According to traditional Chinese medicine, there are more than 60 acupoints on the soles of the feet that are connected to the internal organs of the body. Soaking the feet can warm the kidneys and dispel cold. Which Chinese herbs can be used to soak the feet to warm the kidneys and dispel cold? Who should not use Chinese herbs to soak their feet?
【Which Chinese herbs can be used to dispel wind when soaking the feet】
According to traditional Chinese medicine: wind can be divided into internal wind and external wind. The wind generated by the natural air movement belongs to external wind. Excessive wind can cause loss of moisture on the surface of the skin, resulting in dryness of the skin. In clinical practice, dry skin and chapped skin are commonly seen in autumn and winter, which are symptoms of "dryness syndrome" caused by the invasion of wind pathogen in the "six excesses". It is said that "excessive wind causes dryness", which can even make the face lose its softness. If a person has blood deficiency in their constitution or experiences blood loss or blood consumption, dryness may occur in the body, leading to thinning of the body, dry skin, and dizziness. This is a manifestation of "internal wind". It is often seen as a haggard appearance, dry stool, toxin deposition, and loss of luster or the presence of brown spots on the face. Therefore, using Chinese herbs that dispel wind and nourish blood can have the effect of beautifying the skin and removing spots.
Soaking the feet with ginger can effectively dispel cold and wind. Patients with rheumatism can alleviate their symptoms by soaking their feet for half an hour every night. It is recommended to use a tall foot basin that can cover the lower leg to better relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Soaking the feet with Sichuan peppercorns can dispel wind and cold. Soaking the feet with Sichuan peppercorn water can promote blood circulation and unblock the meridians, making the whole body warm and comfortable. This is very effective in relieving joint pain aggravated by cold.
Take a small handful of safflower, put it in a gauze bag, and boil it in water for soaking the feet. It has the effect of promoting blood circulation and relieving menstrual pain. It is mainly used for bruises, sprains, and joint pain. You can also use Chinese herbal medicines prescribed by Chinese medicine practitioners to soak the feet, which have very good effects in dispelling wind, removing dampness, and dispelling cold.
【Who should not use Chinese herbs to soak their feet】
1. Hypertension.
Soaking the feet with blood-activating and stasis-dissipating Chinese herbs is beneficial for hypertension, as vasodilation can lower blood pressure. However, we have encountered many cases in which the use of Chinese herbs such as safflower and mugwort to soak the feet has caused an increase in blood pressure. This is because these patients generally have a yang exuberant constitution and the "heat descending" function is not achieved during blood activation. It is recommended that hypertensive patients add some evodia fruit or a little salt to the foot bath to avoid adverse reactions.
2. Stroke.
Soaking the feet with Chinese herbs can improve the circulation of stroke patients' body, promote functional recovery, but it should be noted that these patients may have delayed sensation due to age and neurological disorders, so soaking the feet may cause burns. Family members or caregivers must test the water temperature before letting the patient soak their feet.
3. Diabetes.
In order to prevent the occurrence of "diabetic foot", diabetic patients can choose to soak their feet with Chinese herbs. However, there are many precautions for diabetic patients: first, the water temperature should not be too hot, and the soaking time should not be too long; second, choose Chinese herbs with mild properties for promoting blood circulation, such as mugwort, to avoid using herbs with strong skin irritation; third, the foot bath liquid must be filtered clean to avoid skin injury.
4. Heart disease and hypotension.
They should not use hot water or hot Chinese herbs to soak their feet, as this will cause vasodilation and the blood in the body will flow from important organs to the surface, causing ischemia and hypoxia in important organs such as the heart and brain, increasing the risk of disease. Therefore, the soaking time for these people using Chinese herbs to soak their feet should not be too long, around 10 minutes is appropriate.
