Homemade footbath: benefits and how to do it

The ancient technique of the footbath can be great to fight stress at home

homemade foot bath

Footbath is an ancient practice present in several traditions and civilizations. It is estimated that six thousand years ago the footbath was already used for the purpose of providing relaxation and cleansing. Nowadays, with the rush of work and the use of electronics in general, and the fact that we are surrounded by cell towers and signals wifi (which have electromagnetic fields potentially harmful to health), there is a propensity for physical and mental stress, which causes a lot of pain, especially in the feet, which are the basis of support.

  • What is Ayurveda?

Many people wonder whether footbaths work or not. According to Chinese acupuncture technique, there are nerve endings in the feet that are associated with various organs in the human body. The pressure and heating of these points would cause an immediate impact on the energy balance of the entire body. That's why those who are used to running (usually professional runners) use the technique, because, by taking good care of their feet, it is possible to obtain sensations of well-being, relaxation and benefits for the whole body.

Bioelectricity treatment

One of the main therapeutic benefits of this technique is the property of improving the body's bioelectricity, by immersing the feet in a saline solution. According to biophysical studies, the human body is composed of 64% saline solution and its living cells depend on electrical and magnetic activities to survive; in addition, the tissues formed by cells exhibit a wide range of electrical properties. Cells obey the same units of voltage, capacitance, current flow and resistance, as well as other electrical components, the main difference between them being the fact that biological tissues use charged atoms or ions for the movement of charges, while the cells electrical systems use electrons.

  • Salt: origin, importance and types

Anyone who knows a little about magnetism knows that the difference in the concentration of saline solution in the intra- and extracellular media generates a potential difference between two points, which causes changes in cellular activities and, consequently, in tissue aspects, enabling the transmission of electrical current . Each tissue in the human body has its degree of conductivity varied, and the best conductors are those that have many dissolved ions in their composition.

When we add salts to water, they dissociate to form ions that conduct electrical energy. When placing your feet in contact with this electrolyte solution, the electrical force generated by the ions dispersed in the water causes the ions in the cells of the human body to migrate towards this external force in the sense of attraction or repulsion. This ionic migration can then cause physiological changes at various levels of the organism: cellular, tissue, segmental and systemic. The effects of these changes in the body are:

  • Cell level: increased excitation of peripheral nerves, thus increasing capillary flow and arterial, venous and lymphatic microcirculation. This level is also characterized by changes in membrane permeability, thus enabling increased passage of ions and increased oxygenation of cells;
  • tissue level: increase in arterial and venous blood flow and change in thermal balance, which causes an increase in temperature and in the chemical composition of tissues.
  • segmental level: activates the lymphatic, venous and arterial circulation of the great circulation;
  • systemic level: causes analgesic effects by interfering with neurotransmitter action, such as serotonin, and acts in the circulation associated with polypeptides, mainly in intestinal vasoactive agents, activating peristalsis.
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Everyday applications

As already said, it is possible to bring relief not only to the application region, but to the human body as a whole, as the feet are able to absorb the nervous tensions of our activities and are one of the main means of relief from various illnesses, precisely because they contain several nerve points. Knowing this, you can apply the salts in your daily life as follows:

  • Footbath: the "foot bath" in salts is done by immersing the feet up to the ankle, for 15 minutes, in water with salts (scented oil essences are optional). If you wish, you can add aromatic herbal extracts for various purposes. After removing your feet from the water, dry them and put on socks to keep the temperature pleasant. Prefer to do the footbath at night;
  • Compresses: can be made by soaking a cloth in saline water (with fragrant content, if you wish) and placing it on the feet, arms, back or other parts of the body.

The benefits of these techniques are many, and they can be practiced at home. It is not necessary to go to a spa to relax with this soothing therapy - there are many places where you can buy the salts. And with simple recipes, using accessible materials like a simple bowl, you can take care of your physical and mental health. People's well-being must be taken seriously, especially when it involves health. So, why not introduce a delicious habit that helps you fight pain, fatigue, is anti-stress, moisturizing, regulates the body's metabolic processes, gives you a relaxing sensation and is delicious?



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