As traditional Chinese medicine gains more popularity and understanding here in the West, several previously unknown techniques are added to the toolkit of the Western medical practitioner. One of these is the Ionic Foot Bath. Though not as ancient and well known as Acupuncture or Cupping, Ionic Foot Baths have been used in traditional Chinese medicine since electricity was discovered, in the late 1900s.
The Ionic Foot Bath is a tub of salt water with an ionizer in it, designed to separate the water into positive and negative ions. When the patient puts their feet in the water, the positive and negative ions operate on the toxins within the patient’s body, drawing the harmful ions out. The natural effect of the ionizer on the salt water will change the colour of the water, making it a brown colour. It has been falsely bandied about that this brown colour is the toxins. It is not. The toxins are the solid particulates that form within the water.
A system of identification has been laid out to determine which toxins have been drawn from the patient’s body. White curd-like things are yeast, from fungal infections. White foam suggests an issue with the lymph nodes. Black flecks are heavy metals. And if there are red flecks on the bottom of the tub, those are blood clots.
Very few scientific tests have been performed on the efficacy of the Ionic Foot Bath, but those few were positive. It is proven that a patient with slightly acidic urine before the Bath will provide more neutral urine afterwards. The natural state of the body is very slightly basic, with blood normally sitting at a 7.4 on the pH scale. Anything lower than that will become a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria, who love an acidic environment.
For an adult, it is recommended that they use an Ionic Foot Bath once a week for 30 minutes at a time, to achieve optimum results. Children can also use the Bath, but they should only partake for 10-15 minutes at a time, and of course, be supervised by an adult.
Like with Cupping, the detoxification effects of the Ionic Foot Bath continue for up to 48 hours after each session, as the toxins continue to leach out through sweat and urine. As with any traditional Chinese medicine, the Ionic Foot Bath is only part of the equation of health. The patient must take up some of the responsibility for their own health, and make sure that they eat alkalizing foods, drink plenty of water, and get lots of rest.
Anyone with a pacemaker or other electric device should not use the Ionic Foot Bath. Anyone with diabetic neuropathy should take great care in using it and do not use the Bath if they have open sores or lesions on their feet. And anyone currently undergoing chemotherapy should not use the Bath, as the Bath will draw the important chemotherapy chemicals out.
As always, please consult with a doctor before considering adding the Ionic Foot Bath to your regimen of health.
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