We’ve written before (a lot) about natural remedies but this natural detox bath is by far one our favorites and widely used in our household.

Our family was introduced to detox baths by a close friend, and studying herbalist, when Isla was just shy of 16 months. She had come down with RSV, a respiratory virus that tends to occur in children under the age of 2. She was cranky, irritable, wasn’t sleeping well, had a fever, and was coughing and wheezing.

After a trip to Urgent Care, we were desperate for a natural way to help manage her symptoms and prevent the virus from leading to more serious issues, such as pneumonia.

Shortly after arriving home, my dear friend dropped off a care packing, including magnesium and other essential ingredients for a detox bath. Immediately after the magnesium detox bath, we noticed a difference in Isla’s disposition.

Since that day, this detox bath has been one of our favorite ways to kick the common cold, boost immunity and stay healthy.

What started out as a natural remedy when sick, has transformed into a weekly self-care ritual to keep our family’s immune system strong, calm our body and mind, sleep better, feel more energized during the day and help our body absorb magnesium, minerals and other nutrients necessary to thrive.

Can you tell we’re strong believers in the power of this detox bath?

Your body is like a machine. It works endlessly each and every day to filter out toxins both from the outside environment and from within your own tissues.

From the air we breathe, the food we eat, the skincare products we use, household products we clean with, and even the water we drink and bathe in, almost everything we come into contact with on a daily basis deposits tiny amounts of unwanted substances in our body. Our body must then work to metabolize and eliminate these toxins so that we don’t become overloaded with unwanted substances.

Sometimes after repeated exposure our well-oiled “machine” starts to slow and show signs of toxin overload. This is exactly why reducing toxins in our body is SO IMPORTANT. Otherwise, our immune system weakens, inflammation occurs, there’s a greater potential for immune dysfunction and we’re more prone to infection.

Magnesium, which is one of the most abundant minerals in your body, plays several important roles in the health of your brain and body. In fact, every cell in your body needs it to function. It helps with movement, maintenance, formation and regulation. It also aids in eliminating toxins.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t get enough of it.

While there are other ways to supplement magnesium, one of the easiest ways to aid in absorption is soaking in bathwater that’s enriched with it. This technique has been around for centuries as a go-to treatment for easing all kinds of aches and pains.

Without getting into a science lesson, Epsom salts are made up of magnesium and sulfate while Magnesium flakes are made up of magnesium and chloride.

You can add Essential Oils in your detox bath for an array of benefits, such as relaxation, immune system benefits and to help alleviate cold/ flu-like symptoms. While they’re not absolutely necessary for your detox bath, they’re a great addition.

These ingredients may seem like an investment if this is your first homemade natural remedy, beauty or body care project. Don’t fret! They’re well worth it and can be used in many other DIY projects.

When it comes to adding them to your bath, make sure they are mixed with the magnesium flakes first, NOT just added directly into the water. Think of the old adage, oil and water don’t mix. Without adding the EO’s to the flakes first, the small droplets can adhere to your skin when you climb into the tub (as if you’d applied the undiluted oil directly to your skin) and can irritate your tissue.

• Lavender Essential Oil: This EO is a superstar for relaxation, soothing achy muscles, irritated skin, supporting the nervous system, and aiding in sleep and healing.
• Eucalyptus Essential Oil: From alleviating cold/flu-like symptoms, to aiding in problems such as acne, asthma and arthritis, it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties are amazing!
• Lemon Essential Oil: Along with an array of other benefits, lemon EO’s have the ability to stimulate the immune system and help keep you healthy by fighting harmful viruses, bacteria and reducing inflammation.

The quality of essential oils on the market varies greatly. It’s important to use quality, therapeutic-grade oils. These oils (while more expensive) take a large amount of plant material to produce their high concentration.

Many of the inexpensive oils on the market are diluted or watered down, which minimized the effectiveness.

Your essential oils should be produced without any added ingredients, chemicals and ideally should come from organic plants. For this reason, we often recommend the brands Young Living and DoTerra.

If chemicals in bathwater, such as chlorine, are something you’re concerned about, there are a few ways you can help filter the water and aid in the elimination of these chemicals so they aren’t absorbed into the skin.

To neutralize chlorine and alkalize the water, add 2 tablespoons of Vitamin C Powder or Baking soda into the bathwater 2-5 minutes before getting in.

Healing clays, like bentonite clay are known for their ability remove toxins, as well as bind to and absorb heavy metals, chemicals and impurities. Bonus, it fights bacteria and has amazing healing and detoxifying benefits.

In a cup, bowl or mason jar, mix 2 tablespoons of bentonite clay with water and pour into the tub. This should be done AFTER the chlorine is neutralized. Because bentonite clay’s effectiveness can be reduced if it comes into contact with anything metal, it’s best to store your cream in a glass jar.

If you try this Natural Detox Bath, we would love to hear how it helped you or your family! Leave a comment below sharing what you thought of it. We love hearing from you and your ideas inspire us all! Don’t forget to tag @fullforlifegal on Instagram! ????