From small to soothing fatigue, promoting sleep, to preventing and treating diseases, it is important to take some time to wash the feet of the elderly at home, keeping them happy and reducing the risk of illnesses.
Benefits of washing feet for the elderly
1. Relieving joint pain
Many elderly people suffer from rheumatic diseases and often experience back and leg pain, knee pain, etc. Regular foot soaking can alleviate these discomfort symptoms.
Foot soaking helps to clear the meridians, which in turn reduces the pain. Additionally, foot soaking removes cold air from the body, relieving joint soreness.
2. Improving sleep quality
As people age, their energy and spirits decline compared to younger individuals, making them more prone to fatigue and poor sleep quality, such as shorter sleep duration and more dreams.
Foot soaking can not only alleviate fatigue but also help the elderly sleep soundly throughout the night.
3. Warming the body
As people age, their blood circulation function deteriorates, causing many elderly individuals to have cold limbs and feel cold easily.
Daily foot soaking promotes blood circulation, thereby providing warmth to the body. Improved body temperature also leads to better sleep quality.
4. Reducing foot swelling
Soaking feet in hot water helps reduce leg swelling in the elderly.
This is because as the body ages, organ function declines, and blood circulation becomes poor. When heart function weakens and problems occur with venous return in the lower limbs, the feet may become swollen.
Researchers believe that soaking feet in hot water can increase body temperature, promote smoother blood flow in peripheral blood vessels, and reduce the burden on the heart.
Adding ingredients to foot soaking for better effects
1. Ginger
Ginger is considered a warm and dispelling exterior medicine in traditional Chinese medicine. It has the effect of dispelling cold and relieving surface symptoms, with minimal side effects.
Modern medicine also recognizes that ginger can stimulate capillaries, improve local blood circulation and metabolism. People who are sensitive to cold and have cold hands and feet can soak their feet with ginger.
2. Cinnamon
Cinnamon, also known as cassia, is a commonly used spice in households. Both cinnamon and Sichuan pepper have the effect of warming the kidney yang.
Soaking feet with these ingredients can provide better relief for swelling caused by kidney disease.
3. Mugwort
According to "Compendium of Materia Medica," mugwort is warm in nature, bitter in taste, and non-toxic.
It has the effects of restoring yang, regulating qi and blood, dispelling dampness and cold, stopping bleeding, and promoting fetal safety. It is also commonly used in acupuncture, hence the name "medical herb".
Soaking feet with mugwort can also improve lung function, which is beneficial for people with chronic bronchitis and those prone to coughing up white phlegm.
