Medical Information on Detox Foot Pads

Detoxifying foot pads are a popular method to detoxify your entire body through the soles of your feet. It is simple to apply the pads to your feet overnight and wake up the next morning with what looks like brown waste on the pads. Though we do eliminate toxins through our skin, very little toxin is left on the pads after use, according to several studies.

History

• The idea behind the modern foot pads comes from traditional Japanese medicine. Poultices to draw out toxins were used frequently from the 15th century on. After the Meiji era, from about 1912 on, an upswing of interest in Japanese traditional medicine has meant that more products and services are offered that are based on traditional Japanese methods.

Benefits

• Some foot pads contain ingredients such as milk thistle, which, according to Dr. James Duke in his book "The Green Pharmacy" is a known liver tonic and has been proven to regenerate liver cells. Other foot pads contain cayenne, which is proven to improve blood circulation and reduce pain, and is a common ingredient in some over-the-counter pain relief gels. According to the traditional Japanese medicinal belief, by placing the pads on reflexology points on your feet, you heal the corresponding area of your body.

Detoxification

• Detox foot pads are popular because we live in a world of polluted food, air and water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted more than 60 toxic compounds in the 2,000 people it tested in 2005, according to a news report on WPXI in Pittsburgh. According to the same news report, in 2004, the Environmental Working Group found an average of 200 industrial chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of 10 infants born in U.S. hospitals in August and September of that year. Using detoxifying foot pads, according to the traditional medicinal belief they are based on, may help to detoxify your body.

Misconceptions

• There have been several news reports criticizing the foot pads. According to an article in Wellspring, National Public Radio and "20/20" have done informal studies to show that no toxins were found on the pads after use, and they have also shown that by applying any moisture to the pads, the pads change color and begin to smell bad. The report from "20/20" also asked for a response from Avon and Kinoki, two makers of these pads, but did not receive a reply. An informal study was also done by WPIX in Pittsburgh showing similar conclusions.

Considerations

• There is much misinformation regarding these foot pads. One website which sells Kenrico foot pads suggests that the pads began in the Marunouchi era. The Marunouchi is a physical place, downtown Tokyo, and not an era.

  Our bodies do detoxify through our skin, as well as through our livers, kidneys and lymph system. Whether we can detoxify our bodies through small patches applied to the feet remains to be proven.