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Before I give my take on the legitimacy or lack thereof of using ionic foot baths to detoxify the body, let me present the two common sides of the argument (hint: I think they’re both right AND both wrong!):
Dr. Mark Ion Cleanse Detox Foot Bath Interview P.2
Ionic Footbath Detox Hoax - Part 6
OK, now that you’ve seen the demonstrations and especially the one from the gentleman who has pronounced that detox foot baths are a hoax, what’s my take?
To give you a litte background first, I do not, nor have I ever used detox foot baths in my practice. I do know a doctor (one I trust and respect) who does use them in his practice and he is the first to tell his patients that the color change in the water is NOT toxins leaving the body. So why does he still use the foot baths? This particular doctor does extensive lab testing and toxin screens on his patients and he has observed that the use of detox foot baths definitely reduces the levels of certain toxins according to the lab work. But he cannot explain why this is happening because he knows that the foot baths DO NOT pull toxins out of the body through the pores in the feet as the baths have been falsely reported to do.
Furthermore, many patients report considerable improvements in their symptoms and general health from using the foot baths. Granted, many of these people may be simply experiencing the placebo effect, but I’ve heard some very positive stories even from people who initially tried the foot baths when they thought they were a hoax, which leads me to believe that there is more at work than the placebo effect.
So, if the foot baths don’t pull toxins out of the body, yet people get symptomatic improvement AND objective laboratory evidence that their toxic load has been decreased following the use of the foot baths, what’s going on?
I believe that in actuality, the electrical charge of the foot baths is producing stimulation of acupuncture points, especially relating to the kidney and liver meridians. By stimulating these acupuncture meridians, I believe that the function of the kidneys and liver may be enhanced sufficiently to improve the body’s own natural detoxification mechanisms.
So, are the foot baths a hoax? Yes and no. Obviously, anyone who claims they pull toxins out of the body is either misinformed or is intentionally trying to mislead others. The color changes, particles, and foam are all just show - and are created by the electrical array, not by toxins leaving the body. But since the foot baths do appear to have legitimate therapeutic effects, I don’t think it’s fair to consider them a complete hoax.
That being said, do I recommend detox foot baths? No. Assuming that I am correct about the stimulation of acupuncture meridians, there are other methods of getting the same benefits, many of which are probably more cost-effective in the long run than the detox foot baths. But for people who enjoy them and feel that the benefits are worth the cost, I see nothing wrong with using them.
Acupuncture Reduces Pain, Need for Opioids after Surgery
The above video discusses recent findings from a Duke University Medical Center study that showed acupuncture to not only be an effective pain management technique, but it also provided pain relief without the common side-effect of nausea that is seen with anaesthetic drugs.
I am often asked by patients how acupuncture works. While the answer to that question is quite complicated, the above video does a good job of describing the basic concept of acupuncture in easy to understand terms and without the Asian mysticism that is often included in explanations of acupuncture.
If this video represents your idea of what acupuncture is like, I can understand why you might be a little hesitant to try it. But acupuncture, at least the way it is practiced in most acupuncture clinics in the United States, is usually a much more comfortable (and safe) process than what you might imagine, and whais portrayed humorously in the video.
While there are exceptions to every rule, most acupuncture clinics are very professional and clean. The majority of acupuncturists now use disposable needles that are fresh out of steril packages to be used on each patient so there is no risk of cross-contamination.Â
 While many people fear the needles because they think that they will be painful, acupuncture is actually pretty comfortable for the most part because the needles are extremely thin. There may be a brief sting on some of the needle placements, but once the needles are in, you probably won’t feel them at all (despite the scary scenes in the video, you’ll notice that the patient doesn’t seem to be in any pain).
As with any treatment, acupuncture works great for some people, and not as well, or not at all for others. In my opinion, it is a pretty reliable treatment for most types of pain, including headaches, back pain, and even dental pain (I know several people wo have had dental work done with only acupuncture for anaesthesia). In addition, it can be an effective form of treatment for a wide variety of health problems, and while certain conditions and patients tend to respond better to other forms of treatment in my experience, acupuncture is always on my list as an option to recommend.
If you are considering acupuncture, I have a couple of tips for choosing an acupuncturist. First, whenever possible, try to get a referral from a friend who has had a good experience. Second, try to set up time to simply talk with the acupuncturist by phone or in person before you commit to getting treated. Because many of the most experienced acupuncturists are immigrants from Asia, be prepared for the fact that he or she might have a rather thick accent and/or use a translator. If the language barrier is too great for you to feel comfortable with that particular acupuncturist, then it probably is best to find someone you can communicate with more easily.Â
Believe it or not, acupuncture treatment is actually quite relaxing for most people once they get past their initial fears.
 Stay tuned to my natural remedies blog for more on acupuncture and other alternative medicine approaches.
