Soaking your feet before bedtime not only helps with relaxation and health but also increases longevity.
Some common foot soaking methods:
Soaking feet with warm water and salt
Soaking feet with warm water and salt has the effect of treating skin conditions, reducing joint inflammation, eliminating foot odor, uplifting the nerves, providing comfort, and improving sleep.
The foot soak should use clean water heated to a temperature between 50-60 degrees Celsius, then pour it into a wooden or ceramic basin and soak both feet in it.
Soaking feet with fresh ginger
Ginger is a food and also a good medicine for health in Eastern medicine. Soaking your feet with fresh ginger not only keeps the skin fresh but also detoxifies and treats ailments such as joint inflammation, cold feet, dizziness…
Here’s how to properly prepare and effectively use a foot soak with fresh ginger:
Step 1: Boil about 1.5 liters of water, then add 10 – 15g of thinly sliced or crushed fresh ginger. Wait about 10 minutes after turning off the heat, allowing the water to cool to about 40 degrees Celsius. Step 2: Pour the ginger-water mixture into a basin and soak both feet for about 15 minutes. While soaking, massage the feet, especially the areas around the ankles.
Using grapefruit peel for foot soaking
The foot soaking remedy with grapefruit peel helps kidneys excrete toxins better, reduces tension and fatigue, and brings you a good night’s sleep. This method also helps reduce itching, fights inflammation, heals wounds quickly, and treats joint pain.
Follow these steps to soak your feet with grapefruit peel:
Step 1: Boil water, then add chopped grapefruit peels and simmer for about 10 minutes. Step 2: Pour the water into a wooden basin to reduce the temperature to about 40 degrees Celsius. While soaking, remember to combine gentle massage throughout the soles and ankles to facilitate good blood circulation.
Soaking feet with betel leaves or mugwort leaves
You can use betel leaves or mugwort leaves to soak your feet and detoxify. These are two commonly used ingredients in traditional medicine to treat headaches, dizziness, and support the treatment of respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, lung issues, and coughs.
Follow these steps for beautiful skin and effective toxin elimination:
Step 1: Firstly, prepare about 20 – 30g of fresh betel leaves or mugwort leaves and place them in 1.5 liters of water.
Step 2: Boil the water, then pour it into a foot basin and add the mugwort or betel leaves.
Step 3: If you want to soak your feet immediately, mix with a little cold water, so the foot soak temperature is around 40 degrees Celsius.
Soaking feet with cinnamon
Apart from its deodorizing effect on feet, using cinnamon for foot soaking is highly effective in treating insomnia. Simply use 50g of dried cinnamon, grind it, then boil water and add the ground cinnamon. Turn off the heat, let the water cool down, and then soak your feet.
Soaking feet with various essential oils
Besides using grapefruit peel, ginger, mugwort, and salt, you can also use various essential oils with pleasant scents or those that have therapeutic effects. The aroma of essential oils brings you comfort and relaxation after hours of stressful studying or work.
Here’s how to soak your feet with various essential oils:
Step 1: Boil about 1.5 liters of water and let it cool to a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius.
Step 2: Then pour the water into a foot basin, add 2 – 3 drops of essential oil and mix it. Next, soak your feet and massage all over the soles for good blood circulation.
Soaking feet with rose water
Soaking your feet with rose water helps alleviate lower back pain.
Divide 10g of rose flowers into 10 portions and place each portion in thin fabrics, wrap them, and then soak them in hot water. Then add a tablespoon of salt, steam your feet first, and then start soaking.
Soaking feet with lemongrass, salt, and warm water
Soaking feet with lemongrass and salt water every day helps relax the spirit, reduce stress, improve sleep, and treat flu symptoms.
You’ll need 5 fresh lemongrass stalks, clean, and crush them. Put them in a pot of boiling water, then add about 20 grams of salt and simmer for about 5 minutes. Let the water cool down, then soak your feet.
Effects of regular foot soaking:
Relaxation, improved brain function: After long hours of tense work or fatigue, soaking your feet helps you feel more relaxed and comfortable. It’s also beneficial for the nervous system, treating headaches, eye discomfort, and dizziness.
Enhanced physical strength: Foot soaking helps invigorate the body, improves blood circulation throughout the body, benefits the digestive system, and enhances the body’s metabolic processes.
Skin improvement: Especially for women, foot soaking promotes radiant and lively skin. It also improves pre-menopausal symptoms or irregular menstrual cycles.
Better sleep: Foot soaking leads to deep and restful sleep, especially for those who struggle with insomnia, stress, or fatigue.
Reduced foot odor: Foot soaking assists in treating conditions related to foot odor, limits excessive sweating, and improves foot skin conditions.
Joint pain relief: When feeling pain or discomfort in the feet or ankles, soaking them in warm saltwater relaxes the muscles. The combination of warm water and salt eases pain and reduces swelling from joint inflammation effectively.
Treating cold symptoms: Foot soaking with saltwater promotes blood circulation, relieves nasal congestion, cold feet, and soothes the entire body, aiding in treating cold symptoms.
Kidney health, anti-aging: When soaking your feet, the hot water stimulates blood flow throughout the body, improving kidney blood flow and speeding up the excretion of metabolic waste. Foot soaking not only enhances kidney health but also prevents aging. Precautions for foot soaking:
Clean your feet thoroughly with cold water before soaking them.
Avoid soaking your feet one hour before and after eating.
The water level for foot soaking should only be between 10-15 cm.
Use a basin or wooden tub rather than plastic.
The ideal soaking temperature is between 50-60 degrees Celsius. Soaking your feet in water that is too hot may cause burns and disrupt blood vessels and circulation.
The recommended soaking time is 15-20 minutes. Soaking your feet for too long can harm the heart and brain, leading to uneven blood circulation. Over-soaking can also cause the skin to become waterlogged or develop sores.
Those with skin fungal infections or other skin conditions need to be cautious about foot soaking. It’s advisable to consult a doctor before soaking your feet to prevent unwanted accidents.
Conditions such as hemorrhaging, kidney dysfunction, heart failure, low-grade joint inflammation, arterial hardening, diabetes… are not suitable for foot soaking.
Furthermore, children during developmental stages should avoid foot soaking as it can loosen ligaments, which is detrimental to foot formation and maintenance, and may even lead to spinal complications.
One final note is that you should make foot soaking a habit to experience its benefits.
Incorporate foot soaking into your daily routine for healthy, restful feet – start today!
