posted
I've been having spectacular success with using hot epsom salt baths. Whenever I start to feel really sick from herxing, I take an epsom salt bath with hot water... I mean, hot enough and soak for 30 minutes.
I use about 1/3 of the carton - milk carton size. I use essential oils too for pleasure and nice music.
The key for me is to then make sure to fully rehydrate with coconut water afterwards... otherwise, it just backfires and I feel worse for a while.
If I make sure to rehydrate, this seems to be a key to detoxing and having my well being improve after herxing... then, each time, seems like I'm a step better in the right direction.
sending healing energy to all
-------------------- PHOENIX: mythical bird that rises from the ashes July '09 got sick very quickly could barely get out of bed - ND diag lymes.. and the journey began bite: unkown - no rash Posts: 248 | From private | Registered: Jul 2010
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steve1906
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16206
posted
Hi Supergirl, I've never tried the epsom salt baths. For three years now I keep saying I'm going to try it.
I'll start sometime this week after reading your post!!!
I'm glad it's helping you, don't stop...
-------------------- Everything I say is just my opinion! Posts: 3529 | From Massachusetts Boston Area | Registered: Jul 2008
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
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posted
i do it too, but i really have to drink a ton of water.
it dries my skin out terribly.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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kidsgotlyme
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posted
It works well for my daughter too. She also puts two big bottles of peroxide and some grated ginger in the bath water.
-------------------- symptoms since 1993 that I can remember. 9/2018 diagnosed with Borellia, Babesia Duncani, and Bartonella Hensalae thru DNA Connections. Posts: 1470 | From Tennessee | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
randibear...water won't be enough for us with lymes... you have to replenish the electrolytes... coconute water (whole foods) does this! or gatorade with lots of sugar, though!
-------------------- PHOENIX: mythical bird that rises from the ashes July '09 got sick very quickly could barely get out of bed - ND diag lymes.. and the journey began bite: unkown - no rash Posts: 248 | From private | Registered: Jul 2010
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gwb
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7273
posted
quote:Originally posted by kidsgotlyme: It works well for my daughter too. She also puts two big bottles of peroxide and some grated ginger in the bath water.
My wife and I do this three times a week. It really makes a big difference for us!
seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
These baths almost killed me. I felt horrid. It set me back almost a month. NEVER again.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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-------------------- PHOENIX: mythical bird that rises from the ashes July '09 got sick very quickly could barely get out of bed - ND diag lymes.. and the journey began bite: unkown - no rash Posts: 248 | From private | Registered: Jul 2010
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lululymemom
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Member # 26405
posted
I almost fainted after one of these baths. I also felt awful for the rest of the night. I found out later that it was the magnesium in the espom salts that can cause this reaction. After looking into it online I found out this is a common reaction even with people who don't have Lyme.
* Dry Skin Brush entire body for five minutes before bath, removes the layer of dead skin for better absorption (Gary and I have our own Dry Skin Brushes.) You start with the feet working upwards, hands move towards shoulders, torso upwards toward the heart, back upwards and over shoulders towards heart. Light pressure in areas where skin is thin, and harder pressure on places like soles of feet.
* 4-6 cups Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate).
* 32-64 fluid oz Hydrogen Peroxide (3%, as found in grocery store).
* 2-4 Tablespoons of Ginger (fresh grated preferably) wrapped in a thin piece of cloth or in a tea ball. An old piece of nylon hose also works well.) I cut up a pair of new nylons, after grating the ginger/measuring it out appropriately, stuffed the nylon and tied knots at the ends.
* Fill the bath tub with WARM water. Then add Epsom Salt, Hydrogen Peroxide and Ginger "ball". Swirl water around, then get in the tub for 20 minutes.
Actions of Hydrogen Peroxide/Epsom Salt/Ginger Bath
Ingredients:
* Hydrogen Peroxide - a simple, nontoxic molecule of H2O2 that is beneficial in oxidizing (breaking down) toxins as well as killing anaerobic microbes. It will also detoxify pesticides and petroleum-based toxins and oxidize metals. Hydrogen peroxide is also naturally produced by macrophages in the body to kill harmful bacteria. Most harmful bacteria are anaerobic and cannot survive in the presence of oxygen or hydrogen peroxide. Cancer cells are often very sensitive to increases in oxygen and cannot survive in oxygen-rich environments. When hydrogen peroxide is applied topically to a cut, the resulting bubbling is from the rapid release of free oxygen and, more importantly, from the idling of the bacteria in the cut. Friendly bacteria are aerobic and need and thrive on oxygen.
* Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) - Recent research has shown that when one soaks in a bath of magnesium sulfate, both magnesium and the sulfate independently increase measurably in the blood and urine. Magnesium sulfate helps stabilize Hydrogen Peroxide so that its ultimate breakdown into H2O and free oxygen is more gradual and functional to the process of benefiting the body. This research documents the very real beneficial aspects of this bath therapy. The Epsom Salt Council reports the following about the benefits of Magnesium in Epsom Salt baths.
Magnesium, a major component of Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate), is the second-most abundant element in human cells and the fourth-most important positively charged ion in the body. Magnesium also helps to regulate the activity of more than 325 enzymes and performs a vital roll in orchestrating many bodily functions, from muscle control and electrical impulses to energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.
The National Academy of Sciences, however, reports that most Americans are magnesium deficient, which may account for our society's high rate of heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis and joint pain, digestive maladies and stress-related illnesses, chronic fatigue and a host of other ailments. The Academy estimates the average American male gets just 80% of the magnesium required for good health, while females get only 70% of their recommended levels.
Nutritionists say Americans' magnesium levels have dropped more than 50% in the past century.
Raising magnesium levels may:
+ Improve heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood cots, and lowering blood pressure.
+ Improve the body's ability to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.
+ Flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
+ Improve nerve function by regulating electrolytes. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
+ Relieve stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary fore the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.
Sulfate: The "sulfate" part of the Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate). This form of sulfate must not be confused with "Sulfa" drugs, to which some people are allergic. People who are allergic to sulfa drugs will not react to sulfate in Epsom Salt. The benefits of sulfate in the body are summarized by Dr. Rosemary Waring of the School of Biosciences, in Birmingham, England:
+ Oral supplementation of Sulfate cannot be easily absorbed across the gut walls; therefore, by soaking in this bath, sulfate can be more efficiently supplemented. Sulfate is essential for many biological processes.
+ Sulfate is needed for formation of proteins in joints; decreased sulfate levels are common in the plasma and joint synovial fluids in cases of arthritis. Sulfate is also low in people with irritable bowel syndrome.
+ Sulfate is necessary for sulfation, a major pathway in detoxifying drugs and endogenous (toxins from within the body) or exogenous (environmental ) toxins.
+ Sulfate is necessary for the repair and formation of brain tissue. Reduced levels of sulfate can lead to faulty neurological connections and subsequent dysfunction.
+ Sulfate is needed for proper digestion and for proper utilization of digestive enzymes.
+ Sulfate is essential for the production of mucin, a protein which lines the intestines. Mucin stops food and drugs form sticking to the lining of the intestines. It also blocks the transport of toxins from the gut into the bloodstream.
* Ginger - functions to open up the pores of the skin and increase the blood flow at the surface of the skin so that the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide can do its work in detoxifying poisons and kill bacteria and fungi. The pores open wider so that the magnesium sulfate can be more readily absorbed. Ginger is invigorating and can stimulate preparation for the elimination of toxins.
**From pages 196-199 "Beating Lyme Disease: Living the Good Life In Spite of Lyme" by Dr. David A. Jernigan.
We've never had a bad experience with it. Every time we take this detox bath we actually feel better. Everyone is different and apparently there are some people who do not tolerate epsom salt well due to the magnesium. I believe this is a very small majority of people who have this problem because most of the people we know who have taken it have had good results with it.
Hope this information helps. Feel free to ask more questions here or email me at [email protected].
posted
Wow! that's a lot of information... thanks for sharing...I haven't added the hydrogen peroxide...I'm gonna stick with the epsom salt and lavender for now...thanks for the info!
-------------------- PHOENIX: mythical bird that rises from the ashes July '09 got sick very quickly could barely get out of bed - ND diag lymes.. and the journey began bite: unkown - no rash Posts: 248 | From private | Registered: Jul 2010
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BackinStOlaf
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Is it good for women to take these baths? In terms of them causing Yeast?
-------------------- First Symptom 9/09 Multiple docs, negative Labcorp test LLMD: 1/10 Positive Igenex/CDC test Treatment 2/10 2/10-8/10 Amox, ceftin, zith, flagyl Currently: Bicillin, Minocycline, still dealing with severe breathing issues
Posts: 1121 | From New York, New York | Registered: Dec 2009
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gwb
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Member # 7273
posted
supergirl, yeah it is a lot of info. Glad it was useful. I think it's important that people do what they feel comfortable with. If you feel comfortable with what you are doing, then by all means stick with it.
BackinStOlaf, I don't know if it would help in that regards, but it definitely will not make the yeast problem worse. The peroxide itself would be beneficial to the yeast, but there are far more effective ways to treat yeast than doing the detox baths.
posted
I find that hot epsom salt and baking soda baths really help. When I first started I had to be careful not to get the water to hot or I felt really, really sick.
Now I can take them really hot. I don't know why I can now, but couldn't for many years.
Kathy
-------------------- You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. Posts: 807 | From South Dakota | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Epsom salt baths have been very helpful to me. They make me feel considerably better for several hours. I try to do them whenever I have time and whenever I have more pain than usual. I get a lot of pain in my neck, shoulders, sometimes back and other joints, and my leg muscles.
I also seem to sleep better at night if I take one of these baths in the evening. Sometimes I wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning, and after taking an epsom salt bath, I am more likely to sleep all night. The only exception is if the bath is too hot and I do it right before bed, then it takes an hour or more for me to cool off and makes it harder to fall asleep. Also if I don't stay hydrated then too-hot water might make me feel faint. But it still feels glorious on my sore joints and muscles.
I only use the epsom salt by itself to save money. It seems to help, and to be better than just a hot bath with water only.
I have had Lyme for 14 months and been on antibiotics for all but 3 or 4 months of that. I have been taking the baths the whole time, but I only just recently got yeast when I started eating too many carbs. I have gotten rid of it again within a week or two with Diflucan, some natural remedies, and restricting my carbs again.
I don't think the baths had any relation to it at all, except to feel good on irritated skin.
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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BackinStOlaf
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23725
posted
I meant, would they CAUSE yeast.
I'm so sensitive down there :/
-------------------- First Symptom 9/09 Multiple docs, negative Labcorp test LLMD: 1/10 Positive Igenex/CDC test Treatment 2/10 2/10-8/10 Amox, ceftin, zith, flagyl Currently: Bicillin, Minocycline, still dealing with severe breathing issues
Posts: 1121 | From New York, New York | Registered: Dec 2009
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gwb
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7273
posted
The detox baths will not cause or contribute to yeast--no.
posted
When I said it had no relation to yeast, I meant that in my case, as far as I could tell, it didn't cause it, make it worse, trigger it, nor make it better (although it did relieve it a little).
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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lymeboy
Unregistered
posted
I have taken 2 so far. I took one last week in the middle of the worst herx I have ever felt, it weakened me and I wound up feeling worse. Poor timing, perhaps. again today, it seems to have improved my mood, but I still have this maddening sensation of itchiness and being "bitten all over my arms and legs....really aggravating. I take a lot for detox, green tea, ginger, lemon, all kinds of supps, but I still herx like a freak. Iwill keep taking these baths weekly or as often as I can, they seem to have a positive effect, though I feel really weak afterwards....
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Pinelady
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posted
Yes it can make you very sick and weak. I have had to crawl out a few times---too weak to stand.
But It helped me in the long run. I also used whole ginger root and lemon in the baths.
Rubbed both on skin as much as possible, and rub down with coconut when I got out...
If you are very neuro be careful. You can get it too hot to burn and not feel it...
And I don't think its wise to do this when your alone, as there were many times I felt I was going to seize or pass out...
As you get better the water will feel hotter. And you will find you can crank it down.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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It set me back almost a month. NEVER again.
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