Soaking your feet before bed in winter warms your whole body and improves sleep quality. If you add some Chinese medicinal herbs to the foot soak, the effects will be even better! Let's take a look.
1. Add Ginger
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginger is a pungent and warm herb that expels cold and resolves exterior syndromes, with minimal side effects. Modern medicine believes ginger can stimulate capillaries, improving local blood circulation and metabolism. People who are sensitive to cold or often have cold hands and feet can use ginger for foot soaks.
It's important to note that using ginger for a foot soak isn't just about putting ginger in hot water for a while. Instead, take 15-30 grams of ginger (about half a medium-sized ginger root), flatten it, place it in a pot with half a pot of water, cover the pot, and simmer for about 10 minutes. After simmering, pour all the ginger water out, add an appropriate amount of cold water to bring the temperature to around 40°C (generally, a temperature that doesn't feel too hot is suitable). During the foot soak, the water should cover the ankles, and it's best to rub your feet while soaking.
Many of the medicinal components in ginger are small molecules, and covering the pot while simmering prevents them from evaporating. The amount of half a ginger root is for a typical home foot basin filled with half a basin of water. If you use more water for your foot soak or your sensitivity to cold is severe, you can adjust the amount of ginger accordingly. After using ginger water for foot soaks for a period, symptoms of being sensitive to cold are generally improved to some extent.
2. Add Mugwort
Mugwort has the effect of warming the lungs, expelling dampness and cold. Using mugwort for foot soaks can also improve lung function, which is very beneficial for people with chronic bronchitis. Take 30-50 grams of dried mugwort, boil it in water for a foot soak, using the same method as before (with ginger). When using mugwort for foot soaks, 2-3 times a week is sufficient; it should not be too frequent. People with fevers, hypotension, or diabetes should use it under the guidance of a physician.
3. Add Safflower
Safflower is a common Chinese medicinal herb for gynecology. It invigorates blood to regulate menstruation and dispels stasis to relieve pain. People who are prone to chilblains and skin chapping in the winter can use safflower for foot soaks in the autumn to prevent these issues.
Taking 10-15 grams of safflower (about a small handful) and boiling it in water for a foot soak using the previously mentioned method can prevent and improve chilblains.
If you use 30-50 grams of dried mugwort and 10-15 grams of safflower to boil water for a foot soak, it can also improve blood circulation, preventing and alleviating varicose veins and peripheral neuritis.
If you have poor blood circulation, often experience numbness in your hands and feet, or have bruising in your lower limbs, you can use these two herbs together for a foot soak. After the foot soak, not only can your blood circulation improve, but your sleep quality can also be enhanced to some extent. During a cold, using safflower and mugwort for foot soaks can also have a certain therapeutic effect.
4. Add Cinnamon
Cinnamon, also known as cassia, Guan Gui, or Xiang Gui, is a common household spice along with Sichuan pepper. Both have the effect of warming the kidney's yang. Using them for foot soaks can effectively relieve edema caused by kidney problems.
Kidney edema is swelling caused by kidney dysfunction or disease. It generally first occurs in loose tissues, such as the eyelids or face, and the ankles, and is most noticeable in the morning after waking up. Pressing the skin on the swollen area with a finger can leave an indentation. If kidney edema occurs, you can use 15 grams each of Sichuan pepper and cinnamon (a small handful or a small piece) to boil water for a foot soak, using the same method as for ginger. Continuous use of this foot soak method can have a certain de-swelling effect.
If edema symptoms first appear in the lower parts of the body (such as the legs) and gradually spread to other parts of the body, it may be cardiac edema caused by heart problems. For this type of edema, you can use the ginger water mentioned earlier for a foot soak to promote blood circulation in the lower limbs, thereby helping to reduce the swelling.