2.7
March 26, 2013

Go “Bath” Yourself. ~ Jenn Perell

Source: s3.favim.com via Kimbrell on Pinterest

Take the Do-It-[For]-Yourself Bath Challenge.

I don’t care what you do in there. Light candles, meditate, talk on the phone, sit in the dark, stretch, bring a friend, blare music, read a book, smoke a doobie, practice lifting up in utpluthih, hold you breath under water… choose your own adventure! Bath time is you time and that means you do what you want.

This prescription comes with a 100 percent guarantee to make your life better. Trust me. I just got out of the bath. My nerves are soothed, my skin is soft, I smell good, and I feel great. I’ve never been much of a bath person—maybe just one every couple months or so… but lately, I’ve gotten into it and think you should dive in too.

The benefits go deeper than lavender scented skin and overall well-being.

There are dozens of different reasons and recipes that baths benefit the body. Herbs, oils, and salts certainly add to the numerous benefits of bathing, but a warm bath at night does magic all on it’s own. Taking a warm bath literally lowers body temperature and prepares the body for sleep.

I especially love an Epsom Salt bath. This bath is not to be taken lightly. This is basically the mecca of all bathing. If you beg to differ, I’m totally up for a bath-off with whatever amazing ingredients you suggest may be better. But I’m warning you, my bath has a whole council behind it: The Epsom Salt Industry Council. Yes, there is such a thing. And lo and behold, these are things you can learn about on the website: The science of Epsom Salt and how to use if for beauty, health, crafts (shimmering luminaries anyone?) and even in the garden! (Not to steal their thunder, but apparently Epsom Salt even helps plants grow greener and yield more blooms!)

It basically does the same thing for us. Epsom Salt increases our magnesium and sulfate levels. According to Care2 and the Epsom Salt Industry Council, increasing magnesium and sulfate levels in humans provides many benefits:

  • >> Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.
  • >> Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.
  • >> Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
  • >> Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
  • >> Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
  • >> Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.
  • >> Improved oxygen use.
  • >> Improved absorption of nutrients.
  • >> Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.
  • >> Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.

Who couldn’t benefit from flushing toxins, improving oxygen intake and decreasing stress… just to name a few?

I’m taking the challenge. It’s almost as good as my New Year’s Resolution last year. Last year’s resolution was to “do what I want.” That may sound selfish, but it was actually an extremely useful resolution. When you look at the deeper reasoning for “doing what you want,” like really wanting to create meaningful outcomes in life, you start being cognizant of how all the little choices you make in life create what you’re actually doing with your life.

Flabbergasting, right? So you break the habits that hold you back from doing what the capital You really wants to make happen. Anyway… right now, the capital Me really wants to make bathing a more regular ritual in my life, so I’m creating a bath challenge. I actually don’t know how I didn’t think of this sooner. I’ve always known that any kind of water makes me feel amazing…  since I moved to the city, I’ve missed the ocean. If I can’t get to salt water on the daily, I’ll just have to bring the salt water to me!

So, I invite you all to participate in the Do-It-[For]-Yourself Bath-Off Challenge.

This is an awesome challenge because you don’t have to do it for anyone else. You don’t have to raise any money for any charity (not that getting naked for charity is ever a bad thing—love you Adam Levine), you don’t have to apply, you don’t even have to tell anyone—you just take a bath.

The Epsom Salt Council suggests three baths a week. The non-committal part of me wants to petition the council that this seems like an aggressive recommendation. Can I really slow down and just relax, just for me, three times a week? For my own health and well-being? Will the world keep on turning, even if I take a break? I’ve answered my question before I’ve finished the thought. Besides, who am I to argue with researchers and physicians? In an effort to do what I really want—to rewire, relax and reset—to just try something new, I’m moving forward with the experiment and challenge.

I’m going to commit to three baths a week for eight weeks.

Two baths a week seems like a big jump, but that only equals 16 baths total. There is something way more auspicious about the number 24, so I’m in for three days a week.

I know I will be traveling some in there so I’m going to have to plan around it, but I’m going to try. Let me know if you’ll also take the plunge and please share your experience, ritual, trials, tribulations, and epiphanies along the way.

Happy Bath Off!

 

Jenn Perell is a yoga teacher and life coach passionate about people, the earth, the ocean, and the connections in-between. She graduated with a degree in psychology and her curiosity about humanity has continued to grow. Jenn has had the honor and pleasure of traveling the world as a student and as a teacher, and is continually fascinated by people, life, and energy. After spending time living, working, surfing and paddling in Hawaii she moved to San Francisco where she received her master’s degree in Holistic Health Education and continues to study Energy Medicine. She feels her personal energy is best when she is on the water. Her life’s work is to help people create lives of health, happiness and prosperity. For more about Jenn, please visit: www.LiveWeal.com.

 

 

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Assistant Ed. Caroline Scherer/Ed: Kate Bartolotta

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