Sulphur, Springs and Skin

By: Gemma Davies

By Gemma Davies, CEO Folkklore



Anyone who has had the pleasure of bathing in a therapeutic hot spring has experienced, first hand, the phenomenal effect that mineral rich waters have on the skin. There’s no better way to gain such deep cleansing and nourishment of our bodies largest organ than to spend a few hours soaking up such goodness!

The hot healing springs of the world are rich in trace minerals – bicarbonates, chlorides, boron, magnesium, potassium and natural salts, all of which help the body to eliminate toxins via the skin and promote its health and healing.
 
Perhaps the most important trace minerals found in the most potently healing hot springs are sulfur and sulfate. These work to detoxify and clarify the skin and help it to retain water. They also give some hot springs their peculiar and somewhat offputting ‘rotten egg’ odour, caused by the sulfur dioxide gases generated!

Every cell in the body contains sulfur, making up 0.25% of total bodyweight. It appears as keratin in its most concentrated form, which is important for the formation of strong, healthy skin, hair and nails. We use keratin to manufacture collagen, which aids in skin healing and elasticity, keeping the dermal layers flexible and young. For these reasons, sulfur is renowned as ‘the beauty mineral’!

Many of the foods that feature highly in nourishing traditional diets are sulfur-rich, which partially explain devotee’s reports of improved skin, hair and nail strength and health. These foods include red meats, organ meats, poultry, fish, eggs, properly prepared legumes and beans and whole, real milk and dairy products. Onions, asparagus and cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale are good plant-based sources. Garlic is another, and has been widely studied as an anti-inflammatory and modulator of blood pressure and cholesterol in the body.

Once we ensure that we’re including rich-sulfur sources in the diet, we can then look to applying it topically in the name of true beauty! Unfortunately, most of us don’t have the time to spend regularly lolling about in sulfur-rich springs, and, alas, they are few and far between in Australia!

For those seeking the skin benefits of topical sulfur application, many of Dr Ron’s Ultra Pure Body Care products contain potent amounts of MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), a natural substance very rich in biological sulfur. Introducing MSM-based skin and body care to the daily routine essentially gives us the same skin benefits as hot spring soaking, though perhaps not the associated deep relaxation and unwind!

Dr Ron’s Ultra Pure Bodycare is especially therapeutic for people suffering from dry, red, itchy skin conditions, but is nourishing for anyone and everyone to use. These products offer deeply soothingproperties and potent active ingredients that act as building blocks for improved skin elasticity, flexibility and moisture retention. All products in the range are formulated with botanical extracts and essential oils and are free of sodium laurel sulfate, propylene glycol, alcohol and parabens.

It may be a while coming until you have the opportunity to soak up the goodness of a sulfur-rich mineral spring, but your skin can certainly receive all the benefits in the meantime!




About Folklore

Folkklore is the mischievous and unruly brainchild of Gemma Dee. Inclusive, evolving, eclectic and entertaining, Folkklore examines and explores ancient wisdoms, practical no-brainers and new-wave notions that can expand and accelerate your experience of being a mere human in full flourish.
 
Tend to your roots. Be radical.
www.folkklore.com

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