anxiety & Depression – There is a lot of research showing that magnesium deficiency can have a tremendous impact on mental health. Psychology Today explains one possible reason: Magnesium hangs out in the synapse between two neurons along with calcium and glutamate. If you recall, calcium and glutamate are excitatory, and in excess, toxic (link is external). They activate the NMDA receptor. Magnesium can sit on the NMDA receptor without activating it, like a guard at the gate. Therefore, if we are deficient in magnesium, there’s no guard. Calcium and glutamate can activate the receptor like there is no tomorrow. In the long term, this damages the neurons, eventually leading to cell death. In the brain, that is not an easy situation to reverse or remedy.
High Blood Pressure/Hypertension – This is perhaps one of the most well-studied areas of magnesium deficiency. A Harvard study of over 70,000 people found that those with the highest magnesium intake had the healthiest blood pressure numbers. A follow up meta-analysis of available studies showed a dose-dependent reduction of blood pressure with magnesium supplementation. A University of Minnesota study showed that the risk for hypertension was 70% lower in women with adequate/high magnesium levels.
Hormone Problems – I personally saw the effects of low magnesium in my hormone levels. The higher the estrogen or progesterone levels in a woman’s body, the lower the magnesium (pregnancy anyone?) This is also part of the reason why pregnant women experience more leg cramps and women notice more of these muscular type complaints and PMS in the second half of their cycles when progesterone/estrogen are higher and magnesium is depleted. Chocolate is a decent source of magnesium, and there is speculation that cravings for chocolate may be a sign of magnesium deficiency. Muscle cramps related to the menstrual cycle can also be related to magnesium levels. Dr. Carolyn Dean, author of the Magnesium Miracle, often recommends that women with bad PMS and cramps take magnesium early in their cycles before the symptoms begin.
Pregnancy Complaints – Related to the hormone problems above, magnesium levels can drastically affect pregnancy health and mood. I noticed this when my morning sickness was tremendously less in my pregnancy when I supplemented with transdermal magnesium. Magnesium is also often used to help with pregnancy related hypertension and muscle cramps, to help ward off preterm labor and to alleviate headaches.
Sleep Problems – With all of the above symptoms of deficiency, it makes sense that magnesium would have a drastic impact on sleep, but the impact is often immediately noticeable when a person starts taking magnesium. Dr. Mark Hyman calls it the ultimate relaxation mineral. Magnesium helps relax the body and the mind, which both contribute to restful sleep. Additionally, magnesium is needed for proper function of the GABA receptors in the brain, and GABA is the neurotransmitter that allows the brain to transition to a restful state.
Low Energy – Magnesium is required in the reactions that create ATP energy in the cells. Let’s flash back to freshman biology for a minute. ATP or adenosine triphosphate, is the main source of energy in the cells and it must bind to a magnesium ion in order to be active. In other words, without magnesium, you literally won’t have energy on a cellular level. This shows up as fatigue, low-energy, lack of drive and other problems.
Bone Health – Calcium is always considered the most important mineral for bone health, but it turns out that magnesium is just as important (or even more so!) In cases of magnesium deficiency, the bones suffer in multiple ways:
Vitamin D Absorption: Magnesium is needed for Vitamin D to turn on calcium absorption- this is why it is also important to get enough magnesium when taking Vitamin D (or magnesium levels can become even more depleted)
Proper Calcium Use: Magnesium is needed to stimulate the hormone calcitonin which draws calcium out of the muscles and soft tissues and into the bones. This helps explain why magnesium helps lower the risk of heart attack, osteoporosis, arthritis and kidney stones.
Other Mineral Deficiencies – Many vitamins and minerals work synergistically, and magnesium is a work horse on this list. It is needed for proper utilization of calcium, potassium, Vitamin K, Vitamin D and many other nutrients. By using magnesium externally, or transdermally (meaning “across the skin”) the body can absorb what is needed without absorbing to much. It is similar to soaking in an Epsom salt bath or in the ocean.
Recipes
Homemade Healing Bath Salts
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups Epsom salts
1 cup baking soda
Water to fill bath (as hot as you can stand without burning yourself)
40 drops lavender essential oil (or use 20 drops lavender essential oil and 20 drops juniper berry essential oil)
Large glass jar
Directions:
Combine dry ingredients and store in a closed container
At bath time, add 1 cup of dry ingredients and the essential oil to the water
Mother Jai creates a professionally blended spray for personal use. It is a water based spray with Everclear and essential oils, blended for every day use. Multiple all natural blends are available for enjoyment, cleaning and health benefit. Get yours here.
Distilled water provides a clean base for aroma sprays. Although distilled water does not emulsify essential oils it provides an odor free and all natural base for sprays. We all know that oil and water don’t mix, so we must emulsify the oils for them to mix with water and be effectively dispersed. That’s where Everclear comes in.
Everclear is 190 proof Grain Alcohol that effectively emulsifies essential oils for safe dispersion as well as naturally preserves the water and prevents mold growth. No other alcohol emulsifies essential oils as effectively as Everclear.
Molecules for Health – Instead of Chemicals Preventing Health
These are the chemical compounds that make up essential oils. These molecules can be toxic or nourishing to the body. We discuss which can be toxic and the benefits of the nourishing molecules. Mother Jai professionally blends essential oils for their safe use everyday.
All substances can be broken down into an array of molecules and atoms, and essential oils are no different. Each essential oil can be broken down into an array of different natural chemical constituents.
Many of our modern medicines are a result of analyzing the natural chemical constituents of raw botanicals and distilled essential oils. Common aspirin is one example. White Willow Bark, used over 2,000 years ago by Hippocrates to ease headaches and other muscular pains, contains a natural anti-inflammatory identified in the nineteenth century as salicin. Salicin is a cousin to salicylic/acetylsalicylic acid, more commonly known as aspirin. White Willow Bark is still routinely used by herbalists to more naturally relieve pain and inflammation.
After the analysis and discovery of the benefits of the effective components in essential oils or raw botanicals, chemists routinely isolate these constituents for use in modern medicines. Chemists then derive ways to more inexpensively synthesize these constituents.
Essential Oil Constituents
In general, pure essential oils can be subdivided into two distinct groups of chemical constituents; the hydrocarbons which are made up almost exclusively of terpenes (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and diterpenes), and the oxygenated compounds which are mainly esters, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, phenols, and oxides.
Terpenes Hydrocarbons:
Terpenes – inhibit the accumulation of toxins and help discharge existing toxins from the liver and kidneys.
Sesquiterpenes are antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. They work as a liver and gland stimulant and contain caryophyllene and valencene. Research from the universities of Berlin and Vienna show increased oxygenation around the pineal and pituitary glands. Further research has shown that sesquiterpenes have the ability to surpass the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain tissue. other sesquiterpenes, like chamazulene and farnesol, are very high in anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial activity. Chamazulene may be found in chamomile, tansy, and yarrow.
Farnesene is anti-viral in action.
Limonene has strong anti-viral properties and has been found in 90% of the citrus oils.
Pinene has strong antiseptic properties and may be found in high proportions in the conifer oils such as pine, fir, spruce, and juniper.
Other terpenes include camphene, cadinene, cedrene, dipentene, phellandrene, terpinene, sabinene, and myrcene.
Oxygenated compounds:
Esters – are the compounds resulting from the reaction of an alcohol with an acid (known as esterification). Esters are very common and are found in a large number of essential oils. They are anti-fungal, calming and relaxing.
Linalyl acetate may be found in bergamot, Clary sage, and lavender
Geraniol acetate may be found in sweet marjoram.
Other esters include bornyl acetate, eugenol acetate, and lavendulyl acetate.
Aldehydes – are highly reactive and characterized by the group C-H-O (Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen). In general, they are anti-infectious with a sedative effect on the central nervous system. They can be quite irritating when applied topically (citral being one example), but may have a profound calming effect when inhaled.
Citral is very common with a distinctive antiseptic action. It also has an anti-viral application as with melissa oil when applied topically on herpes simplex.
Citronellal is also very common and has the same lemony scent as citral. Along with citral and neral, citronellas may be found in the oils of melissa, lemongrass, lemon, mandarin, lemon-scented eucalyptus, and citronella.
Elements of aldehydes have also been found in lavender and myrrh. Other aldehydes include benzaldehyde, cinnamic aldehyde, cuminic aldehyde, and perillaldehyde.
Ketones – are sometimes mucolytic and neuro-toxic when isolated from other constituents. However, all recorded toxic effects come from laboratory testing on guinea pigs and rats. No documented cases exist where oils with a high concentration of ketones (such as mugwort, tansy, sage, and wormwood) have ever caused a toxic effect on a human being. Also, large amounts of these oils would have to be consumed for them to result in a toxic neurological effect. Ketones stimulate cell regeneration, promote the formation of tissue, and liquefy mucous. They are helpful with such conditions as dry asthma, colds, flu and dry cough and are largely found in oils used for the upper respiratory system, such as hyssop, Clary sage, and sage.
Thujone is one of the most toxic members of the ketone family. It can be an irritant and upsetting to the central nervous system and may be neuro-toxic when taken internally as in the banned drink Absinthe. Although it may be inhaled to relieve respiratory distress and my stimulate the immune system, it should only be administered by an educated and professional aromatherapist.
Jasmone (found in jasmine) and fenchone (found in fennel) are both non-toxic.
Other ketones include camphor, carvone, menthone, methyl nonyl ketone, and pinacamphone.
Alcohols – are commonly recognized for their antiseptic and anti-viral activities. They create an uplifting quality and are regarded as non-toxic.
Terpene Alcohols stimulate the immune system, work as a diuretic and a general tonic, and are anti-bacterial as well. These oils have good antiseptic, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties with very few side effects such as skin irritation or toxicity and have an uplifting energizing effect.
Linalol can help relieve discomfort. It may be found in rosewood and lavender.
Citronellol may be found in rose, lemon, eucalyptus, geranium, and others.
Geraniol may be found in geranium as well as palmarosa.
Farnesol may be found in chamommile. It is also good for the mucous.
Other terpene alcohols include borneol, menthol, nerol, terpineol, (which Dr. Gattefosse considered to be a decongestant), vetiverol, benzyl alcohol, and cedrol.
Sesquiterpene Alcohols are anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-mycotic, and ulcer-protective (preventative). These alcohols are not commonly found in essential oils, but when found, like bisabolol in German chamomile, have great properties, which include liver and glandular stimulant, anti-allergen and anti-inflammatory.
Bisabolol is one of the the strongest sesquiterpene alcohols. It may be found in chamomile oils where it also functions well as a fixative.
Other oils that contain sesquiterpene alcohols are sandalwood (a-santalol) as well as ginger, patchouli, vetiver, carrot seed, everlasting and valerian.
Phenols – are responsible for the fragrance of an oil. They are antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and strongly stimulating but can also be quite caustic to the skin. They contain high levels of oxygenating molecules and have anioxidant properties.
Eugenol may be found in clove and cinnamon oil.
Thymol is found in thyme and may not be as caustic as other phenols.
Carvacrol may be found in oregano and savory. Researchers believe it may possibly contain some anti-cancerous properties.
Others in the phenol family include methyl eugenol, methyl chavicol anethole, safrole, myristicin, and apiol.
Oxides – According to The American Heritage™ Dictionary of the English Language, an oxide is “a binary compound of an element or a radical with oxygen”.
Cineol (or eucalyptol) is by far the most important member of the family and virtually exists in a class of its own. It is anesthetic, antiseptic, and works as an expectorant. Cineol is well known as the principal constituent of eucalyptus oil. It may also be found in rosemary, cinnamon, melissa, basil, and ravensara.
Other oxides include linalol oxide, ascaridol, bisabolol oxide, and bisabolone oxide.
Lactones and coumarins – contain an ester group integrated into a carbon ring system and coumarins are also types of lactones. There are similarities between the actions of lactones, coumarins and ketones since they also have some neurotoxic effects and can cause skin sensitizing and irritation. Yet the sesquiterpene lactone, called helenalin found in arnica oil, seems to be responsible for the anti-inflammatory action of arnica oil. The amount of lactones and coumarins normally found in essential oils is very low, and does not pose a huge problem. Lactones also have great mucus moving and expectorant properties and for this reason elecampane is often used in the treatment of bronchitis and chest complaints. Some coumarins, like furocoumarin – bergaptene – found in bergamot oil are severely skin UV sensitive and should be used with great care should you be exposed to sunlight.
All pure essential oils have some anti-bacterial properties. They increase the production of white blood cells, which help fight infectious illnesses. It is through these properties that aromatic herbs have been esteemed so highly throughout the ages and so widely used during the onsets of malaria, typhoid, and of course, the epidemic plagues during the 16th century. Research has found that people who consistently use pure essential oils have a higher level of resistance to illnesses, colds, flues, and diseases than the average person. Further indications show that such individuals, after contracting a cold, flu, or other illness, will recover 60-70 percent faster than those who do not use essential oils.
