Keeping your feet warm in cold weather helps boost immunity

Related to many meridians

According to Dr. Phan Minh Duc, Deputy Head of the Department of Traditional Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University, Hanoi: Keeping your feet warm in winter is important for your overall health. Cold feet can weaken your immune system and cause a number of health conditions. Wearing appropriate footwear during the winter months, especially when participating in outdoor activities, can help prevent illness and injury.

Keeping your feet warm in winter is important for overall health

According to traditional medicine, the foot is the end or origin of many meridians, including the main meridians: Liver, Gallbladder, Stomach meridians (top of the foot), Spleen, Bladder meridians (2 sides of the foot), Kidney meridians originate from the sole of the foot, with the effect of treating many digestive diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, urinary retention, bedwetting, insomnia...

The sole of the foot includes all the soft tissue under the bones and joints of the foot. There is a very thick and firm layer of skin, attached to the subcutaneous tissue; the fascia covers the muscles and veins of the sole of the foot. There are 4 muscle layers, only 2 neurovascular bundles are the last arterial branches of the posterior tibial artery and the posterior tibial nerve (medial plantar artery and lateral plantar artery) located between the muscle layers, so in winter it is necessary to keep warm, exercise gently to improve blood circulation.

Massage therapy

According to the reflexology theory system, the foot is considered a miniature map of the body, in which each area and internal organ has its own reflex points. By massaging these points, disorders throughout the body can be adjusted.

Regular foot massage is a form of oriental medicine, which helps to dilate blood vessels in the feet, increase blood circulation, improve local nutrition, increase elasticity of blood vessels under the skin, and effectively treat headaches, dizziness, and insomnia caused by nervous breakdown. Daily hot foot rubbing in winter can reduce symptoms of numbness and cold feet.

Massage therapy with essential oils or herbal foot baths help improve local circulation, with the most obvious effects on degenerative diseases of the joints of the toes, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, peripheral neuropathy, etc.

Many studies show that massaging the soles of the feet helps reduce anxiety, stress, nausea, stimulate appetite, and strengthen the body's immunity.

Immune system health

According to Dr. Phan Minh Duc, the feet have a huge impact on how warm we feel. The feet, like the hands, have a large surface area and many blood cells. In addition, because the feet are at the end of the limbs and do not have many muscles, they tend to cool down faster than other parts of the body. By warming the feet, we can quickly warm the rest of the body, helping us feel comfortable when we go out in the cold.

Researchers have recently linked cold feet to immune system problems. People with cold feet have been found to have a weaker immune response, making them more susceptible to infection and illness. A 2005 study found that subjects were 30% more likely to develop the flu if their feet were cold for 20 minutes or more during flu season.

Regarding the above relationship, Dr. Duc explained that when the feet are cold, the blood vessels in the feet constrict, leading to reduced blood flow, reducing the ability to supply white blood cells. Because white blood cells are the immune system's main way of dealing with infections, when their performance is reduced, the ability to fight disease is weakened.

To avoid health problems in the cold season, people need to keep their feet warm with breathable socks, wear shoes that fit their feet, and are made of moderately soft material.

Keep feet dry, especially between the toes.

Avoid drying out your skin, as dry skin can easily crack and become inflamed in cold weather. Apply moisturizer if your skin is dry and cracked.

For diabetic patients, it is necessary to clean and check the feet daily. Keep warm, airy, and clean the feet to prevent diabetic foot disease. If you want to soak your feet, you should consult your doctor.

Dr. Phan Minh Duc

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/giu-am-ban-chan-mua-lanh-giup-tang-cuong-mien-dich-185240102173856941.htm