How would you like to enjoy a soothing bath and at the same time take care of all sorts of health troubles, such as skin problems-including acne-recurrent infections, insect bites, female problems, and even arthritis and rheumatism? It's easy to do with a salt bath.

You don't have to be sick to benefit from a salt bath. It is cleansing and health-building for anyone. Bathing with Himalayan bath salts stimulates circulation, hydrates the skin, increases moisture retention, promotes cellular regeneration, detoxifies the skin, and helps heal dry, scaling, irritated skin. Salt water bathing reduces inflammation of the muscles and joints, relaxes muscles and relieves pain and soreness.

Bathing in seawater (and natural salt solutions) has a long history. Almost 500 years before the birth of Christ, Hippocrates, who is called the Father of Medicine, noticed fishermen who had injured their hands soaking their hands in seawater. They seemed to have few infections or complications from their injuries after the salt soaks. So Hippocrates encouraged his patients to bathe in warmed seawater in a treatment called thalassotherapy (in Greek, thalassa means sea). This kind of bath encourages a release of toxins between the blood and the water and a restoration of mineral balance in the blood.

In a 1982 study in Israel, researchers found that soaking in salt baths got relief from pain and had greater mobility after the treatments. Another study established relief from osteoarthritis and tendonitis. Yet another demonstrated relief from itching, problems with sleep, and skin scaling. Patients with recurrent infections have turned their health around with regular salt bathing. Research has documented relief from poison ivy, poison oak, insect bites, and wounds of various kinds.

Salt bathing works partly because natural mineral salts restore mineral balance via the skin. Medical research has long established absorption of medicinal factors through the skin. Natural salt contains many minerals, including magnesium, which helps the nervous system, relieves stress, and can relieve water retention. It also helps bring about a healthy calcium balance, which strengthens bones and nails. The salt also contains potassium, which you need for your blood after exercise, and which you need for moist, healthy skin and all-over energy. Bromides in the salt heal and relax your muscles. And of course you need the sodium for healthy immune system as well as for appropriate fluid balance in your body.

While salt bathing is relaxing and healing, it can also be challenging to your circulatory system because you are cleansing while in the bath. Therefore if you have a weak heart or other heart problems, consult a doctor before taking salt baths.