Himalayan Salt Bath Benefits

Himalayan bath salts have long been known for their detoxifying, purifying and healing properties. Taking a Himalayan salt bath, also known as a sole (so-lay) bath, is a very rejuvenating experience for the mind and body. Through absorption, your body will rebalance its energy, replace electrolytes and purge heavy metals.

As the name would indicate, Himalayan salts are extracted from deep within the Himalayan Mountains. Millions of years ago, an ocean existed where the mountains now stand. The sun dried up the ocean leaving only salt behind. The Himalayan Mountains formed on top of this vast bed of salt which turned to crystalline. The mountains have served to protect the salt from the pollutants found in today’s ocean salts. Therefore, once extracted, Himalayan salts need no processing that would lead to changing the beneficial chemical make-up of the salt or adding toxins to the salt.

Himalayan salts contain 84 nutritional minerals that are important to our daily body functions. Some of these minerals are macro-minerals and some are trace minerals. Some of the macro-minerals include calcium, chloride, magnesium, and iron, potassium and sodium. Some of the trace minerals include fluoride, iodine, zinc, and selenium. Macro-minerals are needed in relative abundance for our body’s health and amounts needed depend on age, general health levels and activity levels. Our bodies also require the trace elements in the salts, but in much lower quantities. While some trace elements in the Himalayan salt such as lead and plutonium can be toxic in large quantities, the small quantities present in pure Himalayan present no health risk.

Just as the phases of the moon affect the strength of the ocean’s high and low tides, the peak of beneficial effects of sole baths is also tied to the phases of the moon. During the new moon phase, our body’s capacity for detoxification is at its highest. During the full moon phase, our body’s capacity for absorption is at its highest. You do not have to wait until these peak periods to enjoy and benefit from a sole bath; just be aware that if your singular goal is to detox or absorb, these are the moon phases you should wait for to attain the most benefit.

Himalayan salt contains energy and life-force that can be seen when examined under a microscope. It is the life-force energy of the salt that makes it so beneficial. When the salt combines with water, the negative poles of the water molecules surround the positive ions in the salt and the negative ions in the salt are surrounded by the positive polarized particles of the water molecules. Both elements are now ionized and their stored energy released.

For someone who has never taken a sole bath, the results can be quite dramatic and you should heed some caution. The higher level of concentration of salt to water means a higher level of absorption and detoxification which means a stronger effect on the body. First, you should use no more than one half cup Himalayan bath salts and slowly build until your body can tolerate a higher concentration of salts to water until you reach a mixture of 1 to 2 cups bath salts per full tub of water. Also, do not soak in a sole bath more frequently than 3 times a week. Let a family member or loved one know that you are starting a sole bath regimen. As your body detoxes, you may go through emotional changes that loved ones around you should be aware of.

For everyone who partakes in sole baths, you should soak no longer than 20 to 30 minutes trying to maintain a water temperature equal to your body temperature of approximately 98.6F. After bathing, do not rinse off; rather wrap yourself in a towel and rest for 15 minutes. After your resting period you can then rinse off.

Any day is a good day to begin using Himalayan bath salts to re-energize and cleanse your body. Once you experience the benefits of a sole bath, you will be unlikely to want to use any other type of bath salts again.