In the cold winter, many people are accustomed to soaking their feet in hot water before going to bed to keep warm. Ginger, as the most commonly used herbal medicine for foot soaking, is deeply loved by health enthusiasts. So what are the benefits and precautions of ginger foot soaking? Let's find out together!
【Benefits of Ginger Foot Soaking】
1. Treats colds
Boil a slice of ginger in water. To better utilize the effects of ginger, you can crush it first. Pour the water into a basin and soak your feet when the temperature is suitable. This can treat the cold in the body and prevent it from further developing.
2. Treats rheumatism
Ginger has special effects in dispelling cold and wind. Rheumatism patients can effectively alleviate their symptoms by soaking their feet for half an hour every night. Soaking the lower legs in a foot tub can better relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
3. Relieves cold hands and feet
Ginger can dispel coldness. Cold hands and feet are mainly caused by insufficient blood supply to the extremities. Ginger foot soaking can effectively improve blood circulation and relieve the symptoms of cold hands and feet.
4. Improves sleep
Adding a moderate amount of black vinegar to ginger foot soaking can stimulate acupoints on the soles, enhance the metabolism of various systems, relax the body, relieve fatigue, and improve sleep quality.
【Suitable People for Ginger Foot Soaking】
1. Office workers
For office workers who often work and stay up late, soaking their feet in ginger water can accelerate blood circulation, enhance the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin, and relieve hypoxia caused by fatigue.
2. Insomniacs
For people who have trouble sleeping at night and often suffer from insomnia, persistently soaking their feet in ginger water can regulate their nervous tension. With long-term persistence, it can effectively improve insomnia.
3. People with skin diseases
For people who frequently suffer from skin diseases, ginger can eliminate fungi. Therefore, ginger foot soaking has a certain effect in treating athlete's foot and skin diseases.
4. People prone to illness
For people with weak resistance who are prone to catching colds and getting sick, soaking their feet in ginger water has a good effect in treating and relieving colds. It can also improve the body's immune system, reduce the number and frequency of illnesses.
【Precautions for Ginger Foot Soaking】
1. Avoid excessive sweating
When soaking your feet in ginger water, it is enough to have a slight sweat. You can stop soaking your feet (usually after about half an hour). It is not advisable to sweat excessively during foot soaking.
If you sweat excessively, although the cold and waste in the body can be expelled, sweat is also a bodily fluid. If the body lacks bodily fluids, it will cause dryness and lead to the loss of nutrients in the body.
2. Avoid soaking after meals
It will affect the blood supply to the stomach, which can lead to malnutrition in the long run. After a meal, most of the blood in the body flows to the digestive tract. If you immediately soak your feet in hot water after a meal, the blood that should flow to the digestive system will instead flow to the lower limbs. Over time, this can affect digestion and absorption, leading to nutrient deficiency. Therefore, it is best to wait for half an hour after a meal before soaking your feet.
3. Avoid excessive soaking time
It is advisable to soak your feet for 15-30 minutes. During foot soaking, blood flows to the lower limbs, which can lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain. If patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases or the elderly feel chest tightness or dizziness, they should temporarily stop foot soaking and take a rest. Diabetic patients have poor peripheral sensation, so family members should test the water temperature first to prevent scalding.
