Epsom Salt - Magnesium Sulphate

[Attol]

I am doing an intense yoga course and was recommended baths in Epsom salt.

If I am correct Epsom Salt and Magnesium Sulphate are the same. Is it ok to buy commercial grade / industrial grade epsom salt for soaking or should it be food grade?

Thank you.

[samuijimmy]

Some one posted the Thai words for Epsom Salts, on one of the forums the other day, I happened to copy it and print out ... doing this might help you find it....

I found it quite quickly once I had it written in Thai... The pharmacist I used explained what she was selling was not "food grade" which is probably what you would want... I needed for garden, so it did not matter. She did say that she could get "food grade"

Copy this and print out.... and take to some of your local pharmacists and show them! Boots "no have"... so check the Thai places...

It's the same MS = ES!

Epson salts = ดี เกลือ = dee gleua

Or...

Magnesium sulfate = ดี เกลือ ฝรั่ง = dee gleua fà-ràng

Good luck!

[WitawatWatawit]

You might want to drink a half a cup just to check it's ok.

Jimmy, thanks for the tip on gardening. Never thought of using it. Maybe I might just be able to grow tomatoes after all.

[samuijimmy]

You might want to drink a half a cup just to check it's ok.

Jimmy, thanks for the tip on gardening. Never thought of using it. Maybe I might just be able to grow tomatoes after all.

Not sure I would want to drink it! But would be good for aching muscles by soaking

Funny you mentioned tomatoes, I put some on my toms yesterday... (usually helps plants not taking up fertilizer)

Toms not easy to grow in some areas of Thailand.

I have a bit of discussion going here : http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/354759-gardening-on-the-islands/page-33

Not a topic to discuss here.... same talk of toms in Farming forum too!

[strawberry]

Years back my old mother had arthritis in her hands. She couldn't open or close her hands and it was pretty painful . Old lady at church said to her Epsom salts deary..my mum kept a pot on th stove with water and Epsom salts about half a kilo.

It cure her and never came back. Oh she kept it on th stove so she could heat it up

[NancyL]

The problem with using the agricultural grade epsom salt as a bath soak is that sometimes there can be impurities in the ag grade product that leave dirt and crud in your bath water.

In a former life, I was marketing manager for a chemical company and, for a time, was responsible for the magnesium sulfate product line. Our company produced the product in large quantities and sold it to other companies that added coloring, perfumes and repacked it. Our chemists firmly told me that there was no truth to the widespread belief that there is any benefit to adding epsom salts to bath water to help sore, aching muscles. They said all it does is make the water feel soft and silky and create a more pleasant bathing experience, so you're more likely to stay in the hot water longer. It's the hot water that works the magic on your sore muscles, not the epsom salt, according to the chemists.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

^^ and you believed it?

Words fail me

[ultramarine]

I'm not versed on the differences between food grade and commercial grade but I did buy some from a health food store near Sukhumvit 101/1 last year. In the Piyarom Sports plaza. They had little bags of it labelled Gleua Dee. (เกลือดี) literally "good salt". Very cheap -- less than 50 baht. Customers used it as a laxative so it could be taken internally. Should fine for the bath I should think. I can't remember the name of the store, but if you enter off Sukhumvit (there's a McDonald's there), turn right and walk for maybe 50 m. It's in the strip mall on the left. A nice little shop that sells organic stuff and what not.

Edited October 7, 2014 by ultramarine

[NancyL]

^^ and you believed it?

Words fail me

Were you directing your post at me or one of the previous posters? As I said -- it's the hot water that does the magic with the arthritis sufferers. As for the tomato growers -- magnesium sulfate is an excellent, quick dissolving source of magnesium. Also, the sulfate part of the molecule helps to slightly raise the soil pH, which could be desirable in some situations. But, someone should really do a soil test to determine if the soil is magnesium deficient before tossing Epsom salts around in the garden.

[samuijimmy]

Just to clarify about using it ....on garden plants .... one does not just toss it around the garden!

I really don't think getting a soil test done is necessary, especially for the home gardener. Not even sure where one would go for doing that in Thailand...

It is some thing to try if there are yellowing foliage mixing that does not respond to fertilizer alone. Use a table spoon to 4 litres of water and agitate it while pouring from a watering can on to pre moistened soil around the plant that is yellowing.

If it does not work on yellowing leaves, then using a fertilizer with chelated iron, or just Chelated iron is worth trying. (soluble fertilizers some times have it in as a trace element...look at the label! ) ....either way it may take a few weeks to respond.

My hibiscus I mentioned on the link above (http://www.thaivisa....islands/page-33) has now perked up and leaves are green!

As Ultimateweapon mentioned above there are two grades... it would not matter which is used on plants...

Edited October 9, 2014 by samuijimmy