Oh how I LOVE my Epsom salt baths.... THESE have been a real life saver for me during treatment weeks. I get SO sore from the IP (Intraperitoneal) Infusions. Plus the first one I get makes me SICK for a whole week. I haven't been vomiting sick but the best way to describe it is feeling like I am coming down with a really bad flu. YUCK, so what I have found is that after treatments (and getting kids fed and I bed) I sit and soak for a half hour in my "detox" bath at night. In the morning then I get the kiddos off to school and put some good citrus oils in with my favorite being grapefruit. Usually the first 3 days after my 2 days of chemo are my worst. Smells bug me anyway and some of my oils can be too much for me but the citrus ones work great and that and my bath help to calm my stomach until I can take the meds I need to PLUS they are a great uplifting way to start my day. That week one of my cycle generally ends up being a "work week" of me doing catch up on my business emails and such because I don't generally want to do much more than sit. I allow myself that, BUT don't think I am not working to change it. I have plans for this next cycle to see if I can get week one even more productive and give me more "better days" so I can feel a little more normal... I do these baths daily during the first week of my cycle in the mornings. It really does help. On my second week where my IP chemo doesn't have the extreme side effects I do it on the night of my treatment and the next morning to help my body to pull off the fluid and calm any residual pain I may have... These are my number one recommendation to friends that ask for any ideas to help people going through chemo. It's so versatile and I can use the oils that I need to help the symptoms giving me the most grief.
My favorites are;
On chemo night I use a balancing/grounding blend to help me calm down after all that chemo and the meds bring. It's a great way also to get ready to sleep at night being that can be a problem for me. My balancing/grounding blend contains spruce, rosewood, blue tansy, frankincense and fractionated coconut oil.
Grapefruit mixed with frankincense or wild orange work great on post chemo days for me
Grapefruit, lime, wild orange, or lemon just one of them is a simple, refreshing start to my day.
Grapefruit (do you see a pattern? Yup I LOVE grapefruit) and bergamot also is a nice way to start and lift my mood for the day.
The reason I use the quotes around the "detox" bath is because there is very little research out there to say that it actually detoxifies the body. I mean there are plenty of blog sites that say it does but it's REALLY hard to find anything to support that theory. NOW does that mean it doesn't somehow work that way? Nope, but if I am putting it out there as such I do like to have proof, something to back up that claim. I don't, I do know that it's recommended regularly to patients by physicians for sore muscles but that again doesn't have a ton of research to back it up. One article I read from painscience.com was really interesting in their take on the whole matter. Another good article I read was from How Stuff Works and while, again, there wasn't a lot of research to back things up there is a plausible explination as to why Epsom salt can potentially detox your body. What I do know is that for me, it works to help calm my muscles along with the warm water, I have found that I generally urinate more which helps pull some of that fluid off. I also tend to sweat during the warmth of a 1/2 hour bath which is a good "chimney" for expelling toxins from the body (as anyone that has drank a little too much alcohol can attest to as it "comes out" the pores.
I ALWAYS follow up my baths with a shower, that way I know I am washing all the stuff I have sweated and sat in for a half hour off my body. That way I feel good about getting dressed afterward also. For those going through Chemo you know that for 24-48 hours afterward you are considered "chemo toxic" and because it can be POTENTIALLY excreted from pores it's important to get that washed off. Also after my bath I do a full cleaning of our tub. I wash all areas with a mix of 1/3 water, 1/3 90% rubbing alcohol and 1/3 vinegar. I usually add a good essential oil to that mix to ensure I am getting my tub clean. That is important so that you don't expose yourself or others in your house to the chemo that gets excreted.
Disclaimer: Please understand that this information is for educational purposes only. I am a mom, I am not a doctor, I enjoy passing on the knowledge I have learned in doing these types of projects and through my research. The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and they are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. Don’t take my word for it…you should always engage conventional wisdom and consult with your medical professional to determine potential drug interactions and safety of use. Always when using essential oils for a medical condition or if on prescribed or over the counter drugs, seek advice from a medical professional (DR./PA/NP/Naturopath/pharmacist) on whether the oils will cause potential adverse reactions.
Before trying ANY of the hacks I post PLEASE make sure that you discuss this with your healthcare provider to ensure they don't have concerns or objections due to a potential to interfere with your treatment. I have a very open and honest dialog with my whole team. Know that there are times that they have voiced concerns. I use research and common sense in what I do to help mitigate my treatment issues, they have all been approved and talked over with my team. I encourage others to do the same if they use these. Sometimes using tools such as Pub Med helps to bring researched based rationale into why I use the oils I do, and allows my team to make a researched based informed decision also.
These practices are what work for me and my family, if you chose to take and use them I encourage you take my research and do some of your own prior to using the tips I give. While I do a lot of research when putting these posts out it generally fits into what I would do with and for my family. If you have specific issues, allergies or conditions these practices may not work or may be detrimental to what you are intending to do for yourself. Again, I encourage wisdom and discussions with your healthcare provider to determine safe use of all posts that I provide that can be used for health reasons
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