mum

When was the last time you enjoyed a bath (or shower) by yourself? TODAY? What! You are KILLING IT at this mum lark. I honestly struggle to get any bath or shower alone time – if I want to fit in washing my hair, I bundle all the kids into the shower with me. True story.

So, if you’re like me and you have not had a bath ALONE recently, then this blog post is especially for you. And your challenge is to have a relaxing bath by yourself this evening.

Maybe you’re a mum who really makes time for an alone bath, and you’re already reaping the benefits of that. If so – huge kudos to you! But for BONUS points, why not make it a detox bath?!

We come into contact now with more toxins than ever – in our food, our hygiene and body products (from body wash to make-up), our water, and in the air we breathe. A detox bath is a simple and gentle healing therapy we can do to support our body’s natural detoxification system.

5 Top Tips for Taking a Detox Bath

Add your detox bath ingredient to a tub-full of warm-hot water. The hotter the water, the more you’ll sweat and detox. Then immerse yourself in the water as much as possible – relax for at least 20 minutes.
When you finish, get out of the bath carefully as it’s common to feel a bit light-headed. You can always rinse off with cool water to help cool back down.
Don’t use products after your bath that contain artificial fragrances, perfume, dyes, or toxic chemicals as your pores are more open and can more easily absorb the chemicals in those products.
Hydrate! Drink plenty of water before and after to help support the detox process and avoid dehydration.
Have your bath before bedtime – they can leave you feeling drowsy, and a good sleep after a detox bath is a great way to support the process.

*Detox baths can be useful for children too – particularly Epsom/magnesium salts and oats.*

Some other things to note:

If the detox bath is making you feel uncomfortably nauseous or lightheaded (common side effects of intense detox) then try reducing the amount of detox ingredient, trying a different ingredient, using cooler water, or bathing for a shorter length of time.

These detox baths are generally safe for children but you should reduce the amount of detox ingredient used, and not make it too hot. Epsom salts are probably the best option for children.

The 7 Best DIY Detox Baths

1. Epsom Salts

The most popular of the detox bath ingredients, Epsom salts are made of magnesium and sulphate. Both are important nutrients for your body but can be poorly absorbed from food. However, soaking in Epsom salts helps as these minerals both absorb readily via the skin. They are commonly used to stimulate detoxification, reduce inflammation in sore muscles, lower blood pressure, promote healthy circulation, and help with relaxation and normalizing sleep patterns.

How: start out by adding one cup of Epsom Salts to your bathtub and gradually increase to two or three cups.

2. Baking Soda

This is soothing for your skin, naturally alkalising, and helps to detoxify by boosting liver function. It’s a simple ingredient most households have, and is great after a workout. It’s also a natural exfoliant and can help with acne.

How: dissolve two cups of aluminum-free baking soda in your bathtub and soak for 20 minutes.

3. Bentonite Clay

This is a great way to remove heavy metals from the body. Bentonite clay is a naturally-forming clay that magnetically pulls toxins and heavy metals from the body through the skin.

How: use between one-quarter of a cup and a cup of clay in a bath of hot water, breaking up the clumps. It is usually recommended to start by having a clay bath once a week, then reduce to once a month for maintenance.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

This bath is great for inflammatory issues like arthritis, for candida overgrowth issues, and can help with body odour. It is the type of bath that will make you sweat, which aids your body’s detox process, and you may even continue sweating for a bit afterwards.

How: add one to two cups of pure unfiltered apple cider vinegar and soak in the tub for up to 30 minutes.

5. Ginger

This is another sweat-inducing bath, helpful to fight off sickness at the first sign of any cold symptoms, clearing congestion, or for headaches. If you don’t have access to a sauna or steam room, the ginger bath is a simple and sure way to induce a sweat, clearing out all those nasty toxins out of your body and leaving you feeling energised and cleansed.

How: add half a cup of grated ginger to a hot bath and soak for 15-20 minutes. The ginger bath will make you sweat profusely for at least an hour afterwards, so be sure to wear something you don’t mind getting sweaty. Note: test on your skin first, as it can cause sensitive skin to react.

6. Coconut Oil

Not so much for detoxing, but great for soft skin and for it’s anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic and anti-fungal properties.

How: add to warm running water to help moisturise the skin.

7. Oats

Again, not for detoxing, but great for itchy, irritated skin or for treating eczema and psoriasis. It’s even great for sunburn, nappy rash, chickenpox or shingles. Oatmeal is anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant, and contains compounds that reduce itching. It was too good an ingredient not to mention here!

How: using rolled oats, grind them into a fine powder using a blender, coffee grinder or food processor. Start by adding half a cup of ground oats to a lukewarm bath (not hot) and soak for no more than 15 minutes. You can work up to one and a half cups. You can also add the oats to a cloth or tights and tie the top so they don’t spill out – this makes the bath less messy afterwards.

*Images by various photographers, sourced from Unsplash.com*

So, with all that in mind, what will you add in your bath today?

And if you are feeling like your body needs a good cleanse from the inside out, get in touch to find out when my next mum-boosting “Bounce & Bloom Detox” is happening!

Chocolate-lover, wine-drinker, nose-wiper, nutritionist in England

I am itching to get stuck into writing the 58 blog ideas I currently have listed, but I felt I should start with more of an informal introduction to me, and my life right now. Admittedly, the website ‘Home’ and ‘About me’ pages tell you a fair bit about the business and about me already – you already know I’m a nutritionist in England. But, in a blog, I feel like I can write a bit more freely. More informally. More verbosely. Basically, a bit more like me, as though I’m having a chat with you over coffee. Mmmm coffee…

When my eldest was small, and my bump was big!

So, let’s kick this all off! Who am I? (Shall I bullet point? Why the hell not – no rules here, it’s MY blog! 🙂 )

I am a wife

To a fabulous and supportive husband. Over the 8+ years we have been together, I have not only slowly, but surely, improved his wardrobe, I’ve even convinced him to include MANY more vegetables into his cooking. Yes, he does his fair share of cooking. Some may even argue it’s the lion’s share at times. (Hey, I’m an exhausted new mum, don’t judge!)

I am a mum

To two gorgeous girls. I am officially a nose-wiper, bottom-wiper, and hug-giver!

I am a nutritionist

Which, if you know me and my varied background, you’ll understand if I get pretty freakin’ excited about this!

I am a woman

Now this point might be a little obvious, and somewhat self-explanatory, but hear me out (not ‘hear me roar’. Well, maybe that as well). I mention this because it means I understand. I understand what women go through, be it their monthly cycle woes, PMT, the ups, the downs, the stress of juggling it all, the fatigue, the brain fog, the baby brain, that ‘positive’ test, all the ‘negative’ tests, pregnancy (what just happened to my body?) and post-partum (no really, WHAT just happened to my body???). This also includes all the bits women don’t usually talk about – I think I probably WILL talk about them at some stage! I understand, I get it. If you are a woman reading this, chances are you and I have experienced many of the same things. Because we are women, and it’s just how it is! (If you are a guy reading this, well, sorry for all the women’s stuff above! I probably can’t relate to you quite as well, but that doesn’t mean I can’t empathise!)

I am a friend

As a dear friend pointed out, to many amazing and vastly different people, who have exposed me to various other experiences that I haven’t gone through myself. This gives me the opportunity to learn more, research more, enhancing my skills and knowledge further.

I’m probably some other things too, but I think that’s enough about me for today! I promise future blog posts will be more educational, and I’ll aim to provide some useful info. But I say why not mix it up a bit and include some ‘real life’ stuff too. I am The Real Nutritionist, after all!

So, I shall finish by rounding this off, arcing back to what The Real Nutritionist is all about. It’s about helping people (mostly women, but men and children too!) take back control of their health. All those things I’ve experienced ‘because I am a woman’, don’t have to be a struggle. With the right nutrition and supplemental support, many of our daily ‘woes’ can be improved. You don’t have to suffer. And you are not alone. You can come and see me, and we can work on it together!

Lucy x

7 Best DIY Detox Baths for Tired Mums