There is a saying in traditional Chinese medicine that “cold starts from the feet”. When the weather is cold, many people are willing to soak their feet to warm the body and expel the cold. In addition to expelling cold air, foot soaking can also stimulate many health acupoints on the feet, such as Yongquan, Yinbai, Kunlun, etc., which can promote the circulation of qi and blood, improve the function of zang-fu organs through the function of meridians, and regulate the yin and yang of zang-fu organs. It has the effect of “pulling one hair and moving the whole body”. Traditional Chinese medicine experts said that most of the traditional Chinese medicines used by many people are pungent and warm and cold-dispelling medicines, such as Huoxiang, mugwort, ginger, safflower, angelica, etc., but not everyone is suitable.
Experts suggest that when choosing traditional Chinese medicine for foot soaking, under the guidance of professional physicians, according to the theory of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment, choose appropriate foot soaking medicinal materials according to different symptoms and physical characteristics.
Among them, those with cold blood and blood stasis mostly show local fear of cold or not warm, accompanied by symptoms of pain and numbness. Ai Ye Xin Wen, can dispel cold and relieve pain, warm blood, suitable for women with cold hands and feet, or women with dysmenorrhea after cold. Safflower is warm and has the functions of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, warming the meridian and relieving pain. It is suitable for people with local pain and numbness, or people with foot microcirculation disorders. Angelica sinensis has the functions of nourishing blood and promoting blood circulation, regulating menstruation and relieving pain. It is suitable for people with qi and blood deficiency or dysmenorrhea.
External cold and dampness are mostly manifested as chills and cold hands and feet throughout the body. Huoxiang is pungent and warm, which can relieve external dampness, disperse cold and neutralize the middle. It is suitable for patients with wind-cold-dampness syndrome and people with phlegm-dampness constitution. Perilla is pungent and warm, which can relieve wind and relieve the surface, regulate qi and widen the middle, suitable for people who have always had stagnation of qi and abdominal distension, or people with mild cold symptoms such as nasal congestion and headache. Ginger is pungent and warm, warms the meridians and dispels cold, relieves the exterior and stops vomiting, and is suitable for people who are known to be deficient in the spleen and stomach and have poor appetite.
It should be noted that the soaking time should not be too long. The soaking time is generally 15 to 30 minutes. Patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as hypertension and coronary heart disease, and the elderly should temporarily stop soaking their feet and rest in time if they feel chest tightness and dizziness. Pregnant women should also be careful to soak their feet with traditional Chinese medicines, especially those with the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis.
It is not advisable to soak your feet within half an hour after a meal. Immediately after eating, soaking your feet will divert the blood that should flow to the digestive system to the lower extremities, which will seriously affect the body’s digestion of food and cause related diseases.
I can’t sleep right after my feet soak. After soaking your feet, you need to rub the soles of your feet when they are hot, put on socks in time to keep warm, and fall asleep when the body heat slowly decreases.
Control the amount of water. It is best to use a wooden bucket or an enamel basin with a deep and large bottom area to soak your feet, so that your feet can be comfortably placed flat, and it is best to let the water soak all the way to the calf, so as to maximize the effect of the foot soaking.
The water temperature should not be too high. 40 to 50 degrees Celsius is appropriate. To the extent that the feet can endure, can it play the role of stimulating acupuncture points, curing diseases, maintaining health, and strengthening the body.
Use a high-quality foot soaking bucket. If the foot has ulceration and the wound should not be soaked, it may cause repeated infection of the wound.
Organized by He Jinying