What are the benefits of foot soaking in dog days

The weather is relatively cold in winter. In order to keep warm, many people have the habit of soaking their feet, which not only warms the body, but also promotes blood circulation and improves physical condition. However, the weather is quite hot in summer. Some people want to soak their feet, but they are worried about whether it will affect their health. They think the weather is too hot and it is more comfortable to soak their feet in cold water. So what are the benefits of soaking your feet in the dog days of summer?

Can I soak my feet during the dog days of summer?

In summer, many residents neglect to soak their feet in hot water. Some even like to wash their feet with cold water, or simply put their feet under the cold tap, which feels comfortable and convenient. In fact, soaking your feet in hot water is more effective in summer, especially during the dog days of summer.

Many people think that foot soaking is more suitable in the cold autumn and winter seasons. In fact, it is equally important to keep soaking your feet in the hot summer. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "soaking your feet in summer can remove heat and dampness." Experts say that the heat and humidity are heavier in the summer, and the moisture can easily accumulate in the spleen and stomach, causing people to experience symptoms such as lack of energy and poor appetite. As feet are one of the parts of the human body with the most acupuncture points, soaking feet in warm water can indeed better stimulate the meridians and invigorate the functions of the internal organs.

Especially those who have poor spleen and stomach are more suitable for foot soaking in summer. If the spleen and stomach are good, they will not be easily invaded by moisture. The humidity in summer is very heavy, so people often experience symptoms such as loss of appetite, inability to eat, constant sleepiness, bad mood, and lack of energy. Foot soaking can relieve these symptoms.

Traditional Chinese medicine suggests that soaking your feet in the summer does not require sweating to be effective, which is the biggest difference compared to soaking your feet in the winter. The best time is before going to bed every night (21:00-22:00), the water temperature should be 40℃-45℃, and the foot soaking time should not be too long (15-20 minutes). It is best to use a deeper wooden tub to soak your feet, preferably up to the knee area.

It should be noted that patients with severe heart failure, myocardial infarction, skin damage or hypertension should not take foot baths. It is not advisable to take a foot bath 30 minutes before or after meals. It is also not easy for women to take foot baths during menstruation. If you feel dizzy during a foot bath, you should stop the bath immediately.

Can I soak my feet during the dog days of summer? What are the benefits

Add some "ingredients" to your foot bath to relieve fatigue during the dog days

The Yang energy is at its peak during the dog days of summer. Soaking your feet in hot water can stimulate the meridians, thereby strengthening the spleen, removing dampness, unblocking menstruation, and promoting diuresis. If you want to clear away heat and cool the blood, you can soak your feet in salt. Because traditional Chinese medicine believes that salt has the effects of clearing heat, cooling blood, and detoxifying.

Put some tea leaves in your foot bath to remove foot odor. For example, you don’t have to throw away overnight tea. You can use it to soak your feet before going to bed the next day. You don’t have to worry about wasting it and it can also cure foot odor.

If you feel uncomfortable due to the air conditioner, soaking your feet in ginger is a good choice, especially for people with symptoms such as colds, wheezing, coughing, bloating, and sore throat. In the early stages of discomfort, soaking your feet in ginger twice is usually effective.

Adding a proper amount of white vinegar can increase skin elasticity, make the skin smooth, eliminate rheumatism, and improve symptoms such as chills and fear of cold; it can kill bacteria and help eliminate mold, athlete's foot, and skin diseases. Adding a proper amount of rice wine can stimulate the skin to sweat, thereby excreting acidic substances from the body and relieving fatigue.

For people who experience weakness in the limbs, drowsiness, and loss of appetite, you can add 20 grams of Smilax glabra (to remove dampness), 15 grams of Atractylodes lancea (to regulate menstruation), and 15 grams of Atractylodes macrocephala (to strengthen the spleen) to hot water, the effect will be better.

Can I soak my feet during the dog days of summer? What are the benefits

In order to get rid of heat and dampness in the summer, you can also use the decoction of Chinese medicine Patchouli to soak your feet. Take 30 to 50 grams of Patchouli, put it into 2000 ml of water, boil it over high heat for 40 minutes, then simmer it until it turns to 1000 ml. After taking the juice, add 2000 ml of water and boil it until it turns to 1000 ml. Put the two portions of the juice in a basin and soak your feet, and the amount of the juice should be enough to soak your ankles. A foot massage is performed during the soaking process.

The traditional Chinese medicine recipe for foot soaking in dog days is to add 20 grams of Eucommia ulmoides, 15 grams of Chuanduan, and 30 grams of Achyranthes bidentata to the foot soaking water. It can replenish essence and qi, strengthen tendons and bones, and is suitable for middle-aged and elderly friends suffering from osteoporosis. People who easily have cold feet can add 15 grams of cinnamon twigs to water to warm the meridians.

For hypertension, it is suitable to add 30 grams of Prunella Vulgaris and 15 grams of Alisma Orientalis. Prunella Vulgaris has the effect of clearing liver fire, while Alisma Orientalis has the effect of promoting diuresis and removing dampness. People with varicose veins can add 20 grams of angelica and 25 grams of Achyranthes bidentata. These two herbs can promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and dredge meridians.

The following points should be noted when soaking your feet: Do not soak your feet immediately after a meal to avoid affecting digestion; when soaking your feet, the indoor environment should be quiet and comfortable, the room temperature should be moderate, do not be blown directly by the wind, and keep your mind relaxed; the water temperature should be kept warm, too cold can easily cause colds, and too hot can burn the skin, especially for diabetics, the water temperature should not be too high.