By Mark Axelson
In this day-in-age, we need to be aware of all of the potential scams out there. Fortunately for us there are countless resources available that are designed to educate consumers before they try out anything new. Ed Zimney, M.D., a medical director who is well known for his editorials on HealthTalk.com, has been an information source for patients, their caregivers and medical professionals who are involved with serious diseases and health conditions. In a recent review of natural health products, Dr. Zimney denounced "Kinoki Detox Foot Pads" by placing them on the top of his list of "The Five Worst Health Scams in 2008." He was enthralled by the "sheer audacity involved in their shameless marketing and the utter lack of either a scientific basis through which they might work or any medical studies proving that they do." The four other companies that made list include "Flat Belly Diet" (because it doesn't work), "CT Angiography" (this product has no diagnostic utility), "Pristiq" and "Treximet" (because of the use of unnecessary drugs) and "Master Cleanse" (because the lost weight is quickly regained after resumption of normal eating patterns). Some wonder if Ionic Foot Detox will soon end up on one of Dr. Zimney's scam lists, but a January '09 survey by HEALTHandMED.com seems to contradict that notion.
In theory the human body is bombarded with toxic elements every day. You breathe pollution in the air when you leave your home, you consume toxic chemicals with every pill you swallow, and you are eating the same synthetically produced hormones that are force fed to American livestock whenever you sink your teeth into a sausage or a cheeseburger. Due to the constant bombardment of chemicals, pollutants, and toxins that we all face every day, it is important that we find ways to rid our bodies of these things. M. Amin, Ph.D., Doctor of Natural Medicine, "Over the years, loads of toxins, improper diet and lifestyle, and the excretory organs of our bodies fail to function at their best, leaving us lethargic, with a weakened immune system, and caught by diseases leading to early and painful death. Through proper detoxification, we can significantly reduce the load of toxins, prevent diseases, slow down the aging process and enjoy a disease free longer and healthier life. Amongst all the detoxification methods in practice, Ionic Foot Detox is probably the best method."
Like Kinoki Foot Detox Pads, Ionic Foot Detox is said to work by the principle of negative ion generation. But unlike the Kinoki method, Ionic Foot Detox works through the ionization of water in a basin. The user places their feet in the water along with a pinch of salt and the array (ionizer) which is connected to the control unit. The theory is that, when water is ionized and split into H+ and OH- ions (and sometimes into H3O+ and H2O2 ions), these ions are able to enter the body through the 4,000 large pores of the feet. Then the circulatory and lymphatic systems transport the ions throughout the body. These ions neutralize oppositely charged toxins in the cells that are normally slow to exit the body. In this way, all the body's organs are said to be energized and stimulated to function optimally. This neutralization of toxins enables them to become excreted in natural ways like perspiration, urination and defecation.
Foot detox users find that there is a change in the color of the water being used. This change can be any number of different colors or consistencies, sometimes grouping metals together into particles that float around in the water. These different colors water indicate which areas of the body are being cleansed. Dr. Amin, explains, "During the session, the water in the basin will always change to a brownish orange color due to the electrolytic reaction involving the array, salt, water, minerals and impurities in the water. When feet are in the water, the colors are also affected by oils being released from the sebaceous glands, the dead skin cells and the users own acidity/alkalinity. Some of the neutralized toxins will also exit the body back out through the pores of the feet due to osmosis. An unusual amount of any particular color may indicate that a person has accumulated toxins in certain areas or from certain conditions and that ionic detox is helping those areas. For example, the presence of black indicates liver detoxification. The presence of white cheese-like particles indicates yeast is being excreted. The presence of red flecks indicates blood clot material is being removed." HEALTHandMED.com recently conducted a survey from more than 100 Ionic Detox Foot Bath users and has revealed results that support Dr. Amin.
The Top 10 Health Benefits for using Ionic Detox Foot Baths as reported by HEALTHandMED.com
1. Pain Relief (42): [less pain in the following areas: joints(11), head (9), knees (5), feet (4), muscles (3), leg (2), arthritis (2), shoulder (2), wrist, lower back, discs and pulled muscles]
2. Increased Energy (29)
3. Improved Sleep (23)
4. Improved Digestion (10): [improved digestion (2), less bloated, (2), flatulence reduced (2), stimulated elimination, improved colon efficiency, constipation relieved, and acidity and heartburn reduced]
5. Toxin Reduction (9)
6. Decreased Swelling (9): [less swelling in the following areas: legs (2), eyes (2), feet, ankles, hands decreased, nails, water retention reduced]
7. Circulatory (9): [circulation improved (6), blood clots passed (2), decreased blood pressure
8. Reduced Weight (8): [Weight loss (5), metabolism increased (2), reduced carbohydrate food cravings]
9. Skin (7): [Skin suppleness improved, complexion improved, skin condition improved, calluses and corns reduced, eczema relieved, body odor disappeared, cleared up Athlete's Foot]
10. Emotional (5): [improvement in attitude, mood, alleviation of depression, less stress, better outlook on life]
Other responses included improvements in the following categories: Sensory, Immune System, Diabetes, Reduced Yeast, 5 Others
Some comments from those who took the HEALTHandMED.com Foot Detox Survey included:
"We love our system! When we go too long in-between uses, I can feel it."
"The majority of our clients are seniors and the benefits are profound for them with the amount of toxins they have been exposed to in their life time. It is really satisfying to see and hear the positive results."
I have been using detox foot bath because i wanted to get rid of foot pains, which was a complete success. I even got a bonus and that is better sleeping habits as well as more energy."
"I was receiving foot bath detoxes at my chiropractors office for treatment of fibromyalgia and it is nice that I can now do them at home."
"Clients say they usually get a cold this time of year but haven't. They also say that with each treatment the soreness they have in feet and legs is gone."
"As a registered nurse. I believe that there is a benefit to these machines as a lot of folks don't want to consume something to get a detox effect. With this, it is non-invasive non-disruptive to any body system which can be uncomfortable taking colonics. This is a way to get the same effect without taking a pill or drinking a drink."
"My husband has these brown veins or stripes around his ankles and when he does the detox they go away. He has had these marks on his ankles for years, no doctor knows what they are or why. When we started doing the detox we noticed that they start to disappear."
"I used the detox on a friend who was a metallurgist for 30 years. At first the smell of sulfur from all of the metals inside of him smelled like rotten eggs. I had to air out the room after he left. After 4 times, his detox didn't do that anymore and you could tell that he was getting lots of metals out of him and that he was feeling better."
"Having started a detox clinic for drugs and smoking, the need to rid the body of toxins is paramount for this clinic. People who were so toxic that I could not recommend a detoxification diet because they would become too ill have done just fine with the foot bath. They decrease their toxic burden by up to 30% in only a few sessions and are thrilled by the physical improvements in their health and the rise in their energy and interest in life. They also find that they sleep better after an ionic cleanse foot bath! When we use the footbath, an amazing amount of heavy metals and dark brown toxins are removed. I am amazed at the amount of crud that we store in our bodies, even when we eat well and drink large amounts of water!"
"My husband will be having knee replacement in both knees. He has a lot of swelling and pain but when using the machine, it pulls inflammation out and makes a world of difference. We both just feel better and can tell that our body is getting rid of toxins."
"The system helps them with swelling while they soak their feet in the warm water!!! They absolutely love it."
"Detoxification from working at Savannah River Site in a Nuclear Power Plant Environment as well as Military exposed to anything under the sun."
"At first I was skeptical that the detox foot bath would work, but believe me, after your first session a believer I am, its a great product, everyone should own one of these ionic detox foot bath system."
"I like the visual effect of seeing the toxins and other debris that are removed from my body. It has an effect of making me feel lighter and also makes me more conscious of what I put into my body in the first place."
"We are using it on 3 of us in the family. We feel like we have much more energy after using the foot detox. We are using it to rid our body of toxins. We live in a very polluted area of the world. And our daughter has hepatitis B so we are trying to detox her liver."
"I have had Lyme disease, and have read that many patients have benefited from detox treatments as they heal, and afterwords as well. I can also tell a difference in my joints (!) after a treatment, as they are not as stiff. This is the biggest help to my body. Also, if my lymph nodes are at all swollen, a treatment usually helps there as well."
"It helps my feet for circulation and makes me feel good."
"Feeling of well being, greater energy, body connectedness."
"I have never felt better. I use mine at least once a week and my skin looks better and my PH is going alkaline even more. I am 67 and perfect health. I use zero drugs. I do it all, eat only organic, do colonics occasionally. Never eat red meat. Only organic chicken and fish. No fried foods. The foot bath is working to clear all the junk I built up before my health mission. I look about 50 years old or less. "
"A feeling of general well being and more energy. "
"Takes away the aches & pains" "Feeling of increased well being, getting over illness more quickly. Improved energy."
"Every time I start to get a cold, I do a foot bath and the symptoms are gone. I have not had a cold in over a year now."
"Since I bought the system there is no doubt that I have been feeling very much better. I was diagnosed as an alcoholic and now I can really control my urges including my tobacco consumption."
"I encourage everyone considering purchasing an ionic foot bath system a great investment in creating a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. From detoxing the nicotine and alcohol from your body so you might consider quitting smoking to making your arthritis more manageable and creating a great wellness while you sleep more soundly to regain more energy to complete more of your goals and accomplishments the next day. This is a devise that every house hold should have to create a healthier lifestyle even if you don't live one."
"You need to be careful and know what you are doing but they are tremendous help in a program designed to keep your body healthy."
"A lady friend of my wife and I said that she found relief in going asleep at night and staying asleep through the early morning hours until she gets up at 6-7 AM. We also find that the best benefit of all is that it continually detoxes the major organs in our bodies. It is just amazing that these are released through the bottoms of our feet."
"One of my clients deferred her pancreatic surgery because of the detox bath. - 15343
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To see more details about the ionic foot detox bath systems used by the survey respondents, check out
www.HEALTHandMED.com
