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Detox Showers - A simple detox habit everyone has time for

Posted by on Dec 28, 2011 in Blog, Detox, essential oils, GAPS, photo, toxins | 18 comments

An important piece of the GAPS diet is detox.The diet supports detox in several ways and one very important way is through detox baths. When I think about a detox bath I picture this. Calm, relaxed, time away. It sounds wonderful!

In reality however few days have time for that sort of a bath without giving up something else important. So does this mean no detox bath most days and suffering from it? No indeed. I get in some detox every time I shower. It may not be a super long one but it happens.
First, it is important to have a filter on your shower if you have chlorine added to your water as most people do with municipal water supplies. I have one like this one from my affiliate partner Amazon.

Chlorine in bathwater has been linked to bladder cancer (story here) and is more than just a cause of rough skin and stinky baths. We tend to think of our skin as our protective covering but you absorb 60% of whatever gets onto your skin so it is important that you never touch with your bare skin something that you wouldn’t put into your mouth.
Next simply stop the drain when you take a shower. Let the tub fill up. Then add to the tub something to assist detox. Some examples are below with affiliate links to make it easier for you to find what I am talking about.

 

Image courtesy of Just2Shutter / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Just2Shutter / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

You may not have time for a long luxurious detox bath. Use what time you have. It may simply be a quick shower while doing a 5 minute detox foot bath. I try to always sit down in the water if I have time even for just a second. I figure getting the water on as much skin as possible maximizes my benefit, even if I can’t do it for long that day.
If I have more time I will do some lymphatic massage while in the tub. Starting on my face I will massage toward the center of my face then downward. Behind the ears there is a cluster of lymph nodes so massage them downward toward your neck. Then down the throat on all sides. Next starting from the fingertips “milk” your hand toward your shoulder. Continue up your arm. Spend a some extra time on your armpits, esp if it is tender. You have another cluster of lymph nodes there. Next move to your toes and the bottoms of your feet.massage toward your torso focusing on the backs of your knees and your groin. Again give extra attention to any tender areas. Finish up on your torso massaging toward your heart.

Another type of massage can be used to stimulate the immune system. You can do this one daily. Take the first two fingers of one hand and rest them on the thumb side of your opposite wrist. Lightly stroke along the bone up to your elbow. Do this 100 times. Then repeat on the other side. It only takes about a minute to do 100 strokes upward. Don’t stroke downward toward your hand. I often can feel my sinuses open up while I am doing this massage. I like to do this for my children when they are struggling with an illness it stimulates the immune system to start working.

If I have just 20 minutes to bathe I can get myself clean and get a detox bath in and the massage done all at one time. When I have only 5 minutes I still get in a quick foot bath and feel better for it.

I have added a part 2 with pictures of the lymphatic system and instructions on organ massage as well.

Shared on Simple Lives Thursday hosted by GNOWFGLINS

Many of my blog posts contain affiliate links. Purchasing through an affiliate link allows me to keep blogging and sharing what I learn with you. It is a bit like leaving a tip for service and is very much appreciated.
Thank You! -PattyLA

18 Comments

  1. Joan S. / December 28, 2011

    I never even thought about stopping the drain for a foot bath while you shower. Good idea! So, do you fill your children's bath with the water from the shower so they get the filtered stuff? The filtered shower thing is a new concept to me. Thanks!

    Reply
  2. PattyLA / December 28, 2011

    Hi Joan,
    Yes The tub is always filled by the shower. It is the easiest way to get it chlorine free. I have one of those tub ball things and we used that on vacation but it doesn't seem to work as well as the shower filter.

    Reply
  3. myratfink / December 28, 2011

    I again feel so fortunate to be on a well! Nice info, thanks Patty.

    Reply
  4. Erin / December 28, 2011

    LOVE your blog. So informative and no extra info that takes too long to read :)

    Reply
  5. PattyLA / December 29, 2011

    @myratfink-Lucky!
    @Erin- Thank you.

    Reply
  6. Starlene / December 31, 2011

    My tub and shower are separate. My husband took the faucet off my bathtub and replaced it with a filter that one would normally place on the shower. It's a little weird because the water sprays out toward me (if I were sitting in the tub when filling it). Also it takes longer to fill the tub and the water doesn't seem to stay as hot. I have to put a sock over the filter so that the water doesn't spray out at me! But it is better than no filter, I guess. :-) If I had my shower and bathtub together I would definitely use this tip to get a foot detox when showering! I was also thinking maybe I could stop up my shower, it is just about four inches deep… maybe I will try that as well.

    Reply
  7. Caroline / April 4, 2012

    Hi, Just a bit confused about the massage instructions ‘Take the first two fingers of one hand and rest them on the thumb side of your opposite wrist. Lightly stroke along the bone up to your elbow.’

    I don’t understand what you mean by ‘along the bone up to your elbow.’ I rested the first two fingers of my right hand below the top of my left thumb (not palm side) but should I literally stroke to my elbow bone? Or do you mean the inner part of my arm where it bends? Just want to be sure I understand correctly :)

    Thanks for bearing with me!
    Caroline

    Reply
    • PattyLA / April 5, 2012

      Follow the bone that is on the thumb side of your lower arm from the wrist up to the bend of your elbow. It kind of disappears there at the end but just follow a straight line and you are good.

      Reply
  8. Tasha / September 1, 2012

    Hi Patty, what’s your opinion on the ionic foot bath for detox? Thanks!

    Reply
    • PattyLA / September 1, 2012

      I think that foot baths can be nearly as helpful as full body baths but I do not know enough about those ionic foot baths to have an opinion on them.

      Reply
  9. Karen / June 5, 2013

    Can you use a combination of the ingredients for the detox baths?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • PattyLA / June 5, 2013

      For the most part yes. Just be aware that using baking soda which is very alkaline and vinegar which is very acidic in the same bath will kind of cancel each other out.

      Reply
      • Karen / June 6, 2013

        Thank you!

        Reply
  10. Amy / June 6, 2013

    This is just brilliant! Thank you!

    Reply
  11. joia / July 5, 2013

    considering the fact that you mentioned you have issues with sulfur, you may want to remove Epsom salts from this list. Magnesium sulfate is like battery acid for me. I dip my skin in it and it leaves a rash similar to poison sumac. dead sea salts or magnesium chloride (which you listed) is an excellent magnesium soak.

    Love your site. very informative. thank you

    Reply
    • PattyLA / August 10, 2013

      Actually Joia my daughter had problems with sulfur in the past but that is now healed thanks to GAPS. I’m sorry that you have trouble with espom salts. She used to also not be able to tolerate espom salts but now she does fine soaking in epsom salt baths.
      PattyLA recently posted…GAPS Intro Once AgainMy Profile

      Reply
  12. Jen / August 26, 2013

    I can’t believe I never thought to just stop up the tub for a foot soak during a shower. I’m going to try it starting with my next shower. Sometimes the best solutions are simple.
    Jen recently posted…Finish It Friday, French General QuiltMy Profile

    Reply
  13. RACHEL GARST / July 23, 2014

    Thanks PattyLA for this info. I’m learning about GAPS and I am searching your site to see if I can find any blogs on specific symptoms/dealing with severe allergies, asthma, reoccurring sinusitis, itchy hands/feet for myself, and leaky gut and overweight in belly for my husband. I’m sure we all have a weak immune system. have any pointers/links? I am saving now on a limited budget Boss Pickler so I can begin fermenting properly and am looking forward to trying a detox bath. I believe a lifestyle change is in order concerning our diet.

    Reply

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