It is well known that soaking feet can promote blood circulation and metabolism in the body. However, there are also misconceptions about foot soaking, especially for older adults. Many people may not be aware of these common misconceptions. Let me introduce them to you.
1. Common misconceptions about foot soaking for older adults
Many older adults like to soak their feet in a large basin of hot water before going to bed. This practice is beneficial for relieving fatigue and promoting overall health. However, if not done correctly, it can be harmful to health.
1. Choice of foot basin: According to traditional Chinese medicine, the water should immerse up to the lower legs when soaking feet. Therefore, it is best to choose a bucket instead of a basin for foot soaking. Additionally, the bottom surface area of the bucket should be large enough to allow the feet to relax and touch the bottom.
2. Soaking time: The soaking time should not exceed half an hour. Prolonged soaking can cause excessive blood circulation in the feet, leading to insufficient blood supply to other parts of the body and potentially causing cerebral ischemia.
3. Avoid soaking feet immediately after a meal: After a meal, the stomach is in an expanded state. Soaking feet at this time may lead to insufficient blood supply to the stomach, affecting digestion. Doing this for a long time can result in malnutrition for older adults.
4. Avoid sleeping immediately after soaking feet: After soaking feet, massaging the soles of the feet is beneficial to the body because they are still warm and the massage effect is better. Wearing socks after this and then sleeping can provide warmth.
5. Control the water temperature: The water temperature for foot soaking should be around 40 degrees Celsius. If the temperature drops, hot water should be added promptly.
6. Avoid soaking feet within half an hour after a meal: Otherwise, it will not promote good health and may affect the blood circulation in the stomach, potentially leading to malnutrition in the long term.
7. Consider adding medicinal herbs: Many older adults like to add some Chinese herbal medicine when soaking their feet, which can better promote overall health. However, if there are skin damages on the legs, such as cracked skin in cold weather, it is necessary to temporarily stop using herbal foot soaks until the skin returns to normal.
2. Precautions for older adults when soaking feet
Soaking feet is a good method for health preservation and wellness, but it also requires caution.
1. Not everyone is suitable for foot soaking: In fact, foot soaking is not suitable for everyone. Some middle-aged and older adults have naturally dry skin with reduced sebum secretion, and some may already have asteatotic eczema without obvious symptoms. During foot soaking, the combination of water vapor and medicinal substances can easily induce eczema.
In addition, long-term diabetic patients often have peripheral neuropathy, which impairs their ability to perceive external temperatures. This condition is often subtle and patients may not be aware of it. The specific manifestation is the inability to perceive water temperature, which increases the risk of scalding. Furthermore, high temperature increases blood flow, which in turn increases the burden on the heart and blood vessels in a short period of time. This poses a risk of exacerbating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, so patients with these conditions should not soak their feet in excessively hot water.
2. Longer soaking time is not better: Although foot soaking is recommended for health preservation during autumn, it does not mean that longer soaking time is better. Many people like to keep adding hot water and soak for one or two hours until the water cools down. This is not the correct approach. The recommended soaking time is 30-45 minutes, once a day or every other day. However, it is advised that older adults soak their feet for a shorter period of time to avoid sweating and symptoms of palpitations. Therefore, soaking feet for 20 minutes before bedtime is ideal for older adults.
3. Who should not soak their feet
For healthy individuals, soaking feet in hot water or hot springs is generally safe. However, special attention should be given to certain groups. For example, patients with heart disease or heart failure, low blood pressure, or frequent dizziness should avoid soaking their feet in hot water or soaking in hot springs for extended periods. This is because soaking feet or hot springs can cause blood vessels in the body to dilate, leading to insufficient blood and oxygen supply to important organs such as the heart and brain.
There is a saying in China, "Soaking feet in hot water is as good as taking ginseng." Soaking feet in winter can ward off cold and keep warm, benefiting health. However, it is important to be aware of the misconceptions about foot soaking to avoid accidents.
