Ionic Foot Baths for Effective Toxin Removal

Photo: Thanks to Esther Ann on Unsplash.

by Connie Hernandez, ND

Bear with me while I indulge in a whimsical look at the human body’s natural defenses against harmful toxins.

The human body is a bioelectric system with its own highly effective trash disposal and Homeland Security systems.

To get rid of dangerous toxins, the body wraps toxic positive ions in trash bags (electrons) that isolate the toxins so that they can be set out at the curb for removal. The garbage trucks that haul the toxins away are primarily sweat and urination – hence the toxin-eliminating effectiveness of sauna.

When we walk barefoot on the earth, negative ions from the earth’s surface cause the body to release positively charged ions with their attached toxins. The toxin-attached positive ions are replaced with the earth’s negative ions.

Dr. Connie Hernandez, ND
Dr. Connie Hernandez, ND

This is why walking barefoot on the earth (“earthing”) is such a healthy practice, because it connects our bare skin to the earth’s surface, charging the walker’s body with negative ions. Forests and waterfalls offer especially abundant negative ions.

What benefits do you get from negative ions? Better sleep, reduced pain, reduced inflammation, enhanced energy, and feelings of well-being.

Because ionic foot baths are based on the principle of removing positively charged toxins, they are an increasingly popular tool for detoxification. (And, no surprise, they’ve become a prime target for the quack-buster websites.)

Does the use of foot baths actually remove toxins from the body? The National Institutes of Health, in a study with a ridiculously tiny sample size of just six individuals, each of whom received just four treatments, found no statistically significant evidence of elimination of toxins. (See “Objective Assessment of an Ionic Footbath: Testing Its Ability to Remove Potentially Toxic Elements from the Body” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3228292).

My issues with the study include the small sample size, the failure to follow standard treatment protocols that would include 10 treatments over 3-5 weeks, and the very unrealistic expectation of immediate measurable results.

Another study of limited sample size used Genova’s Toxic Element Clearance Profile, a 24-hour urine test, for testing. It found evidence that excretion of toxic metals IS facilitated by the foot baths.

Other studies have indicated a reduction in post-treatment levels of glyphosate, a dangerous herbicide.

Pre- and post-urine tests demonstrate physiologic change via a difference in acidity/alkalinity of the urine. And many clinicians report enhanced detox in their patients after a series of treatments.

A theory that might explain the government’s negative findings is that specific programmed frequencies in high-level ionic foot baths put the body into a parasympathetic state, enhancing detox, while incorrect frequencies will shut down detoxification pathways. Thus the foot bath allows for up-regulated elimination of toxins through internal bodily channels

Another theory is that the creation of exclusion zone water (structured water in your cells made of a lattice of OH- groups) pushes toxins out over time. In either case, excretion of toxic elements may occur days after a session or a series of sessions.

Photo: Thanks to Alberto Bigoni on Unsplash!

Moreover, it may be that the researchers are simply asking the wrong question. A better question would be whether the ionic foot baths generate positive change.

Do the treatments help people while doing no harm? The treatments are gentle, safe, and relaxing. Overwhelming anecdotal evidence suggests that people simply feel and sleep better after treatments.

The autistic community is enthusiastic, with many parents describing how their children experienced great benefits. Well-known cancer clinics in Germany regularly make use of ionic foot baths.

Dr. Marcel and I self-tested the IonCleanse foot bath. We plan to use the ionic foot bath in our personal detox protocols because we frankly felt good after treatment. And isn’t that a result worth respecting? When we’re sick, the body announces the fact by making us feel sick. And when the body experiences a positive change in its health, it tells us by making us feel better. The body’s own health barometer that sends its message through our calm, intuitive feelings is a reliable guide.

We recommend using ionic foot baths either on their own or in the context of a comprehensive detoxification protocol.

To learn about Dr. Connie’s work, follow the link to her Naturopathic Health Consultations website.

For information about the services we offer at Pacific Naturopathic, please give us a call at 650-961-1660, or use the convenient Contact Form to get in touch. Thank you!