Epsom Salt..love soaking in a tub with it!

For as long as I can remember (adult remembering :-), I have loved soaking in a tub with added Epsom Salt. I used it quite a bit when I was running and doing a lot of weight work to ease my sore muscles. I still use it to relax, to help get rid of bruises, for ingrown toenails (once), and to help my sleep.

I love that it doesn't dry out my skin. It leaves it feeling nice and soft after a bath.

Many doctors, functional and traditional, suggest it for their patients to help with a number of health issues. I've compiled a list below of things that I came across while researching.

I always learn so much when I start researching a topic! I will definitely be taking more nice, long, hot baths at night before bed in the future. 

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Side note: Wondering why I'm focusing on Epsom Salts? A "traditional" doc ala one knows medicine but doesn't know nutrition or anything "natural", mocked, to a patient, a previous doctor's recommendation to take an Epsom Salt bath. First, what kind of doctor laughs at another doctor who trained the same way he did, plus extended their training to include more nutrition, more "whole-body" treatments? Second, why do that as a human being? I like the guy but that one really burned me... He missed the part where the doctor was pushing that same patient to have a scan to find out what was going on with her stomach, bowels, the hardness she felt when she did her exam... I'm betting he didn't check her stomach. Hmph. Not all doctors are alike. Some follow up, send emails to find out how their patients are doing, do extra research to find ways to help and think outside the box a bit within medical reason. OK, stopping my rant :-). But I do love my doctor...she is the first doctor I have ever had who listens, who asks questions, who goes above and beyond.

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Like many other "home" remedies there isn't a lot of research. But what there is does support it as a reasonable, useful addition to our home health arsenal. Unless something has money-making potential dollars don't flow for studies. Epsom Salt is cheap. It is never going to make those who fund studies, primarily drug companies*, any money.

Most of us know we can drink the stuff and poop like crazy. It tastes horrible, but it works. Just don't overdo it. Bleh. Why would you when magnesium works just as well? Oh, wait, Epsom salt is a mineral compound of magnesium...and sulfate. The full, correct, name is magnesium sulfate heptahydrate.  Still, magnesium, especially in drinks like Calm, works just as well.


Ever wonder where the word "Epsom" came from? Epsom is a spring in Surrey, England where it originated from and was distilled from the water. In today's world, it is derived from mining.

From Salt Works, https://seasalt.com/epsom-salt-uses-and-benefits
"Studies have shown that magnesium and sulfate are both readily absorbed through the skin**, making Epsom salt baths an easy and ideal way to enjoy the associated health benefits. Magnesium plays a number of roles in the body including regulating the activity of over 325 enzymes, reducing inflammation, helping muscle and nerve function, and helping to prevent artery hardening. Sulfates help improve the absorption of nutrients, flush toxins, and help ease migraine headaches.

Here is a list of things Epsom Salts, known to be anti-inflammatory, may help with --- some possibly better if you take it rather than soak in it, but then why not just take magnesium?:

• Arthritis pain and swelling
• Bruises and sprains
• Making insulin more productive
• Fibromyalgia
• Ingrown toenails
• Insomnia
• Psoriasis and other skin issues
• Sore muscles
• Athlete's foot
• Soreness from diarrhea during chemotherapy
• Flushing toxins (there is a lot of debate on this one in regards to detoxing via soaking in a tub)
• Sunburn pain and redness
• Decreasing the oil in your hair (mix some with hair conditioner)
• Blood pressure 
• Gout pain
• Exfoliating your skin
• Constipation (FDA approved as a laxative)
• Tired, swollen feet
• Reducing inflammation to help get out splinters (reducing inflammation is a good idea whether you have a splinter or not :-)) 
• Relieve pain from bug bites and bee stings
• There is one study that indicates soaking can help someone lose weight...I'm a bit skeptical on this one as I would weigh 10 lbs by now as many baths as I've had over the years!
• Fertilizing your yard
• Bug spray (for your yard, getting rid of pests on your plants) 
• Combined with dish soap it's good for scrubbing counters and tiles

This site has a long list of things that Epsom Salt can do, too. Check it out: https://preparednessmama.com/25-uses-for-epsom-salts/

Dr. Rosemary Waring, a British biochemist, Univerity of Birmingham, is a strong proponent of using Epsom Salts to help with autism and has a number of studies. Here are a few links that mention Waring as a source, the first two deal more with autism. I would suggest doing a search on Waring and autism if that is an area you are interested in pursuing.

• http://www.enzymestuff.com/epsomsalts.htm
• https://questioning-answers.blogspot.com/2011/03/forgotten-research-sulphation-and.html
• https://blog.paleohacks.com/epsom-salt/#
• https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/epsom_salt_as_a_home_remedy
• https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/11/28/sulfur-benefits.aspx 

Too much is not a good thing so be sure to read the package labels. Watch out if you are also taking a magnesium supplement. It can make some medications harder to absorb so check with your doctor if you're taking antibiotics or other medications.

Additions if you're using it in a bath:

• Olive oil
• Baking soda
• Peroxide
• Essential oils like lavender, frankincense, orange
• Apple cider vinegar
• Coconut oil
• Fresh rosemary (good for your memory also)
• Bentonite clay
• Here's a recipe for an oatmeal, rose soak that sounds great: https://www.diynatural.com/homemade-oatmeal-bath-recipe/

* I plan to do a blog on who funds studies at some point. I read that statement over and over in my research travels but haven't verified it myself.
** There is debate on how much if any is absorbed through the skin. There ARE studies showing it is absorbed...but there are skeptics, too. Well, actually, I found two articles that were skeptical and about a bazillion that promoted and said the salt was great. Figured in the interest of being fair that I should at least mention that some doubted.

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/epsom-salt-bath#1
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/epsom-salts-in-the-garden/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/epsom-salt/
https://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321627
https://seasalt.com/epsom-salt-uses-and-benefits

One last Christmas --- asked, received but wish we hadn't...

In an earlier blog post, I talked about wanting one last Christmas with someone I loved dearly who was dying of cancer. I kinda sorta got my wish. She survived. But it was torture. She was in horrific pain as her pain receptors grew resistant to the pain meds (simplification). In fact, she hung in there until yesterday. But she wasn't really with us.

She was in hospice for a month and a day.

When she went in they gave her a few days to maybe a week. Because she was so young, just turned 23, her body fought long to stay on this earth.

Losing someone so young, so giving, so smart, so beautiful, so perfect...someone who probably never did anything worse than an occasional swear word...someone who wanted to be a nurse and managed to accomplish that goal, who graduated with honors, who had just taken a job, who was wonderful at helping others, who did all of that while undergoing treatment for cancer...makes one question everything about life.

I know life isn't fair. I know horrible things happen. But man, there were so many heartfelt prayers going up for this child. So many people praying, sending positive thoughts, so many doctors fighting for her. It's impossible to fathom a world where this could happen to someone with such a bright, awesome future.

To have her life end in such a torturous manner is beyond any kind of comprehension. If there had been even a tiny bit of hope, any way she could have been healed I could understand I suppose. But even if a miracle cure appeared it was so far past the point anything could happen there was NO point in just having her lay in a bed in pain for weeks.

Her family was there around the clock. Her parents had to watch her suffer and know there was nothing they could do to help their baby.

Why do we do this to people? I know there are many ethical issues, many reasons for not going the route of ending someone's life. But there has to be some balance, some way to stop this. Giving oxygen when her breathing became strained? Fluids to keep her hydrated? Why? I don't know if stopping any of that would be painful. I really don't know much about how our body reacts to the process of dying when fluids or oxygen is denied.

I guarantee you I am going to be doing some research. I am going to find out. I have a living will and a directive for do-not-resuscitate. Maybe I need a separate rider that says no life-giving nutrients to prolong inevitable death? You better believe I am going to figure it out, then pass on whatever I learn to the rest of the family.

I can't bear the fact that she suffered, and that her sister and parents suffered so mightily, as she exited our world. I am praying that she is happily frolicking in heaven right now. I know that this has forever scarred everyone and I know that beautiful soul would not have wanted anyone to suffer because of her. I know that she suffered more knowing her parents and sister and those of us who loved her suffered.

Nothing can ease the pain of losing her.

Asking for one last Christmas...

Someone I love dearly is going to depart this world sometime in the very near future. She has battled mightily, fought every step of the way despite the pain and misery... She has defied the doctor's predictions. Even now, knowing the end is inevitable our girl is still in control, making tough decisions and making war on the disease that is claiming her life.

I have been asking for one last Christmas together but am not sure that isn't a totally selfish request.

We all love her and don't want her to suffer. We all love her and don't want her to go.

I am one step removed and thus don't see her daily, continual suffering. Her immediate family are there to comfort, take care of her, suffer as they see her suffer.

I want to help but the best help I can give is to just listen and be there for her immediate family...but dang if I don't manage to say stupid things. I agonize over how to respond, what to say. When texting I write, erase, write, erase... I know that whatever I say or do it can be the wrong thing, can aggravate, irritate, make things worse, cause eye rolls 'cause they've heard it so many times from so many or I just don't know exactly how serious something is at the moment.

Christmas? Trying to move ahead, buy gifts, somewhat do the "normal things"...but she's always there on my mind, in my thoughts and I know I'm buying things she may never see...and that none of us are going to give a flying flip about gifts...but if she's there I want it to be as normal as possible. So I'm plodding ahead, probably spending more than I normally do, agonizing more over what to give than normal. If I can bring a few smiles it'll be worth it all.

Anger. I have a lot of anger. To know that a young girl, barely out of school, with a whole wonderful vibrant life ahead, will be taken, will not get that life is so wrong. And, if one more person says "it's in God's hands" or "God must want her to be with Him" or some other inane thing I may scream. Yes, I know...just like the things I say that are hurtful or wrong but said from a heart of love...they mean well. And I'm not saying it isn't true...it is just NOT what one wants to hear when a child is suffering. God does not want His children to suffer.

Prayer. So many across the world praying for our girl. Strong, strong believers. Sometimes I think a merciful God would have taken her earlier, spared her all the pain. Sometimes I think it's good that she had good times in the midst of it all, that all of her loved ones got to see a smile, to see her having a good time. Things like this make you wonder about the efficacy of prayer. Even if you don't believe in prayer most believe that all those thoughts and wishes and heartfelt prayers have an impact, that they can do something.

As usual, I'm rambling. There is something cathartic about writing down thoughts, putting the frustration into words...even if they don't flow, aren't English-school-teacher worthy :-)

Quick note on earaches...

I've been plagued since I was a child with intermittent earaches. No health issues, just have to make sure I take care when swimming, etc.

Monday started with an earache, much worse than usual. It got more painful as the evening progressed, none of my usual remedies made a dent. Even aspirin didn't ease the pain.

I did what most of us do these days when we can't get to a doctor, I hit the Internet and went on a search for natural remedies. I found a ton of suggestions, unfortunately I didn't have any of the items listed in the house... except alcohol and white vinegar.

I gave it a shot. Everyone had different mixtures -- 3 portions of white vinegar to one of alcohol, etc. I went with half and half. I put it on a cotton ball, grabbed a heating pad & went to bed to read. 15 minutes later I realized the pain was completely gone. It's been three days and it hasn't returned.

Next time I go to the doc I'll let her take a look just to make sure nothing's going on in there, but I imagine it was just the old swimmers ear. If it comes back, I'll head to the doctor.

Figured I'd take a minute & share just in case anyone ever ran into the same problem. I didn't see any horror tales or comments from doctors saying not to do it but whenever you / we go the route of home "repair" you / we need to be cautious... That's my official disclaimer . Be careful with your ears, eyes, and all the rest of your bod.

On fixing those hurting feet...

Recently I've been experiencing some major (to me) foot problems. I won't go into all the technical gobbledygook I've been told and learned while trying to fix said problems. Basically, the pad of my foot hurts when I put pressure on it right under the toe area. Bones are pushing a nerve which is swelling and causing a lot of pain. My toes were hurting and cramping, and I was walking on my heel to avoid putting any pressure on the pad as it felt like it was badly bruised.

I tried fixing it myself with padding, soaking, massage but nothing helped so I trekked over to see my fave podiatrist. He's great. He told me the problem, said I needed a cortisone shot to stop the swelling. I said no, we tried pads. No help. Second visit I did the shot with pads and taped toes.

Shot didn't help and it wasn't exactly fun although not as bad as I've heard. I'm a wimp when it comes to needles, will pretty much do anything to avoid a shot, so you should know I was hurting pretty bad to acquiesce to the thing... especially since I don't like anything foreign being pumped into my bod.

When I went back for the next visit we tried the "boot". It holds your foot stable. Hated it.

I had to do a show in Florence, South Carolina --- three days of standing on concrete from 7 something in the morning until after 6 p.m. I spent the day switching shoes. Crocs, the boot, two different sets of tennis shoes... nothing really helped. The boot made me walk lopsided and my knees started hurting and swelling.

My son, who was with me, has bone spurs in his feet and he limps at times from the pain. He was also going back and forth to a podiatrist. 

The second day I was there a couple walked up and we got into a friendly conversation with the husband. At one point he glanced down at my son's feet and said 'bet you have bone spurs'. We both did a double-take. He then said he probably had problems with painful corns and he'd bet he had plantar faciitis. Wow... right on the mark.

We were properly awed. He then looked at my tennis shoe encased feet (no boot at the time) and correctly told me where I was hurting.

Then he told us that we were wearing the wrong size shoes. Ummm... measured at the shoe store, bought the shoes, they seemed to fit... Turns out he owns a shoe store, Jack's Comfort Shoes, and boy did he know feet and shoes!

I won't go into all the stuff he told us, although I'm sure you'd like to know, right? He correctly 'diagnosed' every ache and pain our poor feet shared with us every time we put pressure on them!

We wanted to go to his store and buy some shoes but couldn't due to time constraints. We both spent part of the following week doing some Internet research, verifying the things that he'd told us.

The next week we planned to be in Columbia so we made plans to go early and visit his shoe store, get fitted properly.

Didn't quite work out. However, we did find a place in Columbia that had pretty much the same philosophy. We went there and had them measure and suggest shoes. They didn't quite come up with the same thing the Florence shoe store owner did, so I had them change out my shoes until they worked like the guy from Jack's said they should. They added extra arch supports for my high arches and put in the little med-pads to spread my bones while I walked. We played with it until I knew it was right.

I spent three blissful, pain-free days walking on concrete floors, same hours as the Florence show. I was shocked and amazed. I really didn't quite 100% accept what the Jack's owner had said until I experienced it!

Last week we found a store here in Tucker, Georgia that has a comparable philosophy and "fits" properly. None of the stores, including the one in Tucker mentioned one important thing that the guy in Florence insisted upon --- and that is that you make sure your heel doesn't slide around in your shoe.

See, most of us measure based on length and width. We may find a shoe that fits us in both aspects, but it leaves our heel moving a little to a lot from side-to-side. My son has bad dryness on his heel --- he thought it was dry skin. The guy in Florence (and I'd use his name but I lost the business card, arrrggghhh) said it was due to his foot moving around in the shoe.

My heel didn't slip out of the shoe, but when I fit the width for the top of my foot I always had room to move sideways. If my heel didn't slide back and forth, the top of the shoe would start to pinch after I'd worn it for a while. I'm not talking about slipping up out of the shoe. It's the kind of movement you don't notice until you're paying attention.

I also thought my pronating was due to my legs, knees, posture, etc. After getting fitted and tested, I realized I had high arches. I pronate, slide inward, when I don't have proper arch support. Duh.

I've become a convert and I know when I slip my foot into a shoe whether it 'fits' properly. I picked up some pads at the Village Shoe Service in Tucker and have rigged some of my shoes (including my Crocs) so they have arch support and extra padding where I need it. The guy in Florence said he won't sell Crocs, horrible for your feet. My podiatrist said they're fine to use as slippers around the house. I compromised by adding the supports!

OK, long post and I didn't cover a fraction of what I learned over the past couple of months about my feet!

I'm still pain-free and am in the process of replacing every single pair of shoes I have (given time and dollars!). Once I learned how my shoes SHOULD fit and feel, it's not necessary for me to spend a small fortune on each pair. However, I'm willing to spend whatever is needed to get good support and continue to walk without pain.

Oh, one quick note --- I'm not wearing clunky medical ugly shoes. I'm in a pair of 'normal-looking' Brooks tennis shoes. And as for dress shoes, there are many, many that are comfortable and stylish, pretty, dainty looking.

Bottom line -- go at least once to a GOOD shoe store, not one where they pull out the old silver thing to measure your foot. Go to one where you get on those machines, can discuss your specific foot issues, get someone with years of experience and training to help you find the right shoes. Go to a store where they'll add the little pads under the cushion to give you the support you need.

And a tip -- never go shoe shopping early in the day. Your feet swell as the day goes on. Shoes that fit in the morning may hurt in the afternoon.

I highly recommend Village Shoe Service in Tucker, Georgia (http://villageshoeservice.com/) and
Jack's Comfort Shoes in Florence, South Carolina 1506 2nd Loop Road, phone (843) 662-4551
(I hope that's the right store! All I remember is that the store had the name "Jack" in it... if you find more than one with Jack in the title, call and talk to them about how they fit shoes).