If you love soaking your feet in the summer, you won’t get sick all year round, but how do you soak your feet scientifically?

Summer is here, and more and more people are wearing sandals barefoot. Without the protection of socks, feet and shoes are often in "intimate contact", and coupled with the hot and humid weather, various foot diseases also come to the fore. Chinese people pay great attention to foot soaking, and many people have the habit of soaking their feet before going to bed in winter. In fact, you should soak your feet more frequently in summer. Soaking your feet in hot water in summer can not only prevent foot diseases and eliminate heat and dampness, but also improve sleep quality and has certain benefits for the cardiovascular system.

Why do we need to soak our feet in summer?

There is a saying in our country since ancient times that "soaking your feet in spring can raise the yang and strengthen the body; soaking your feet in summer can remove heat and dampness; soaking your feet in autumn can moisten the lungs and intestines; soaking your feet in winter can warm the dantian."

In summer, many people want to keep cool and like to wear shoes barefoot, which makes the stratum corneum of the heels and other parts that often come into contact with shoes grow thicker and thicker, and the insteps, toes and other parts that rub against shoes are prone to symptoms such as skin redness, papules, and blisters.

In addition, the feet have a thin fat layer and poor thermal insulation. They are also the farthest from the heart and have a poor blood supply. Therefore, the skin temperature of the soles of the feet is low and they are extremely susceptible to cold.

Once the feet get cold, it can reflexively cause the capillaries in the upper respiratory tract mucosa to contract, which will significantly reduce the resistance. The germs in the air will take advantage of the opportunity to enter and cause heat colds and other diseases. Especially when it rains, bare feet are more likely to catch cold, which can cause stomach pain, back pain and leg pain.

Foot soaking has the effect of improving local blood circulation, warming the body, and is especially beneficial for people with ischemia in the lower limbs. Moreover, soaking your feet can reduce the pressure on the blood vessels in the head and relieve headaches. Soaking your feet in hot water in summer can also help remove moisture.

How to soak your feet scientifically in summer?

Developing the habit of soaking your feet has certain benefits to your body, but you also need to pay attention to scientific methods. Summer foot soaking should start from the following aspects:

The temperature should not be too high

If the water temperature is too high, it is not only harmful to patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, but also easily damages the sebum film on the surface of the foot skin, causing the stratum corneum to dry out or even crack.

The water temperature should be between 40℃ and 45℃. You can try it with your hand first. For diabetics, you can use a thermometer to measure it to be on the safe side.

Don't take too long

It is best not to soak your feet for more than half an hour each time, because the body's blood circulation and heart rate will speed up when soaking your feet, and soaking your feet for too long will increase the burden on the heart.

It is not advisable to soak your feet half an hour after a meal, otherwise it will affect digestion and absorption. It is recommended to soak your feet one hour after a meal.

Exfoliation

While the dead skin on your feet has softened after soaking your feet, apply a scrub and massage in circles with your fingers to enhance the exfoliating effect.

If you want a better scrub effect without damaging your skin, you can wrap your feet with a hot towel. The dead skin will soften after about 5 minutes.

Different herbs for different people

When soaking your feet, adding some Chinese herbal medicine in appropriate amounts according to your own characteristics can achieve twice the result with half the effort, but it is best to add it under the guidance of a doctor.

People who are afraid of cold and have cold hands and feet can soak their feet in ginger water. Take about 15 grams of ginger, boil it and let it cool.

Cinnamon foot bath has a good effect on relieving edema caused by kidney disease;

For middle-aged and elderly people with poor knee joints, it is recommended to apply hot compresses to the knees while soaking their feet, which can dispel wind and cold and relieve rheumatic bone pain.

Foot massage is essential

A little massage after soaking your feet is very beneficial to your health.

Pressing the Yongquan point for a few minutes (located in the depression on the front of the sole, 1/3 of the way between the 2nd and 3rd toes and the heel) can better promote blood circulation in the sole, improve sleep, and protect the kidneys.

People with high blood pressure can press the Yongquan point, Taichong point (located on the dorsum of the foot, in the depression before the junction of the first and second metatarsal bones) and Xingjian point (located on the dorsum of the foot, between the first and second toes, at the junction of the red and white flesh behind the edge of the web of the toes) when soaking their feet, which has a certain effect in regulating blood pressure.

5 types of people need to be cautious when soaking their feet

Patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

For people with underlying vascular diseases, factors such as long foot soaking time and high temperature may increase the burden on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems.

The water temperature should not be too hot when such people soak their feet, generally 40℃~45℃ is the best; the time should not be too long, about 10 minutes is enough, otherwise it will lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain and heart, and symptoms such as dizziness.

Diabetic foot patients

The skin of patients with diabetic foot is relatively fragile, and the peripheral nerves in their feet are not sensitive to temperature. They cannot feel the water temperature that normal people feel is very hot, so they are easily scalded.

Once you get burned, even if it is just a small blister, if you don’t seek medical attention in time, it may lead to foot infection and ulceration, and in severe cases even amputation.

Patients with varicose veins

The main cause of varicose veins is venous valve insufficiency. The increase in foot temperature will only increase local blood flow and cannot change the rate of venous return. On the contrary, it may increase the burden of venous return, causing further expansion of varicose veins, aggravating congestion of the lower limbs and worsening the condition.

Patients with skin diseases such as tinea pedis

Many people mistakenly believe that soaking feet can alleviate the symptoms of tinea pedis. In fact, soaking feet in hot water may lead to secondary bacterial infection.

For wounds that have already broken skin, soaking feet in hot water will make the situation worse. The wound must be left open to keep it dry and ventilated. Patients with herpes, eczema and other diseases on the feet should not soak their feet in hot water. Once the skin is broken, it is easy to cause infection.

child

If your child's feet are not very cold, there is no need to soak them. The human arch of the foot gradually forms during childhood. If children often soak their feet in hot water at this time, the ligaments on the soles of their feet may become loose, which is not conducive to the formation and maintenance of the arch. In the long run, it will increase the risk of flat feet.