Water is the simplest and most gentle way to work harmful toxins out of your system. Your body is designed to use water to flush itself, so it makes sense that water used in different ways is effective for detoxing. These methods employ drinking plenty of water to help shift toxins out of your digestive system, using sweat to release toxins from your pores, alternating hot and cold showers to shock and relax your system so that it uses adrenaline to pump toxins away, and bathing in salts to draw toxins out of tired muscles.
Drink Plenty of Water
Your body’s internal systems depend on water for almost every function. Cells of all types work best when they have the appropriate amount of hydration. The bloodstream uses water to help move blood cells along through arteries and veins. The digestive tract relies on water to help with the absorption of nutrients and protein and to flush out unwanted byproducts of the food you eat. A good hydrotherapy regimen begins with drinking at least one extra glass of water daily. The extra water will aid your body in getting rid of the toxins that are released by the other hydrotherapy methods and keep you comfortable during your detox.
Enjoy a Relaxing Steam Bath
Sweating is an excellent way to release toxins from your lymphatic system and bloodstream. Spend time in a hot sauna or steam bath, allowing yourself to sweat as much as possible. Make sure you continue to drink water as you sweat so that you avoid dehydration. Some detox regimens recommend spending an hour in a hot sauna and taking a break every 15 minutes for a quick cold shower. The cold water will get your blood moving again, which moves more toxins out of your system as you sweat.
Alternate Hot and Cold Showers
If you do not have access to a steam bath, a good shower is also effective. Stand under a hot shower for about five minutes, then shift to cold water for 30 seconds, then go back to another five minutes of hot water. Run through this cycle 3 or 4 times. Always finish the cycle on the cold water, then immediately warm your body with towels. Some people like to climb under warm blankets for half an hour after the hot and cold shower cycles. The hot water followed by cold water stimulates your circulatory system so that toxins flush through more quickly.
This takes quite loads of water so some people do shorter versions to help the lymphatic system moving. try to follow 3:1 rule – 3 minutes of hot water and 1 minute of cold water. If you don’t want to use too much water or you have not enough time (mornings can be short 😉 ) do 90 seconds of hot and 30 seconds of cold water. Repeat 3-4 times. By the way, cold water can be good for your scalp and hair 😉
Bath in Epsom Salts
Baths are one of my favourite tools when it comes to supporting my body to do what it knows best – heal itself!
At least once a week during your hydrotherapy take a nice long bath in warm water with about two cups of Epsom salts mixed into the water. The water temperature should be hot enough to make you sweat, but not hot enough to cause your skin to turn red. Epsom salts, made from magnesium sulfate, tend to draw out lactic acid from tired muscles. It also keeps the water warm longer and helps you sweat more profusely.
As with the sauna detox, make sure you drink plenty of water as you bathe so that you do not become dehydrated internally as you rehydrate externally. At the end of your bath immerse yourself in cold water to get your blood flowing again. Dry yourself off and then get under blankets or somewhere warm for at least half an hour.
I like to add about 8 drops of essential oils in my bath. I have a few favourite ones I use in my daily rituals. Lavender, I use if I am having a bath in the evening as it helps calm my body and mind and my sleep is more refreshing, especially during those days when I have to juggle too many things at once or after travelling. Frankincense is another one I use in all of my baths. Other oils I like to add are Peppermint, Lemon, Neal’s Yards mixes like Woman Balance, Vitality, Optimism (especially if I feel down) or Focus.
You can find Epsom Salt bath in most health food shops, some pharmacies, TkMaxx or online.
I like to buy this one from West Labs on Amazon.
Want to learn more? Check out my Eat Seasonal program, where I am sharing more ways to support, nourish and nurture your body through our every season.
