As the weather gets cooler in the autumn, it is beneficial to soak your feet in hot water before going to bed. This not only helps to keep you warm, but also promotes better sleep and contributes to overall health. However, there are certain methods to follow when soaking your feet. This article will introduce the correct way to soak your feet.
Prepare a suitable wooden tub
Prepare a large and deep wooden tub, with the water level reaching above half of your calves. Do not tilt your feet due to the small size of the tub, as it may cause cramps. Make sure your feet are comfortably and steadily placed at the bottom of the tub to prevent cramps.
The best time to soak your feet
The best time to soak your feet is one hour before or after a meal, to avoid affecting your appetite or digestion. Soak your feet for approximately 30 minutes. If the water cools down, you can add hot water 1-2 times during the process. Drink a glass of water before and after soaking to facilitate metabolism and replenish body fluids.
Common methods of foot soaking
Saltwater soak: Add 2 tablespoons of salt to warm water. Salt has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, and soaking your feet in saltwater can prevent foot odor and colds. Massage the Yongquan acupoint on the soles of your feet while soaking, as it helps with relaxation and sleep.
Rice wine soak: Add a bottle of rice wine or other alcoholic beverages to warm water. This can promote blood circulation. Adding tea leaves to the foot soak can also help eliminate foot odor.
Vinegar soak: Soak your feet in 100 grams of rice vinegar or aged vinegar. This can kill bacteria, treat athlete's foot to a certain extent, alleviate rheumatism, and improve symptoms of coldness and sensitivity in the feet. In addition, vinegar can penetrate the superficial skin of the feet, enhance blood circulation, and remove blood waste and pathological residues, thus curing certain chronic diseases.
Ginger soak: Soak your feet in 100 grams of fresh ginger, 20 grams of dried tangerine peel, and 30 grams of mint. This can warm the spleen and stomach, remove dampness, relieve fatigue, and prevent and treat varicose veins in the lower limbs.
Lemon soak: Add two slices of lemon to warm water. This can prevent colds, invigorate the qi, soften the calloused skin, and have a de-swelling effect.
Traditional Chinese medicine foot soak recipes
It is best to use Chinese herbal medicine foot soaks under the guidance of a doctor. Below are a few recommended recipes:
Improving foot eczema
Take 15 grams of bitter sophora root, 15 grams of atractylodes rhizome, 15 grams of Cnidium monnieri, 5 grams of alum, and 10 grams of rhubarb. Soak your feet in this mixture to relieve itching, soften calloused skin, and improve foot eczema caused by hot and humid weather.
Relieving menstrual pain caused by qi stagnation and blood stasis
Take 30 grams of Curcuma aromatica, 30 grams of citrus peel, 30 grams of Cyperus rotundus, 10 grams of Cyathula officinalis, and 10 grams of safflower. Add approximately 2 liters of water and 50 milliliters of vinegar. Boil on high heat, then simmer for 30 minutes on low heat. When the mixture cools down to 50°C, pour it into a basin and soak your feet.
Foot soaking precautions
Foot soaking is beneficial for most people's health. However, there are certain groups of people who should be cautious when soaking their feet:
People with frostbite: After the feet have been frozen, their temperature is lower than the body's normal tolerance. Suddenly using hot water to soak the feet can cause the skin and muscles to be unable to withstand the temperature difference, resulting in secondary injury to the feet.
People with cardiovascular diseases: High water temperature causes the capillaries to dilate, increasing blood flow and temporarily burdening the heart and blood vessels.
People with diabetes: Diabetic patients are prone to peripheral neuropathy, which impairs the normal perception of external temperature. In addition, high water temperature can easily cause foot infections.
