While the technology used in the ion cleanse foot bath machines is claimed to be based on simple principles such as electrostimulation and electrodialysis, it's near to impossible to understand the real benefits of ionic foot baths without wading through a lot of hyped-up claims and pseudoscientific explanation.

One thing is for sure: our body takes in and utilizes various forms of condensed energy, mostly from food, and air which quality have been dramatically diminished in the recent decades.

What I'm trying to do here is to give a brief outline of the supposed medical benefits of ionic foot bath therapy. I want to list these benefits in groups formed by relationships, and in order of factualness, based on my understanding and experience.

With that being said, let's start with the list of claims that have been backed up by facts and proven by alternative medicine. This list includes reasonable assumptions, too, since as long as they are based on experiences and reports they are equally well valued in natural medicine.

The basic health claims are listed as follows:

- ionic foot baths stimulate and rebalance the whole bioenergetic field,
- clear up energetic blockages / unblock the energy flow in the meridians
- facilitate capillary micro-circulation in the organs (including the detoxifying organs)
- improve lymphatic circulation and boost immune functions, thus increase the body's ability to fight infections, inflammations and cancer
- enhance the functioning of the detoxifying organs such as the liver, kidneys, colon, skin and lungs
- enhance the body's ability to protect itself from electromagnetic field radiation
- have a general stimulating effect on the whole organism increasing the overall sense of well-being
- ion foot baths improve sleep and memory functions
- decrease recovery time after injuries, surgeries and diseases
- help repairing the tissues, especially the connective tissues; increase flexibility
- enhance nutrient absorption
- help to relieve headaches, arthritis and joint pain

While I believe in the correctness of these statements and I think this technology is really wonderful, there are some claims that don't seem to be well founded.

For example, ionic foot baths are often wrongly marketed as the ultimate solution for cleansing the body from heavy metals and all kinds of pollutants. It is also claimed that the regular use of ionic detox foot baths will allow the body to maintain a more healthy, alkaline state.

On the other hand, as hazy as it may sound, the claim that ionic foot baths work by stimulating the bioenergetic field is probably the single most accurate statement of what these machines really do. The rest of the benefits are, in a way or other, indirect consequences of this one. And this is probably also one of the reasons why the ionic foot bath therapy has been criticized as unscientific.
The majority of people who use ion cleanse foot bath to detoxify don't even know about these premises. Direct detoxification is really just a marketing gimmick. Your body cannot be fully detoxified through the pores of your feet. All detoxification benefits will come naturally and indirectly as a result of the improved functioning of the detoxifying organs.

Direct detoxification through the skin (by electrodialysis) may occur in some degree, but not to such extent as currently marketed. Studies have failed to show the presence of other materials in the water than iron oxide from the corroding electrodes.

Ion foot bath therapy improves the function of all vital organs, including the kidneys, liver, colon, skin and lung which are responsible for natural detoxification. Detoxification is a result of enhanced microcirculation and improved lymphatic flow, not electrodialysis.

The statement that ionic foot bath machines generate ions that the body can take in and use for as a general energy source is not widely known. But it really comes down to the same principle as why you would feel tranquil and energetic after taking a long walk on a sandy ocean beach or hanging around a waterfall.

There is a high concentration of negative ions around huge water bodies that are subjected to the disruptive forces of nature. The constant pounding of the waves and the moving air lead to the breakup of water droplets to small, mostly negatively charged particles. Negative ions are found in abundance in nature, mostly around coastal areas and waterfalls.

Something similar is happening within the ionic foot bath's "array." The electrical decomposition of water, called electrolysis, literally makes these machines function as negative ion foot bath.

During ionization the majority of ions that have been generated get trapped in the water. An electromagnetic field also builds up and starts to interact with the bioenergetic field of the body. While there is no any particular contact point for this interaction, the reflex zones on the feet are supposed to play a crucial role in field propagation. Through these reflex zones and the associated subtle energy channels (which have an opening on the soles), the whole body and all organs get stimulated.

Having been put in this environment, energy absorption is a natural response of the body. Ions are being accumulated through the large meridians that run from the soles of the feet to the lower abdomen. With a couple of simple mental actions, similar to sweeping some liquid or gaseous substance within the legs, anyone can facilitate this flow.
It may be experienced as local buzzing sensation in the soles of the feet, or initially, when the channels are blocked, burning or cold sensation or mild pain that radiates up the legs.

The fact, that a large portion of this raw ionic energy pool can be taken in from the water to used by the body's various energetic processes, is fascinating and pretty much unknown.

The next group of health claims deal with benefits that cannot be easily proven, or could be touted to ionic cleanse as an indirect benefit of the overall biofield and immune system stimulation. Considering the profound impact of the ionic foot bath therapy on the energy body and immune system, many of these claims don't seem to go overboard but may be sound hazy and are difficult to back up.

This group of health claims has some direct supporting evidence and may be considered as the primary mechanism of action of ion cleanse foot baths.

It says that ion cleanse foot baths

- stimulate and balances the immune system
- improve lymphatic circulation
- increase the body's ability to fight against infection, inflammation and cancer

A brief note on this. Basically, reduced inflammation is a result of improved lymphatic circulation and immune functions. I understand that marketing ionic foot baths as an effective treatment to fight cancer would create false hope and unrealistic expectations. Still, it's a wonderful complementary treatment for that purpose.

- ionic detox foot bath deactivates viruses, bacteria, yeast, and fungus
This is not true in this form. It's the body that does the healing process that deactivates and kills the viruses and parasites.

Energy benefits are very subjective and difficult to measure but have been reported by many users.

It's interesting to note that in the beginning of treatment, ionic foot bath machines might cause similar tiredness to that experienced by qi gong and other energy practitioners when they start out with meridian cleansing.

- improved overall sense of well-being
- enhances the body's ability to protect itself from electromagnetic field radiation (electrosmog)

This group is closely related to the energizing aspect of ion detox foot baths.

- ionic foot bath machines improve sleep and memory functions
I put this claim on improved memory functions in this group because of the strong connection between memory functions and sleep.

There are a lot of fraudulent claims in this group. The ability of ion detox foot baths to assist the work of the detoxifying organs is a subject of ongoing research. We should make a difference between detoxification through the skin (by means of electrodialysis) and detoxifying through the main eliminating organs, mainly the liver and kidneys.

- ionic foot baths eliminate toxins and heavy metals through the feet

Again, detoxification through the skin pores, as it has been claimed by many manufacturers to happen, is not yet supported by medical evidence. There have been studies on the composition of water, both before and after taking an ionic foot bath.

Evidences have shown that there are certain minerals and heavy metals consistently appearing in the water only when the feet are present, while others failed to found any other material than iron oxide.

Related to the immune system and energy groups.

- improved microcirculation

Widely accepted as one of the main benefits of ion foot bath therapy.

Related to the circulation and energy groups.

- improved body flexibility
- enhanced nutrient absorption
- slows down aging
- increased oxygen level in the body
- decreased recovery time after injuries, surgeries and diseases

Related to the circulation and recovery groups.

Regular ionic foot bath sessions will help to relieve

- arthritis and joint pain
- headaches

- acne
- cellulitis

These claims are not sufficiently backed up by documentation and research.
- weight control, obesity
- constipation
- bad breath
- blood cot removal

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