Detoxification Baths
Most people who do not have access to a
sauna have a bathtub and can take detoxification baths - sometimes called the "poor
man's sauna." Baths are especially useful for
people with a toxic bioaccumulation of xenobiotics. The hot water increases blood flow
and capillary action near the surface of the
skin, causing faster release of toxins. The
heat also increases sweating and opens
pores, allowing toxin-containing perspiration to be excreted more readily. Although
using filtered water or safe well water is
preferable for these baths, city water, even if
it contains chlorine, is still effective and
helpful.
Approach these baths with caution and
common sense. It is preferable to have a healthcare professional supervise your
detoxification program. If your chemical
load is high, baths can make you feel very ill.
Have someone in the house with you when
you take your detoxification bath in case you
develop symptoms and require assistance.
Should you experience dizziness, headache,
exhaustion, fatigue, nausea, or weakness,
stop your bath.
Clean your bathtub with tolerated cleaning products. It should be spotlessly clean
for a detoxification bath; you are trying to rid
your body of toxins, not absorb more.
Follow these general instructions for
both the plain-water baths and the detox
baths:
- Wash your body thoroughly with tolerated
soap in the shower before you take your
bath and scrub with a loofa sponge, sisal
mitt, skin brush, or rough washcloth to remove excess body oils, dead skin, and any
accumulated toxins. Rinse thoroughly.
- Fill the tub with water as hot as you can tolerate without burning your skin. Cover the
tub's overflow valve so the water level will
be high enough to immerse your body up
to your neck.
- Begin with a 5-minute soak in hot water. Do
not exceed 5 minutes for your first bath. Gradually increase the time by 5-minute increments until you can soak for 30 minutes
without experiencing symptoms. You may
feel deceptively well while soaking, but it is
extremely important that you do not overstay your time limit. Symptoms sometimes
do not occur until the next day.
- Gently massage your muscles with a skin
brush while soaking to increase circulation
to the skin.
- After soaking, take a cleansing shower.
Scrub thoroughly with tolerated soap and
rinse well in order to remove any toxins deposited on your skin during the bath. Be
sure to also wash your hair. Your body will
reabsorb any unremoved toxins. If you
continue to perspire, or begin perspiring
again, repeat the shower.
- Take your tolerated dose of vitamin C before and after each bath. This will help your body remove the toxins released into your blood-stream. If you are taking antioxidant nutritional supplements, take them before your bath.
- Drink an 8-ounce glass of water before, during, and after your bath.
Take detox baths three times a week until
your general health has improved. Then, use
the baths once or twice a week to prevent the accumulation of toxins. If you have unusual
chemical exposures, increase the frequency
and duration of your baths. This should be
done only under the supervision of a health-care professional.
Types of detoxification baths
When you can take a plain hot-water bath for
30 minutes with no symptoms, you may begin detoxification baths. Various substances
may be added to the bath to aid in detoxification. Follow the general bath instructions
above, adding one of the substances listed
below to the bath water. Except for Epsom
salts, you may need to rotate the other substances, as their effectiveness may subside
quickly if some time is not allowed between their use.
- Epsom salts
- Epsom salts help eliminate toxins by activating fluid movement in the tissues and
increasing perspiration. The salts work as a
counter-irritant on the skin to increase blood
supply, and also change the pH of the skin
surface. In addition, the sulfur component
of Epsom salts aids in detoxifying. Sulfur
springs have always been recognized for
their medicinal and cleansing properties.
Begin with 1/4 cup of Epsom salts. Gradually increase the amount with each bath until
you are using 4 cups per tub. Should you experience symptoms at any level, stay at that
level until you can soak for 30 minutes with no symptoms.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Vinegar also works as a counter-irritant, increasing blood supply to the skin and changing the skin's pH. Begin with 1/4 cup of apple
cider. Gradually increase the amount to 1
cup per tub. Be certain you use only apple
cider vinegar, as white vinegar is a chemical product.
- Clorox
- Use the Clorox brand of liquid bleach only,
adding 2 tablespoons to a full bath. Chlorine-sensitive people cannot use Clorox. The
oxidizing properties of Clorox aid with
detoxification.
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Use up to 8 ounces of food-grade 35% hydrogen peroxide in a bathtub half-full of warm
water. (Hot water causes the hydrogen peroxide to deteriorate too rapidly.) Be aware
that this bath taken at bedtime may cause
you difficulty getting to sleep. The increase
of oxygen at cellular levels can increase the
sense of alertness.
- Baking soda
- Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, creates
an alkalinizing bath to restore acid/alkaline
balance through osmosis. Use 8 ounces of
baking soda to a full bath. These baths are
particularly good for cleansing and drying
weeping, open sores, and relieving skin irritation and itching.
- Soda and sea salt
- Soda baths with sea salt are effective for
detoxifying X-ray and radiation exposure.
Use equal amounts of baking soda and non-iodized sea salt, building up to 1 pound of each.
- Clay
- Clay is most frequently used in compresses
or packs. However, the drawing and alkalizing action of clay baths is also helpful in detoxification baths. Use 1/2 cup of clay to a
full bath. Several types of clay are available
from health food stores, all appropriate for bathing.
- Ginger root
- Ginger's heating property causes sweating
and improves circulation. Ginger also stimulates
and draws toxins to the skin surface. Cut a
thumb-size piece of ginger root into small
pieces, place in a pot of water on the stove,
and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let
steep for 30 minutes. Strain and pour the liquid into a full bath.
- Burdock root
- Burdock root baths help the body to excrete
uric acid. They also aid in cleansing boils and clearing rashes. Simmer a level handful
of burdock root in 2 quarts of water for 30
minutes. Strain and pour the liquid into a
full bath. Herbal shops and health food
stores carry burdock.
- Oat straw
- Oat straw baths improve skin metabolism,
which helps the body to detoxify more
quickly. Simmer a heaping handful of oat straw in 2 quarts of water for 25 minutes.
Strain and pour the liquid into a full bath.
Oat straw is available at health food stores
and herbal shops.
- Herbal tea
- A number of herbal teas may be used in
detoxification baths to aid in eliminating
chemicals: catnip, yarrow, peppermint,
boneset, blessed thistle, pleurisy root, chamomile, blue vervain, and horsetail. Most of
these teas are diaphoretic and promote
sweating. Use 1 cup of brewed tea per tub of hot, clean water. Use only one of these teas
per bath. Sensitive individuals may not tolerate the use of some of these herbs.
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