Foot detoxes are becoming more and more popular as a way to rid the body of any harmful toxins. Potential toxins can range from impurities in the air, to chemicals in your home and beauty products. Because of their surge in popularity, ionic foot detoxes are now being offered at some health and wellness spas, at alternative health offices, and even for at-home use. If you’re curious about what a foot detox is and if it can help you, here’s what you need to know.
An ionic foot detox is said to work by pulling the toxins out of your body through your feet. Take, for example, the popular foot detox bath IonCleanse. Advertised as a safe and relaxing way to clear out the body, the ionizing machine works to ionize the foot bath water.
This process is said to give the hydrogen in the water a positive charge. The positive charge is said to attract the negatively charged toxins in your body. The ions in the foot bath water supposedly hold a charge that enables them bind to any heavy metals and toxins in your body, similar to how a magnet works. This allows the toxins to be pulled out through the bottoms of your feet.
Some foot detox advocates claim that if the water in the foot bath changes color, it means the detox is working. This is not true. Whether the detox works has nothing to do with the color of the water. The water color can change for a number of mundane reasons, namely the presence of impurities in the water. This often happens when using tap water.
The water changing color may even be due to the foot bath itself. Although foot bath manufacturers say the ionizing charge will remove metals and toxins from the body of the person using it, they don’t explain how the charge skips over the metals that are actually in the foot bath.
The electricity in the product may cause some of the metal from the foot bath to be corroded by use. This could account for some of the discoloration in the water. Most foot detoxes also use special salts in the water, which can interact and cause the water to change color.
Although research on foot detoxes is limited, there is some evidence to suggest that the practice isn’t effective.
Researchers in a 2012 study
Most everyone, except for those with open sores or an infection on their feet, can benefit from the relaxation that a warm foot soak can provide. That said, it isn’t necessary to purchase an expensive foot detox product.
Instead, use Epsom salts, with or without a foot detox product, in a foot bath, to refresh and clean the feet.
Foot soaks can be a wonderful way to relax after a hard day or to help revive circulation in the feet. They may also be beneficial if you’re experiencing athlete’s foot.
took an in-depth look at the IonCleanse foot bath and found that the foot detox did nothing to reduce toxin levels in the body. They also concluded that the foot bath didn’t stimulate the body to remove toxins by itself, such as through the kidneys or liver.
It’s worth noting that most evidence in support of this practice is anecdotal.
detox foot baths at home 10 Reviews
I have purchased several of these. I love them. There are no directions so once I figured out how the machine worked, I typed up directions for my clients. Once you figure out how to use it, then it is very easy to use. It works great and really pulls out a lot of positive ions, toxic materials, from the lymphatic system through the meridian lines throughout the body. You can actually see the colour change as a new organ begins to dump toxins. Get the chart, and you will also want Himalayan pink salt, pan liners and a pan. The tub that they sell here for this purpose is also great because it has the leg groves. The case for this is also very nice because you can take it places and not have to worry about the safety of your machine. Word to the wise, if your machine starts sending off the alarm turn it off right away. The red button on the back. Otherwise, if you don’t then you can damage your machine. This indicates you have too much salt in the water. If the salt is not registering and you know you have salt in there, then your array is bad and needs replacing. In the future, you will want to get a higher quality wrist band. The one that comes with this machine is not a good one. A new one, found on here, is great because it helps to do a better job and the cord is thicker so you do not have to worry about breaking the wire. Just what I recommend.
I have purchased several of these. I love them. There are no directions so once I figured out how the machine worked, I typed up directions for my clients. Once you figure out how to use it, then it is very easy to use. It works great and really pulls out a lot of positive ions, toxic materials, from the lymphatic system through the meridian lines throughout the body. You can actually see the colour change as a new organ begins to dump toxins. Get the chart, and you will also want Himalayan pink salt, pan liners and a pan. The tub that they sell here for this purpose is also great because it has the leg groves. The case for this is also very nice because you can take it places and not have to worry about the safety of your machine. Word to the wise, if your machine starts sending off the alarm turn it off right away. The red button on the back. Otherwise, if you don’t then you can damage your machine. This indicates you have too much salt in the water. If the salt is not registering and you know you have salt in there, then your array is bad and needs replacing. In the future, you will want to get a higher quality wrist band. The one that comes with this machine is not a good one. A new one, found on here, is great because it helps to do a better job and the cord is thicker so you do not have to worry about breaking the wire. Just what I recommend.
I purchased this machine in mid-November 2016 after my Rheumatoid Arthritis came back after being dormant for 7+ years. Read the Instructions carefully! So far after 18 uses I have not needed to add salt to the water and machine is still pulling dark orange (joints), and the machine has consistently been between .08 – 1.1 during each session. Picture below is from recent detox on 1/22/17. I have Version 3 of the machine and it arrived two days earlier than promised, everything included in travel case. I have been using the rectangle detox arrays 2 Rectangle Detox Foot Bath Array Ionic Spa Cleanse Aqua Cell Stainless Steel instead of the arrays that come with the machine. My wrist attachment works fine, and I’ve seen immediate pain relief by using this little beauty – which looks remarkably like the machine in a private salon when I was going once a week to detox. In Northeastern Oklahoma detox prices range from $20 to $45 per session – so this machine has already paid for itself. Just for grins I added salt to try to reach the “Optimal” range of 1.2 – 1.5 per the instructions, and the machine almost immediately sounded the alarm once it got past 2.2 and stopped working.
I Remain Confused about the Mechanism(s) that De-Tox the Feet & Body; yet,NOW I’ve Used this Device & had Results, I’m a Real Believer!!
As Directed Use of this (NEW to Me) Device & Technology HAS Reduced My Feet Pain Levels from 7 (OUCH!) to a Stable & Pleasant 3 (YESSSS!)
What’s Strange to Me is: After 10-12 Treatments, I “Seem” to have More Energy “Flow-Back” from My Feet & Legs – A Welcomed, Refreshed, far more Energetic Step; Every Time! And, I Walk; a Lot! Thank You! My Vibrational Energy is Back! Highly Recommended to ALL; Only IF You Follow the Directions & Cautions; Carefully & Concisely. I will Tell Others about Amazon & their Amazing Sellers! Me & My Feet; Thank You!
We could not believe the funk this machine is removing.
I first experienced the use of the machine on a demo from a sales rep. After seeing the toxic waste of multiple individuals I decided to buy one, as well, did some friends of mine. I continued to use the machine for over 2 years and found out that it had helped me drastically. Not only did it reduce my pain, but, also start to heal and restore my liver, itching is a side effect of to much bile production and with having my gallbladder removed. I found I continued to have a greater increase in puritis, aka, itch (that is caused from inflammation and bile salt production from my bad liver and no gallbladder ) after using the machine it removed a lot of the bile, in which my body was holding. As well as it reduced the itching(puritis) .
I however, regret to report after a divorce I lost my machine to my ex. Again, the itching has returned and my pain has gotten worse, as well as my liver is reported as depleting, upon a biopsy the physician stated my liver looked as if it was ground hamburger.
With that said, I am ordering the same machine again and I can not wait for the device to arrive and relieve me of some of these uncomfortable side effects I am once again experiencing. If you think this machine does not work you are sadly mistaken I am a true witness, I never write or rate a marketed product unless I have used and see great results. And I am in no way getting any kind of reward or revenue for promoting this machine. I just know that using it has helped me. Take warning do not use it daily cause it does remove sodium from you body, which potassium follows sodium, so in a unprofessional manor be sure to have labs drawn and speak with your doctor. I personal found that 2x a week made me feel better and I was less bloated and tired.
I used it twice, so far my daughter has used the most. She love’s it. It is a excellent spa , it’s great !!!
set up and clean up are time consuming. Love the results of the detox.
Good system: effective, easy to use and transport. Don’t have a comparison to know any different.
I’ve only used this one time and followed directions correctly on how to clean and store machine. I’m really upset that again, I purchase an expensive product on amazone and again, it does not work. Ive changed water and removed salt and unplugged and replugged the system and its still not working. Such a hassle in returning and complaining about products that don’t stand up to any standards. If you received a cellspa ionic foot machine that worked, consider yourself lucky. I’ve been sitting here 1hr trying to power my machine and its so frustrating that it does not work. I’m pissed off and want my money back. The Current error message will not remove and I’ve only had this defective machine since 3/9
If you Google foot detox, foot bath, Ionic Detoxification, Aqua Chi, or Bionic Hydrotherapy, you will find a lot of information about a new detoxifying treatment, the ionic foot bath. You will also find a lot of websites that emphatically state this treatment is a hoax, that you can’t draw toxins out of your body through the soles of your feet. I decided to test it myself.
The idea is that in 30 minutes, The Detox Foot Spa Purifier will pull toxins, including heavy metals, out of your body. The water in the foot-bath changes color. Each color relates to toxicity of a different organ or system of the body.
So if the water turns blue, your kidneys are the most toxic part of your body, and the foot bath is pulling toxins from your kidneys through the soles of your feet.
I must admit, it sounded pretty ridiculous. I’m a skeptic when it comes to this kind of thing. That’s why I decided I was the best person to try it out.
I am very in tune with my body. I know when something isn’t working right and I know why. I know if my kidneys are hurting, I know if my liver is over toxic, and I know if I am not getting enough minerals. I’ve always paid attention to my body and developed a good understanding through my own experiences and through research about how the body works, and how the body gets sick. I am not a doctor, but I do know my body.
I spent a few weeks living a not so “organic lifestyle” which included some alcohol and a lot of “regular” food. When I say some alcohol, I mean a good amount. In fact, this part of my experiment began during the Christmas holidays, and I did celebrate New Years Eve.
After three weeks of living a toxic lifestyle, my kidneys where not happy. Every time I woke up, my back was stiff. Urination was difficult, and my urine was nearly brown and had a strong odor. If I pushed an inch below my belly button I felt intense pain. I also had diarrhea off and on. I defiantly had kidney problems.
I went to see Dr. Tim Kelly, one of Organic Lifestyle Magazine’s contributors. I didn’t tell him I had been living a toxic lifestyle. I got all set up, put my feet in the water, and watched as the water began to turn a yellowish tint. Interesting. In about 5 minutes the water was a dark thick yellow. But then it turned blue, a nasty, dark, murky blue with big, black flecks in it. It was gross.
Those websites who call this treatment a hoax said the water would have changed color whether my feet were in there or not. But I never told Dr. Kelly my kidneys were hurting, and the water turned the right color. And after the treatment, I did feel better. Before the treatment I couldn’t stand upright after sitting for long periods of time. But after thirty minutes in the foot bath, I was able to stand right up without stiffness. The next day I woke up with about ½ the lower back stiffness and had no trouble peeing.
Step two was to go back to Dr. Kelly after I spent a few weeks detoxifying. I ate nothing but healthy foods, concentrating on raw, fresh organic vegetables. I took herbs to help cleanse my body. I felt like a new man. I regained my health. My sleep improved, my energy was up, and my kidneys were fine.
I went back to Dr. Kelly and again, told him nothing, just got myself hooked up to the foot bath equipment, put my feet in, and sat there for thirty minutes with a magazine. At the end of thirty minutes the water was yellow. Not a deep dark yellow, just a light yellow as if I had urinated in it. There were no black flecks.
One more test was in order. I wanted to see what would happen if my liver was toxic. I went back to eating crap, drinking, and I took some over the counter medications for allergies and to treat the headaches my new lifestyle had triggered. I also ate a lot of food with high fructose corn syrup. After a couple of weeks, I had deep dark circles under my eyes, regardless of sleep (a sign of a toxic liver). I was getting regular headaches (about three a week) and I was also stiff, tired, and achy all the time. I had gained 9 pounds. Throughout this time, I was drinking cranberry juice (organic, unsweetened), and taking Standard Processes Phosfood to keep my kidneys from getting backed up. I was also keeping my body alkaline. I was doing my best to keep the rest of my body relatively healthy, while overburdening my liver. Not very scientific, I know, but I got the results I wanted.
The third time the foot bath changed from green to orange and then to dark brown for the last 25 minutes—the color of a toxic liver. Once again, I felt a little better immediately and the next morning I felt and looked much better.
Coincidence? No. Not when the colors matched the symptoms. Not when the relief was so significant.
