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Taking a ginger detox bath seems “in” nowadays. According to those who have tried it, it’s therapeutic. With a plethora of positive health effects, why shouldn’t it be?

Picture this:

Due to the health benefits of ginger detox baths, some people are hesitant to use fancy and costly spa treatments.

For rejuvenation, they don’t plan trips to health centers. Instead, all they do is stay home and take a bath. They head to the kitchen to get ginger, grate it, and soak the pieces in lukewarm water (1).

Before taking advantage of the power of a ginger detox bath, however, you should learn what you are getting into. By doing so, you will know about the detox bath experience, the health benefits, and possible side effects.

In this article, I aim to help you learn all you need to know about ginger detox baths.

Let’s get started!

What’s a Ginger Bath?

To begin our description of ginger baths, let’s start with a real life anecdote about James:

James, a sales executive, suffered with chronic viral infections, flu symptoms, and crankiness. According to James, within just a few minutes of soaking into a bathtub filled with hot water and grated ginger, he felt the effects.

Particularly, he felt sweaty; in fact, he was concerned that he was sweating excessively, a condition medically referred to as hyperhidrosis.

That night, when he went to bed, James’ body did a complete 360. Upon waking up the next day, he felt wonderful. He felt cleansed and energetic, and it was because of the ginger bath!

For many centuries, people were aware of the amazing therapeutic effects of ginger (2); however, it wasn’t until the early 21st century that ginger detox baths became popular in mainstream media.

Here’s why:

The Good Side: Positive Benefits of Ginger Detox Baths

Since ginger is a vasodilator, a ginger bath produces a thermogenic effect (i.e. causes a slight increase in temperature) on your body. It eliminates toxins that may prevent any blood flow disruption.

Therefore, by bathing regularly in ginger, you can expect a significant improvement in blood circulation.

With a plethora of benefits, dipping in a bathtub with ginger is a great idea for improving your overall health. Its therapeutic effects are similar to those of sauna bathing.

Rather than spend money in spas, this natural solution is a great, economical alternative that you can do in the comfort of your home (3).

The benefits of ginger baths:

Aids with digestion
Facilitates weight loss
Alleviates menstrual cramps
Boosts energy
Helps you burn calories (4)
Benefits you with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties
Lowers cholesterol
Improves your metabolism
Increases your alertness
Freshens your breath
Neutralizes acidity in your body (5)
Promotes the production of bile, which helps with your body’s absorption of fat-soluble substances such as vitamins A, D, E, and K
Facilitates your body’s production of gastric fluids
Relieves headaches
Alleviates pain due to rheumatoid arthritis
Stabilizes blood pressure
Treats diarrhea
Relieves anxiety, exhaustion, and nervousness
Improves flu and cold symptoms
Helps with respiratory complications
Alleviates sea and motion sickness

Another huge advantage of the detox bath is its convenience. It takes little effort to prepare a bath of lukewarm water and grated ginger. Half an hour is usually more than enough to get the health benefits.

Furthermore, if you live a sedentary lifestyle or you’re a workaholic, a weekly ginger bath is a great option to detoxify your body.

Although ginger baths provide wide ranging health benefits, it would be quite irresponsible of me to not detail any of the side effects and concerns commonly reported with the baths.

All is not Golden: Side Effects of Ginger Baths that you Should be Aware of

As with any holistic treatment, there is no guarantee that two people will get the same result by taking ginger baths. While it comes with advantages, sweating excessively due to a ginger bath can have small, unintended side effects.

Common Side Effects of Ginger Baths

Dizziness
Insomnia
Muscle soreness
Restlessness
Skin irritation

Start Slow with Ginger Baths, and Use Moderation

To reduce the risk of the side effects above, observe moderation when bathing with ginger. Bathing should be done at most once, or if your body is not as sensitive to ginger, twice, weekly (6).

You should also avoid staying in the bathtub for more than 30 minutes. Remember, the goal is simply to detoxify. Your goal is to rid your body of toxins and other harmful, unnecessary substances.

The Extreme Case: Ginger Baths are not a Good Solution for Everyone

If your body or skin doesn’t react well to ginger, a ginger bath should be skipped. This is just like any other food sensitivity that you may have: don't ingest or soak it in if you know it's got ill effects on you. Though the likelihood of adverse effects is small, they’re possible.

Key Takeway: Enjoy ginger detox baths, but keep the side effects in mind.

Now, that you know more about ginger baths, I’m not going to leave you hanging. Check out this great ginger bath recipe:

The Ultimate Ginger Bath Recipe

A popular ginger bath recipe is the ginger baking soda detox bath. Simply prepare (7):

8 gallons of lukewarm water
A cup of baking soda
½ cup of grated ginger – ginger powder is okay, too.

Next, follow these easy steps:

Add the baking soda and grated ginger to the lukewarm water.
Stir slowly. Wait for about 10 minutes to maximize the effects of the mixture.
Soak in the bath for up to 30 minutes.

Are you an overachiever? Check out this extra tip to take your ginger bath to the next level:

For a more beneficial ginger baking soda detox bath, you can also add another natural ingredient: hydrated magnesium sulfate, or better known as Epsom salt (8). According to studies, the detox bath becomes more powerful with Epsom salt.

Apart from the amazing benefits of ginger, Epsom salt promotes brain tissue formation and stimulates the pancreas.

So, Should You Take a Dip in a Ginger Bath?

Given all of its positive aspects, a ginger detox bath is worth taking. Accumulating toxins due to everyday conditions is inevitable. Though you can’t prevent the entry of harmful substances into your body, you can always detoxify.

The final verdict: Take ginger baths and watch your body transform into the health machine it should be!

About the author

Leonard Parker is a health blogger and owner of the eCommerce store, Rebounder Zone. Through Rebounder Zone, Leonard’s team specializes in rebounder trampolines, health equipment, and useful health information for mature adults.

Leonard is a graduate of Stanford University and has worked in various roles as a digital marketing specialist and technology consultant. Rebounder Zone was started because Leonard saw first hand how health living with regular exercise can change lives, and he wants to help others experience this incredible feeling, too. For any questions about rebounding or information mentioned in this article, please contact Leonard at leonard@rebounderzone.com.

Sources

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(2) Khalil, R., Baker, L. (n.d.). "Ginger Bath: Sweat Those Toxins out". Pure Inside Out. Retrieved from http://www.pureinsideout.com/ginger-bath.html

(3) Hausner, T. (n.d.). "5 Easy DIY Detox Bath Recipes". Blender Babes. Retrieved from http://www..com/articles/beauty/5-easy-diy-homemade-detox-bath-recipes-for-arthritis-depression-fatigue-headaches-and-more

(4) n.a. (n.d.). "10 Detox Bath Recipes". Bembu. Retrieved from http://bembu.com/detox-bath-recipes

(5) n.a. (2013). "Release Body Toxins with this [AWESOME] DIY Detox Bath". Alliele Fever. Retrieved from http://allielefevere.com/release-body-toxins-with-an-at-home-detox-bath/

(6) Romero, V. (2012, Jan. 18). "Detox Bath Why and How". Healthy Living How To. Retrieved from http://healthylivinghowto.com/1/post/2012/01/detoxification-part-i-healing-waters.html

(7) Gerber, S. (2015, Oct. 8). "5 Healing Detox Bath Recipes". HellowGlow. Retrieved from http://helloglow.co/5-ways-to-take-a-detox-bath

(8) Breyer, M. (n.d.). "Health Benefits of Epsom Salt Baths". Care 2. Retrieved from http://www.care2.com/greenliving/health-benefits-of-epsom-salt-baths.html

(9) Natalie, H. (March 21, 2014). "3 detox baths that came from your kitchen". Cool Healthy Recipes. Retrieved from http://www.coolhealthyrecipes.com/3-detox-baths-that-came-from-your-kitchen/

(10) Emorie. (2014), "Lemon ginger fancy bath". Oh Whimsical Me. Retrieved from http://ohwhimsicalme.blogspot.it/2014/03/lemon-ginger-fancy-bath.html

(11) n.a. n.d. "Ginger essential oil". AromaHQ. Retrieved from http://www.aromahq.com/ginger-oil/

(12) n.a. (July 26, 2016). "Low red blood cell count". New Health Advisor. Retrieved from http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Low-Red-Blood-Cell-Count.html

(13) Ayushaktiyurveda. (Februrary 12, 2016). "Detoxification: the authentic ancient ayurveda treatment program to boost our metabolism and digestion." Ayushakti. Retrieved from http://www.ayushakti.com/blog/author/ayushaktiayurveda/

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(15) Rizk, J. (December 5, 2014). "Say bye bye to alligator legs with a DIY lemon ginger scrub". Detox Diva. Retrieved from https://www.thedetoxdiva.com/say-bye-bye-to-alligator-legs-with-a-diy-lemon-ginger-scrub/

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The Magic of Ginger Detox Baths: Look at the Benefits