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By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN
December 25, 2021
(306)
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Our bodies are exposed to toxins on a regular basis through our environment — from sources such as the water we drink, processed foods, commercial meat consumption and heavy metal exposure. Many of our organs, including the skin, function to naturally remove toxins from our bodies.
Unfortunately, we often have a heavy accumulation of toxins at a cellular level that may require help in removal from our bodies. Most licensed Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) prescribe a variety of detox therapies for their patients as part of their comprehensive treatment plan. These detox treatments used by NDs can range from dietary treatments to skin and foot soaks. Similar to my foot soak recipe, my DIY Detox Foot Bath can soothe tired, aching feet and may also draw out impurities through the skin.
To make this DIY detox foot bath, you will need to gather a foot soaking tub or inexpensive dish basin, Epsom salt, Dead Sea salt, bentonite clay, apple cider vinegar (ACV) and your favorite essential oils.
Detox Foot Bath Ingredients
Epsom salt is considered the MVP of body soaking salts because of its detoxifying and pain-relieving qualities. The magnesium contained within the salt is known to decrease inflammation and pain, and the combination of magnesium with sulfur and oxygen is believed to stimulate the detox pathway in the body.
In addition to assisting in detoxification, soaking in Epsom salt helps to naturally boost serum magnesium levels through transdermal absorption, which supports neuromuscular health.
Known for its many health benefits, studies show that apple cider vinegar demonstrates antimicrobial and antifungal properties. For this reason, ACV is a great addition to a foot soak or foot bath detox recipe. Apple cider vinegar helps regulate the pH of the skin when used topically or in baths and has been said to help with foot odor and foot fungus.
How Do You Detox Your Body Through Your Feet?
Although there are no current published medical studies or literature to back up the claim that your body can be detoxed through your feet, Eastern medicine has prescribed the practice for centuries. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)practitioners believe that the meridians that run through the feet affect every organ and part of the body, and foot baths are a regular part of good health practice.
Wondering how to detox through your feet at home? Alternative healthcare practitioners encourage several ways to detox through your feet at home. The most common would be by soaking feet in a tub of warm water, with a blend of salts, herbs and essential oils, such as the foot bath detox recipe below.
Other ways to detox feet at home include using detox foot pads, foot masks, foot scrubs and even foot massages.
Does a Foot Detox Work?
Although foot detox baths have been used for thousands of years throughout Asia, there is some controversy today as to whether or not foot detoxes actually work. In fact, a study was performed in 2012 to look at hair and urine samples, as well as to test the water before and after foot detox baths were completed. This study was not able to find evidence that foot detox baths eliminate toxins from the body. There are other studies, however, that have found that ionic detox foot baths remove heavy metals from the body, which cause a plethora a health concerns.
Despite a lack of studies on foot detoxing, few will argue the simple relaxing and stress-relieving benefits of a foot bath!
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DIY Detox Foot Bath
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- Author: Dr. Josh Axe
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 bath 1x
Description
This DIY detox foot bath can soothe tired, aching feet and may also draw out impurities through the skin.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 gallons warm water
- 1 cup Epsom salts
- 1 cup Dead Sea salt
- ½ cup bentonite clay
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- (optional) 10–20 drops of essential oils (my favorites for this recipe are wintergreen and lavender.)
Instructions
- Carefully pour warm water to a basin large enough to comfortably accommodate your feet. Be sure to not use metal bowls, as this may reduce the effectiveness of bentonite clay.
- Add Epsom salts, Dead Sea salt, bentonite clay, ACV and your favorite essential oils to the water.
- Soak your feet for 20–30 minutes.
Notes
After soaking, it is a good time to gently scrub your feet with apumice stoneor with my DIYfoot scrubto remove calluses and dry skin buildup. Apply a goodmoisturizerto finish.
- Prep Time: 10 min
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