If you believe "detox" infomercials, websites and magazine advertisements, you might think your body is a dumping ground for toxic sludge. Marketers of "detox" methods and programs want you to believe that some toxins won't leave your body unless you take further steps to help them escape. According to proponents of ionic water therapy, one way to clear out toxins is to immerse your feet in a basin that contains electrodes and salt water. However, ionic water therapy may not really be worth its salt.
Premise
According to supporters of ionic water therapy, the foot is a channel through which the body tries to cleanse itself of toxins that build up in the body. When you put your feet in an ionic foot bath, the water purportedly interacts in the foot bath to create a frequency that your body's cells require to release waste and return to a healthy state. The color change in the bath allegedly reflects the toxins that have escaped your body and entered the water.
Method
To begin the process of ionic water therapy, you immerse your feet in warm salt water in your ionic foot bath. The recommended amount of time you use the bath will depend on the instructions of the machine you use. However, the International Institute of Holistic Healing recommends that adults use the machine for 35 minutes per day, every other day for about one month, follow it with a week long break, then continue the routine again.
Purpose
Using the bath to draw "toxins" from the feet allegedly contributes to an overall boost in wellness. According to proponents of ionic water therapy, the bath may help: detoxify your liver; cleanse your liver and kidneys; reduce stress; increase energy; reduce pain; improve sexual health; boost memory; improve sleep; strengthen your immune system; and eliminate skin problems such as acne and wrinkles.
Proof
Although supporters of ionic water therapy claim that ionic foot baths can encourage toxins to flow out through the feet, no evidence proves this theory, according to Harvard HEALTHbeat. The foot bath color change is likely due to corrosion of the bath's metal electrodes. The Guardian's "Bad Science" columnist Ben Goldacre wrote in 2004 about an experiment he performed using his own homemade ionic foot bath, made of a bowl with salt and water, two metal nails and a car battery. The water in his homemade bath turned brown like the water in commercial ionic foot baths. He then sent "before" and "after" water samples from his tub to a medical toxicology unit alongside "before" and "after" samples from a used Aqua Detox facility's foot bath. Ultimately, he found that both "after" samples contained much higher levels of iron than the "before" samples.
Considerations
Wait for more proof to support the alleged benefits of ionic foot baths' claims before you invest any effort or money in one. Until that time comes, you will likely reap more benefits from keeping your body healthy the old-fashioned way: eating well-balanced meals, cutting down on alcohol and caffeine intake, drinking mostly water, sleeping enough each night and visiting your doctor when you feel ill.
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