Ionic Footbaths history
The origins of ionic therapy are loosely linked to American inventor Royal Raymond Rife, considered to be the modern-day inventor of bioelectric medicine. Rife developed a theory regarding frequency and viruses: in the same way that glass can be shattered when a soprano’s pitch matches the glass’s frequency, so too can viruses be destroyed when introduced to the right balance of resonating frequency. Dr. Mary Staggs is the first documented person to apply this information for commercial purposes. In 2001, she took accumulated research based in part on Rife’s theories and on the theories of other doctors, and created the first commercial ionic footbath as a means to detoxify the body through electrolysis.
does ionic foot detox really work?
In order to see if all the hype is true, we’ve got to take a look back and the human body and it’s ability to detox. An alkaline body is crucial to a person’s health. Diseases thrive in an acidic environment. So basically, the less acidic your body is and the more alkaline, the less prone you are to contracting a disease, such as osteoporosis or cancer, according to Christine.
The Center for Disease Control reports that up to 85% of all illness are caused by toxins and pollutants in our bodies. The human body functions best when the ions are balanced at 80% negative and 20% positive. So how do we achieve this?
What we put into our body, such as the foods we consume, have either acidic or alkalizing properties. Check out the food charts for yourself here. The more of the higher alkaline foods you can incorporate into your diet the better. An ionic detox, helps to facilitate the alkalization process through the process of ionization, which removes “free radicals” from the body.
Let’s presume that toxins are being released and excreted through your feet as is claimed by the foot bath detox people. As you can see from pictures online, the color change makes it look incredible. But, that’s not the whole story.
The amount of toxins needed to be released in order to turn the water a dark brown would have to be substantial in quantity. This brings two very interesting observations to the forefront. First, the body hides these toxins in cells because they are indeed dangerous. In fact, exposure to too large a quantity of these toxins at one time could kill you. So, many “detox experts” want you to believe that the body released so many toxins that the water was turned black/brown and that the person actually felt good afterwards! If all of those toxins were released at one time, the majority of people would become extremely ill and some would even die!
Secondly, as all of these black/brown-colored toxins were being drawn through the feet; why would the person’s feet not turn black/brown? Think about that for a moment. Some may want you to believe that the electrical current is drawing the toxins to the feet in a concentration so high that it blackens the water. As those toxins accumulated in the tissues of the feet and the ankles, they should turn black/brown. Then, as the toxins slowly leached into the water the foot should turn back to a nice pinkish color. This does not occur. Additionally, the soles of the feet should stay black/brown for days in people with calloused feet.
Actually, the change in the color of the water has nothing to do with toxins coming out of your body and especially not from your feet. So what causes the change? The answer is simple chemistry. Some curious person asked the question of whether the water in the tub would change colors without the presence of a body part. The answer is, yes. Here is an excerpt from the manufacturer of one product:
“Of course, just how dirty the water becomes is related to how much sediment is in the actual water. When you test a bucket of water to see this principle (with no body parts in the water), how dirty it actually becomes will generally be the same each time you use a new bucket of water from the same source… If you were performing Aqua-Chi treatments, it is always a good thing to test a bucket of water to see what color it may go as a reference to help understand the color after a treatment.”
People are not told this when they go for a “treatment.” They are simply told to be amazed at how many toxins came out of their tootsies.
Ionic Footbaths Benefits
According to proponents of ionic footbaths, the benefits of the baths are numerous and far sweeping. Some claim immediate benefits, such as increased energy levels, reduced headaches, an enhanced sense of calm, and improved sleep. Other claims have been more specific, suggesting that ionic footpaths can enhance liver and kidney functions, reverse aging while brightening the skin’s complexion, strengthen immunity to better protect against diseases, and balance hormones, glucose levels and blood pressure.
Foot ION Detox Scientific Controversy
The jury is still out on the effectiveness of ionic footbaths. Some practitioners still swear by their efficacy — others are less convinced. Steve Gilbert, an affiliate associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, and manager of an online toxicology database, told the “Los Angeles Times” that the skin isn’t built for drawing out chemicals, toxins and other substances. “The skin is a darn good barrier that’s designed to keep things in the body. [Claiming to pull] stuff across that barrier is nutty.” Regardless of scientific evidence that counters the efficacy of these treatments, ionic footbaths remain a staple of alternative-healthcare treatments.
