WITH RESEARCHERS CALLING FOR MORE EXERCISE, USE EPSOM SALT TO SOOTHE ACHY MUSCLES

A Soak Can Leave You Feeling Better and Help Improve Your Health

(March 2010) -- A new study shows women need an hour of moderate exercise each day to prevent weight gain as they get older. For many women, that could mean a significant increase in working out that, initially, will leave their muscles sore. Epsom salt can help.

To ease sore muscles, try soaking in Epsom salt. Add two cups of Epsom salt to warm water in a standard-sized bathtub (double the Epsom salt for an oversized garden tub) and bathe three times a week for at least 12 minutes. While you help your muscles, you might also improve your health.

It's estimated that about half of American women get less than 70 percent of the magnesium required for good health. Magnesium, the main component of Epsom salt, is easily absorbed through the skin, which means bathing in Epsom salt can help:

• Reduce inflammation.
• Improve heart and circulatory health.
• Flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, relieving muscle pain and aching joints and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.
• Improve the body's ability to use insulin.
• 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.
• Reduce stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.

About Epsom salt
Epsom salt - actually magnesium sulfate - has been used therapeutically for hundreds of years, and it's gaining a new generation of fans looking for a safe, economical alternative in a sea of expensive, over-the-counter remedies. Epsom salt is one of the most versatile household products, with uses ranging from creating at-home spa treatments to soothing achy muscles to helping start or improve gardens. It’s easy to use, easy to find in your local pharmacy or grocery store and it costs about the same per use as a cup of coffee.

To learn more, please visit www.epsomsaltcouncil.org, or contact Peter Smolowitz, (704)916-6163, psmolowitz@mower.com.