Authored by Lynn Salmon-Easter, Reiki Master

Taking an Epsom salt bath is an ancient practice that can be carried into contemporary times. Epsom salt is a naturally occurring mineral that was discovered in the 17th century bubbling up from an underground spring. The mineral received its name from the town of Epsom in Surrey, England where it was first discovered. Although this mineral is called Epsom salt, it is not actually salt at all, but rather a pure mineral compound of magnesium, sulfate and oxygen. Studies have shown magnesium and sulfate are both easily absorbed through our skin—making the associated health benefits of Epsom salt accessible to all.

Epsom salt has numerous health benefits:

• Eases stress and relaxes the body
• Calms the nervous system
• Relieves pain and muscle tension
• Helps muscles and nerves function properly
• Eliminates toxins from the body

Magnesium plays a number of positive roles in the body such as reducing inflammation, helping to produce serotonin (a mood-elevating chemical) which creates a sense of relaxation and calm, reduces irritability by lowering the effects of adrenaline, improves sleep and concentration and helps muscles and nerves to function properly. 

Sulfates help to improve the absorption of nutrients, flush toxins and heavy metals from the cells, ease muscle pain and eliminate harmful substances from the body. 

When you add Epsom salt to your bathwater, your skin being a highly porous membrane, absorbs the minerals and starts a process in your body called reverse osmosis. This process in turn pulls salt from your body along with harmful toxins. 

Why take an Epsom salt bath?

As a highly sensitive person (HSP) I often absorb other people’s energy. This means I absorb the good and bad energy alike. I used to be a total dabbler when it came to Epsom salt baths. I had heard all about the benefits these baths hold, but I was not able to make them a regular part of my routine. It was not until I stepped into my role as a Reiki master practitioner that I committed whole-heartedly to an Epsom salt bath ritual with regularity.

I have found the combination of Epsom salt + baking soda (added to my bath) proves to be a powerful concoction which clears my life of unwanted and negative energies. Baking soda is the ‘secret ingredient’ that cleans out lingering and negative energies from our aura and softens and smoothes our skin to boot. 

My weekly Epsom salt bath ritual is simple and continues to demonstrate I am able to bring balance, harmony and clarity back into my life on a regular basis. I am now a firm believer in Epsom salt baths and I continue to recommend weekly baths to each and every client that comes through my Reiki room.

Recommendations for an Epsom salt bath:

1. First things first. Clean your tub! Nothing ruins a relaxing bath like floating lint or hair (yuck!!).
2. Fill the tub with water. The temperature of the water can range from warm to hot depending on what you desire
3. Add 2-3 cups of Epsom salt + 1 cup baking soda to the bathwater 
4. Give the water a swirl to mix in the Epsom salt and baking soda
5. Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes. Stay longer if desired.    

It is best to refrain from using soaps or shampoos while soaking in an Epsom salt bath. These products may inhibit the effectiveness of the Epsom salt and baking soda. I usually soak for 20-30 minutes and then wash my hair and body right before I drain the tub.

Uh-oh, I don’t have a bathtub!

If you don’t have a bathtub in your home, no worries. You can always create an Epsom salt foot bath and experience similar results. It would be ideal to soak your entire body in a bath, but a foot bath can be a great solution when a bathtub is not available.

Recommendations for an Epsom salt foot bath:

1. 1. Obtain a small basin
2. Fill basin half full with warm or hot water depending on your desires
3. Add 1/2-1 cup Epsom salt + 1/4 cup baking soda to the water
4. Soak for a minimum of 15 minutes or longer if desired

Wellness for ALL

Epsom salt and baking soda are affordable and easily obtained at your local drugstore, grocery store or local health food store. When purchasing Epsom salt, be careful to read the package. Many brands have added fragrance which can irritate the skin or contaminate your bathwater with harmful chemicals.


References:
How to Take Epic Epsom Salt Baths
Epsom Salt Baths: An Old-School Way to Feel Better Fast?
Epsom Salt Uses & Benefits

Authored by Dr. Brittany Stamer

Hydrotherapy is the use of water as a healing modality. Water has been used for centuries and across many different cultures and continents - from Europe to China to Turkey - to enhance health and vitality.  In one way or another, it is still used today in almost every culture.
 
The ways water is and has been used is numerous. This is because water can provide a wide variety of health benefits. This can depend on if the water is being used internally or externally. The health benefits can also differ depending on the quality of the water, the pressure, the length of the treatment, the temperature, and the patterns in which it is applied.
 
Hydrotherapy can be a specific treatment performed by a healthcare practitioner or it can be used in our daily lives. It can be as simple as home remedies like hot and cold showers, ice packs for a sprained ankle, herbal compresses, Epsom salt baths, nasal irrigation, enemas, or Magic Socks while ill (see @wellnessmpls on Instagram for a demo of how to use this form of hydro at home). It can also be a treat like mineral baths or hot springs where the water contains certain minerals. It can be meditative like float tanks. Hydrotherapy can even range to include saunas, mud baths, and spa treatments. A more specific version of water therapy is one of my personal favorite treatments called Constitutional Hydrotherapy.
 
Constitutional hydrotherapy was developed by Dr. Otis G. Carroll in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1900s. This treatment combines water therapy with mild electrical stimulation to promote the overall health of patients. Even more specifically it is the practice of alternating hot and cold towels with the use of a sine wave.
 
Specifically, the hot and cold contrast works by dilating and constricting blood vessels, increasing blood flow and lymph flow throughout the body, especially to organs of elimination such as our skin, liver, kidneys, intestines and lungs. While the sine wave gently stimulates nerve input to these organs, as well as to nerves throughout the entire body, which helps to tonify and support appropriate input to and from the nervous system.
 
Although this treatment is gentle, it is can have profound effects. Constitutional hydrotherapy can be performed in-office by a health practitioner or can be done at home with simple modifications. The treatment in-office is often a more powerful treatment due to the addition of the sine wave and the ability to be treated by someone else other than yourself.  
 
Hydrotherapy can be used in acute health conditions for a few days in a row until the illness resolves. It can also be used to support people through their chronic health conditions. It can aid in digestive support, supporting healthy mood, improving immune function, relaxing muscles, and can aid in detoxification. The treatment works by stimulating the body’s own innate ability to heal.
 
The treatment is ideally performed in a relaxing environment allowing the patient to be in a parasympathetic state. This is our rest and relax state. In our busy culture, finding time to be in this restful state is very important for our health. This state of relaxation is promoted by the treatment itself, but can also be enhanced with diffused essential oils, calming music, and dim lights. The entire treatment takes around one hour. Vitals, including blood pressure, respiration rate, pulse rate, temperature, and blood oxygenation are taken before and after treatment to measure the body’s response to treatment.
 
Constitutional hydrotherapy is best used as a part of a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan.
 
Hydrotherapy, as a whole, is a great way to promote self-care while also incorporating one of the most important parts of nature into our daily lives!
 
 
References:
Boyle, Wade, and Andŕe Saine. Lectures in Naturopathic Hydrotherapy. Buckeye Naturopathic Press, 1988.
Thrash, Agatha M., and Calvin L. Thrash. Home Remedies: Hydrotherapy, Massage, Charcoal, and Other Simple Treatments. NewLifestyle Books.

Authored by Dr. Pharis

Naturopathic medicine is a comprehensive system of care that combines our modern understanding of health and disease with traditional, natural healing techniques. It is aimed at improving health and addressing illness in people of all ages, with a focus on prevention and whole-patient care. In addition to prevention, the true essence of naturopathic medicine is to seek out and treat the underlying cause of disease rather than focus solely on symptomatic treatment. Naturopathic doctors are trained to practice evidence-based medicine while simultaneously adhering to its underlying philosophy. The practice of naturopathic medicine is defined by its principles rather than its methods or modalities. Where methods are chosen upon the basis of patient individuality, principles act as the cornerstone guidelines of any naturopathic practice. Naturopathic doctors work to restore balance in a gentle and effective way, minimizing the potential for side effects. Above all, naturopathic medicine honors the body’s innate wisdom to heal.
 
Principles of Naturopathic Medicine

• First Do No Harm: Naturopathic doctors follow three guidelines to ensure their patient’s safety:
  1) Utilize methods and medicinal substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat;
  2) Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of symptoms;
  3) Acknowledge, respect, and work with the individual’s self-healing process.

 

• The Healing Power of Nature: Naturopathic medicine recognizes an inherent self-healing process in each person. Naturopathic doctors work to support this by recognizing and removing obstacles to healing and recovery, and to facilitate and augment this inherent self-healing process.

 

• Identify and Treat the Cause: Naturopathic doctors seek to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness. They understand the importance of treating the root cause of disease, rather than suppressing symptoms.

 

• Treat the Whole Person: Naturopathic doctors take the time to understand each person’s unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social factors that contribute to one’s state of health. This allows naturopathic doctors to tailor individual treatment protocols to each patient.

 

• Doctor as Teacher: Naturopathic doctors educate their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health. They also recognize and employ the therapeutic potential of the doctor-patient relationship.

 

• Prevention is the Best Medicine: Naturopathic doctors emphasize the prevention of disease by assessing risk factors, and recommending appropriate interventions to maintain health and prevent illness.

 
Naturopathic Doctor Education and Training
Licensed naturopathic doctors have scientific medical training and are required to complete an undergraduate degree as well as an intensive four-year medical program at an accredited institution. Naturopathic medical students receive training in the same basic sciences as conventional medical students with additional coursework in holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy. The curriculum includes in-depth training in diagnosis and treatment of disease, with an emphasis on disease prevention and wellness optimization.
 
Graduates from naturopathic medical schools are additionally required to pass a comprehensive Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Exam (NPLEX). Successful completion of this exam allows naturopathic doctors to become licensed or registered in the jurisdiction which they practice. There are currently 19 states that have laws regulating naturopathic physicians, including Minnesota.
 
Naturopathic doctors are trained in primary care and are experts in the field of natural medicine.  Their training prepares them to treat all aspects of family health and wellness, from pediatrics to geriatrics. Many individuals choose to further specialize by taking additional continuing education coursework or completing a residency program. Naturopathic doctors use a holistic, individualized approach to assessment and treatment with a focus on prevention and self-care. Therapies used by naturopathic doctors are tailored to meet individual needs, factoring in the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of each patient. Depending on the state, therapeutic modalities used by a naturopathic doctor may include any of the following:

* Not currently practiced in Minnesota

Naturopathic doctors work in conjunction with all other branches of medical science, and will refer patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment on a case-by-case basis.
 

Working with a Naturopathic Doctor
At Wellness Minneapolis our team of Naturopathic Doctors pride themselves on delivering individualized healthcare. We ensure each patient leaves feeling listened to, cared for, and treated as a unique individual. Our providers specialize in a variety of health conditions along with general wellness and preventative medicine. Initial office visits last between 75-90 minutes, allowing for optimal time to learn about your health concerns and goals, health history, and to provide a unique treatment plan. We value the extended amount of time we spend with our patients, and find it an essential component to get to the root cause of one's health concerns. To assist in the diagnostic process both conventional and/or functional lab work may be ordered. A follow-up visit is typically scheduled between 4-6 weeks after the initial visit to reassess symptoms, check progress with initial treatment recommendations, and to review any labs that were ordered. Subsequent visits are scheduled as needed and dependent upon the goals and needs of each individual.

If you are unsure if our model of care is the right fit for you, call our office to schedule a free 15-minute phone call with one of our providers. We look forward to serving you and your loved ones, and assisting you on your journey to health.

Authored by Jesse Haas, LN

If you're hip with holistic health, it's likely that you've endeavored a liver cleanse or detox...or been encouraged to do one...and with good reason. In 2002, the Environmental Working Group conducted a small study (9 participants) to measure the chemicals found in their blood. A total of 210 chemicals were found, each participant housing an average of 91 compounds. Heavy metals, chlorinated and brominated chemicals, PCBs, pesticides and herbicides, plastics and plasticizers, parabens and phthalates were all found. These compounds get stored in fat and bone, disrupting homeostasis and our efforts (both conscious and unconscious) at acquiring health.

The question is not "do I need to detox?" but "how do I detox effectively?"

Many people can navigate their lives without feeling the effect of this "body burden." Others experience symptoms of toxification, including autoimmune disease, allergies, food sensitivities, chronic fatigue, brain fog and hormone imbalance. 

Thankfully, detoxification is a daily process in the body, not something that waits for an annual cleanse. More appropriately called "biotransformation," detoxification occurs in phases:

• To begin biotransformation, toxins and metabolites must first be transported to the liver. This is considered to be phase 0.  
• In phase 1, the liver rearranges these chemicals into intermediates, which are either more or less harmful than their "parent" forms. For this reason, we need to keep the momentum going so these intermediates shuttle right into phase 2.
• The function of phase 2 biotransformation is to attach molecules that make the chemical water-soluble and safe to enter the bloodstream. There are multiply ways the liver accomplishes this - processes called methylation, acetylation, acylation, sulfation and glucuronidation.
• Once phase 2 is complete and the safer chemical compound enters the bloodstream, it's time to get it out of the body. Phase 3 of biotransformation occurs mostly in the kidneys and colon, where toxins are eliminated in urine and stool. Phase 3 also occurs in the lungs and skin where toxins are eliminated in our breath and sweat, but to a lesser extent.