Foot baths were once a daily habit in China, and it's still a very important, although forgotten, modality that is taught in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Why are the feet so important?
The ancient Chinese, and Chinese Medicine Practitioners often compare the body to a tree. The torso is the trunk of the tree. The arms are the branches of the tree, and the feet are the roots of the tree. A dying tree withers at the roots first. An aging person often feels their health recede
starting at the feet first. This is why foot care is an important part of overall health. Simple soaking can be surprisingly effective as the feet have an impact on the entire body. Herbs, oils, and salts absorb most quickly via the feet.
Studies have shown that when using oils on the bottom of the feet, within 20-minutes, it has reached the entire body.
Essential oil practitioners and reflexologists claim that the pores on the soles of the feet are larger than anywhere else on the body allowing for oils and herbs to be absorbed more quickly. The soles of the feet are also thought to absorb these oils and herbs more easily because the feet don't contain sebaceous glands. Sebaceous glands are microscopic exocrine glands in the skin that opens to a hair follicle. This gland secretes an oily matter called sebum. Sebum provides a protective barrier on the skin. Since the feet don't have sebaceous glands or the production of sebum, oils and herbs are more easily absorbed into the body.
According to Chinese Medicine practitioners, soaking one's feet in hot water activates blood and energy throughout the body. In herbal foot soaks, the skin absorbs the elements of the herbs through the skin which then travel through the energy channels to target points in the body.
What are the benefits of soaking your feet?
Soaking until there there's a sweat can relieve symptoms of cold, flu, and menstrual cramps.
Herbal foot soaks can be beneficial to those with chronic stomach problems, high blood pressure, and stroke patients as well. They can also be beneficial to boost immunity, relieve pain and inflammation anywhere in the body, provide assistance with detoxing the body, and it's a great form of relaxation.