Can soaking your feet help you sleep and lose weight? Huaxi experts say these 4 types of people really shouldn’t soak their feet!

It's the beginning of spring, but the weather hasn't gotten warm yet. It's still freezing cold at night, and my feet are freezing...

"Just soak your feet. It's warm and comfortable. You can also sleep well at night!"

"That's right, soaking your feet and sweating can also help you lose weight!"

"Soak your feet and add some medicine packs, and any discomfort will be cured!"

There are many different opinions about the effects of foot soaking. Are they really that magical?

What are the benefits of foot soaking?

Can adults and children take a dip?

Which kind of bubble is better?

Dr. Jin Tao from the Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine at West China Hospital of Sichuan University is here to help everyone clarify the issue of foot soaking.

Foot bath is not a panacea

Main function: Warmth

The benefits of foot soaking are exaggerated online. It is said that men's foot soaking can nourish the liver and kidneys, women's foot soaking is better than thousands of yuan of skin care products, and the elderly can prolong their lives by soaking their feet...

If foot soaking is really so magical, why do we need doctors?

▲ The truth

After all, foot soaking is simply to warm up your feet .

The reason why you feel so comfortable is that the ice qian's foot pole has been warmed up, which improves the blood circulation in the feet and makes you feel warmer all over.

In this way, your head, which has been scolded by your boss, wife, mother and husband, will gradually relax and you will naturally feel sleepy.

If you sleep well at night, you will naturally be full of energy the next day. After forming a virtuous circle, it will have a little effect on promoting metabolism and improving the body's immunity.

But it’s not as exaggerated as you think. If you want your child to have good grades, it is far from enough to just make him do his homework at night.

When soaking your feet, you are not allowed to add any ingredients at will.

Massage should be appropriate

In the eyes of many experienced foot-soaking people, adding some vinegar, pepper, mugwort and other things when soaking your feet is more beneficial to health.

Our doctors from West China are here to pour cold water on everyone again...

▲ The truth

Don’t add any ingredients to your foot bath! Especially those with skin allergies should be careful!

For most adults, the only thing that can be used is ginger water foot bath:

• From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, it can double the effect of dispelling cold ;

• From a Western medicine perspective, it can also promote blood circulation and make people feel warmer.

In addition to ginger, it is recommended not to use mugwort, vinegar, salt, and herbs casually.

Whether you can add ingredients to your foot bath, what to add, and how much to add, I advise everyone to be cautious! It is best to use it under the guidance of a qualified Chinese medicine practitioner and according to individual circumstances.

As for whether you can massage while soaking your feet?

▲ The truth

The answer is yes~ Doing some proper massage while soaking your feet can promote blood circulation, but you must pay attention to the frequency and methods.

● You can massage the Zusanli, Taichong and Yongquan acupoints with moderate force for 30 to 40 minutes each time.

5 steps to soak your feet correctly

Children cannot soak their feet!

These people should be careful when soaking their feet

❶ Little kids must not soak their feet!

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, children have immature yin and yang, which need careful maintenance. It is best not to generate yang through external factors such as foot soaking. This is the same as planting crops, you must not force growth.

From the perspective of Western medicine, the soles of children's feet are not yet fully developed. If they soak their feet in hot water for a long time, the plantar ligaments will become loose due to the heat, affecting the normal development of the arch of the foot and may even lead to flat feet.

❷ Patients with lower limb arteriosclerosis or occlusion

It is not recommended for this group of people to soak their feet, as excessively high water temperature will increase tissue oxygen consumption, aggravate tissue ischemia distal to vascular occlusion, and lead to worsening of the disease.

It is recommended to wash your feet with warm water and wipe them to keep them warm. If the patient really wants to soak his feet, it is recommended to soak them in warm water at about 35-40℃ for 5 minutes, preferably under the guidance of a specialist.

❸ Patients with diabetic foot

Since the peripheral nerves of diabetic foot patients cannot sense the external temperature normally, soaking feet in hot water can easily cause burns and lead to serious consequences.

Patients are advised to wash their feet with warm water at about 35°C every night (use the soles of their feet to feel the water temperature, it should be warm but not hot), for no more than 10 minutes. After washing, use a soft, absorbent towel to dry the spaces between your toes.

Every night before going to bed, you should carefully check your feet for edema, skin lesions, skin cracks, paronychia, etc. If any abnormalities are found, they should be dealt with promptly.

❹ People with varicose veins in the lower limbs

Soaking your feet in hot water for a long time will further aggravate varicose veins. In severe cases, it will increase the chance of bacterial invasion and induce diseases such as soft tissue infection.

It is recommended that you do not soak your feet in hot water for a long time, or even use a hot water bottle to warm your feet or take a sauna. It is also recommended that the water temperature for a hot bath should not exceed 40℃.

Finally, I want to say that friends who want to lose weight by soaking their feet are really thinking too much.

The sweat from soaking your feet is all water in your body, and the fat is still there, unmoved...

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