Detox Baths - Alternatives to Mineral Salts

Detox baths are an ancient part of internal body cleansing.  They have been around since the time of the ancient Greeks.  Most often, they are done with various salts, sometimes accompanied by essential oils.  Different salts are used for different purposes.  However, salts are not the only option for a detox bath.  Depending on what symptoms you have, what the goal is, you may want to choose another detoxifying agent for your bath.  There are surprisingly many to choose from, and we will go over some of them here.

Bentonite clay.  Good for clearing out heavy metal toxins.

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Bentonite Clay

This, like all detoxifying agents, works on the whole body.  However, It seems to work especially well on the digestive system.  If the main symptom of your body's toxicity is frequent, excessive gas, bloating, or you are having loose stools on a regular occurrence, this may be the correct choice for you to try.  This is especially true if you have heavy metals in your alimentary canal.  Bentonite clay is negatively charged, and will attach to those metals and draw them out of your system.

There is a way to confirm that heavy metals were the problem in your system: if the bath turns brown or another dark color.  That is a clear sign that the metals were drawn out, and the detox bath did its job.

Key points to remember about a bentonite clay bath:

• The bath should be warm, but not hot like a bath with mineral salts.
• Dissolution is important.  Solubility is greatly affected by temperature.  Bentonite clay will have trouble dissolving if the temperature is not high enough.  Fill the bathtub with three to four inches of hot water, then pour the clay in and whisk it around with your hand.  Then fill the bath up completely with lukewarm to warm water.  When the bath is full, stir it with your hand to evenly disperse the dissolved clay throughout the water.
• The bath should not be as long as a mineral salt bath.  Stay in for 10-20 minutes, as opposed to 45 minutes.
• Use two cups of clay for the bath.

Seaweed Bath

Are you suffering from bad circulation?  The seaweed bath is used to improve blood flow and also the movement of the lymphatic system.  One component of this is also clay, so make sure you dissolve the dried mixture in hot water before adjusting the temperature.

The seaweed that is used in this mixture is usually an even combination of kelp and bladderwrack.  Both of these not only have detoxification properties, but are also loaded with several essential nutrients that can be absorbed through the skin as the toxins are drawn out.

This bath should be longer than a clay bath, but not as long as a mineral salt bath.  The ideal time is between 20-30 minutes.

One caveat, during and after the bath, you will probably have a fishy smell in the bathroom as a result of compounds present in the seaweed.  You may want to turn on the vent afterward, or even while bathing if the noise doesn't bother you.  Afterwards, use an air freshener.

Baking Soda Bath

Simple, inexpensive, and scent free, you can add detoxification to the many good uses of good old fashioned baking soda.  That's right, it's not just a teeth cleaner, it can clean out the insides as well.  If you swim a lot in pools, and/or live in locations where a significant amount of chlorine is added to the water supply, this can come in handy.  Baking soda neutralizes chlorine, and also acts as a de-stressing agent.  This is a good bath to take when you've had a bad day at work, or at home.

This bath should be somewhat hot, like a mineral salt bath.  Use one to two cups of baking soda for an average sized bathtub.