I lost patience with leisurely bathing in my 20’s, preferring instead, the shower experience.  Whether that be routine morning washes, or more epic spa sessions in the evening and weekends, including music, tea, loofahs and various nourishing masks.

At my dad’s encouragement, I half-heartedly entertained taking baths during the early chemo days to relax achy muscles, and I have to admit they did work a treat.  However, these soon came to an end after surgery.  It took me about a year to accept the scar across my abdomen, and during that time I avoided being confronted by it.  Showers were easier to cope with emotionally, as I could look ahead and not down at the body I hated.  Then came further body image issues, again, preventing me wanting to spend more time then necessary looking at myself.  Grooming became a hygiene and functional routine; all romance around pampering had gone.

Fast forward, and a lot of therapy later, I’m back to enjoying and indulging my new body.  Part of that is getting back into the ritual and benefits of bathing.  As we approach winter, this seems like the perfect time for this.

Baths are obviously mentally and physically relaxing, but there are more great health benefits important to cancer recovery.

Bathing benefits

• Mentally, it forces you to take some ‘me time’ and relax.

• Warm temperatures, opens pores and encourages sweating out 0f toxins.

• Relieves muscular aches and pains.

• Lowers blood pressure.

• Helps bowel movement.

• After a lot of bed rest, bathing is an easy way to increases blood circulation which helps nourish damaged cells.

• On days when your skin is highly sensitive post treatment, the added sensation of the shower pressure might me too much. Having a quick dip is a gentler way to cleanse – it doesn’t always have to be a 10-20 mins soak.

• Salts and oils will help soften and moisturise chemically dehydrated skin deeper then just moisturising with creams. This helps with the premature signs of aging bought on by a lot of the drugs and chemicals.

Added Extras

It’s all about the accessories!  The thing I enjoy most, and makes me look forward to my new bath time routine is playing with all the added extras.  There are endless salts and oils to try, each offering different health and nourishing benefits from the outside in.  You can invigorate, detoxify, moisturise or relax – take your pick.

Epsom salt is a brilliant place to start, it’s widely available and doesn’t break the bank.

Epsom Salt

Epsom salt is a pure mineral compound – magnesium sulphate.

Magnesium is amazing for our liver, which takes a battering during treatment and often full of dead cells  + it helps your bones absorb calcium.

Sulphate plays a vital role in cell formation + helps your body detoxify from chemicals and drugs.

We can consume magnesium through seeds, greens and of course supplements.  Sulphate on the other-hand is not easily available through diet, but is easily absorbed through the skin.

We’ve already said the bath experience helps with aches and pains, adding Epsom Salt gives further relief when things flare up.  It’s also great for cramps and any swelling.

Bath-time tips for recovery

Find a warm but easy temperature – be careful not to have a hot hot bath during recovery, which is especially tempting as the cold sets in.  Really hot temperatures make our bodies work harder, which we’re trying to avoid. If the water is too hot, your circulatory system needs to work harder at controlling your inner temperature and you could end up suffering from heat exhaustion as a result.

During recovery stay away from the hot bath / cold shower combo, as this could be dangerous when your vital organs aren’t working to full capacity, and unable to step up to the added pressure.

Resist the urge to submerge – a good trick to not over-heat is to keep your neck and head above water.  Keep bath time for nourishing and therapy, as opposed to washing from head to toe.

Your nervous system will need a few hours to calm down post bath, and if the water is too hot you might not be able to sleep straight after.  Try bathing at different times of the day to find which works best for your body and routine, ideally giving yourself plenty of time afterwards for your nervous system to calm down.

Hydration! Up your water intake before and after bathing.  I prefer hydrating with herbal teas afterwards, adding to the overall pampering experience.

If you’ve just finished treatment and on the wobbly side, please take extra care getting in and out of the bath.  It’s advisable to wait until someone else is at home with you, in case you need an extra helping hand, or wait until your stronger days.

Happy bathing and watch this space for more tips on bathing accessories.

Lulu x