People sometimes soak their bodies in Epsom salt baths or drink Epsom salt after dissolving it in a glass of water. However, some people should not consume Epsom salt at all. These include those with kidney disease or heart disease, pregnant women, and children.
What drugs and food should I avoid while taking Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt)? Magnesium sulfate taken orally can make it harder for your body to absorb other medications you take by mouth, especially antibiotics. Avoid taking other medicines within 2 hours before or after you take magnesium sulfate as a laxative.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Did you know that the magnesium found in Epsom salts can lead to reduced blood pressure and a slowed heart rate? If you suffer from high blood pressure, soaking in healing Epsom salts may be helpful in lowering your blood pressure and even in improving your heart health.
Typically, epsom salt soaks are not recommended for people with diabetes. The primary reason is that such soaks can dry out the feet. When the skin is dry it is more vulnerable to cracking and chafing, which can lead to skin lesions and wounds, which if not properly attended to can lead to ulcerations.
Avoid soaking your feet, as this can lead to dry skin. Dry your feet gently, especially between the toes. Moisturize your feet and ankles with lotion or petroleum jelly. Do not put oils or creams between your toes — the extra moisture can lead to infection.
Epsom salt and diabetes
Epsom salt is a mineral compound with many different uses, but people with diabetes should avoid using it. No form of foot soak is appropriate for individuals with diabetes. People use Epsom salt as a home remedy for various health issues.
Epsom salt is a great anti-inflammatory and has been shown to decrease inflammation while also increasing the elasticity of your arteries. Soak yourself in an Epsom salt bath a few times a week to lower inflammation that can lead to joint aches.
Reduce soreness and pain
Epsom salt contains magnesium and may help the body get rid of toxins responsible for exacerbating inflammation while also reducing swelling, stiffness, and pain.
If you decide not to rinse off afterwards, your body may benefit for longer from the purported healing properties of the salt. However, Epsom salts can sometimes have a drying effect, so you may want to have a quick rinse off afterwards, especially if you have dry skin anyway.
Prevention of arteries hardness and blood clots
Epsom salt improves the blood circulation, hence help in prevention of heart disease, strokes, elasticity of arteries, preventing blood clots, and lowering of blood pressure.
Dehydration can lead to symptoms like dizziness, light-headedness and feeling tired after an epsom salt bath, and is caused by not having enough water in your system. The way to counter this is by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after your bath.
The sulphates in Epsom salt help flush out toxins and heavy metals. The process is called reverse osmosis, and it literally pulls toxins out of your body. For an epsom salt detox bath, add at least two cups of epsom salt to your bathwater and soak for 40 minutes total.
Too much magnesium, and the gates move slowly, which can mean your heart will beat more slowly. Too little magnesium and the gates open and close quicker. So, your heart speeds up. And, then — voila: heart palpitations.
Never use a higher dose of magnesium sulfate than recommended on the package label, or as your doctor has directed. Using too much magnesium sulfate can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. Magnesium sulfate may be used orally (by mouth) or as a soak.
When your body gets superheated: Your blood vessels dilate to try to help cool off the body. Blood diverts to the skin, away from the body core. Heart rate and pulse increase to counteract a drop in blood pressure.
The Arthritis Foundation suggests taking a warm Epsom salt bath to reduce tenderness and swelling in your joints because heat therapy can help relieve pain. They note that adding Epsom salt might increase your magnesium levels, which is important for bone and heart health.
The theory is that when you soak in an Epsom salts bath, these get into your body through your skin. That hasn't been proven, but just soaking in warm water can help relax muscles and loosen stiff joints. People use Epsom salts baths as a home treatment for: Arthritis pain and swelling.
Pain relief: Epsom salt is believed to help relieve arthritis pain by reducing inflammation and relaxing muscles and joints. Improved circulation: Soaking in Epsom salt may help improve circulation, which can help reduce swelling and stiffness in the joints.
For example, people that have very dry skin should avoid overdoing foot soaks because the salt can dry out the skin leaving the feet more prone to cracks. Foot soaks of any type are not safe for people who have diabetes due to the increased risk of infection.
Epsom Salt foot baths may help to improve circulation. The combination of warm water and the mineral's crystals can start the process of pushing blood through arteries and veins that may relieve stress almost immediately.
Clean arteries: Epsom salts boost the health of your arteries by decreasing inflammation and protecting your arteries' elasticity. This can help improve your circulation and ward off cardiovascular illness, with less risk of clots, plaque buildup, and arterial wall damage.
Tingling, burning, or pain in your feet. Loss of sense of touch or ability to feel heat or cold very well. A change in the shape of your feet over time. Loss of hair on your toes, feet, and lower legs.
Walking without foot protection can be especially dangerous for those with diabetes and suffer from peripheral neuropathy. Not wearing shoes puts you at risk for injuries to the bottoms of your feet that you may not feel due to the loss of sensation from nerve damage.