About 15 ago, I began to have trouble walking. This was due to inflammation, caused mainly by stress, along with a poor diet and environmental toxins.
At least that’s what my naturopathic health practitioner told me.
It started with a nagging back ache.
Then, it progressed into a shooting pain, which ran down my right leg. It was so intense that it often kept me up at night. The pain also traveled, appearing in different parts of my body.
For years, I lived with this excruciating condition. Even though I was only in my 40s, I had great difficulty getting around. Unless I did something drastic, I very likely would have ended up in a wheelchair before I was 50. What I needed to do was clean up my diet and help my body rid itself of toxins. However, I resisted because I didn’t want to give up my favorite foods.
Looking back on this experience, I can’t believe I clung to my bad eating habits as long as I did. The wrong foods were fueling my condition. Old habits die hard.
Finally, I woke up and began cleaning up my diet. I regret not doing this sooner, as I probably wasted years feeling terrible.
Nowadays, I can walk again, without pain. I am so happy my health has improved, so I can live a normal life.
I certainly can’t attribute this all to mustard foot baths. Or any other single natural remedy. Instead, I believe, it was all the little things I did to get well that added up.
Herbs for Foot Detox
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Switching to organic foods was helpful, but it wasn’t enough. I also had to use various herbs, various homeopathic remedies and essential oils to counter the toxins I’d accumulated over a lifetime.
Classical homeopathy played a huge part in my healing and I highly recommend homeopathy to everyone who suffers from any chronic condition.
I was so sick that I was trying everything. All with the idea that it can’t hurt and it might help.
Then, I heard about mustard foot baths. This is a very simple home remedy anyone can try. When I did it, I soaked my feet for about 20 to 30 minutes while sitting at my computer. But, if you decide to do this, please use organic mustard powder, because it will not contain pesticide residue. Also, many conventionally grown spices are irradiated, which may destroy many beneficial compounds.
If you can’t find organic mustard powder locally, you can easily find it online. In our house, we use mustard powder sold by Simply Organic and we order it online. Lately, we’ve been ordering more and more staples online, simply for the convenience.
Mustard Foot Bath Detox
Here how to prepare a mustard foot bath. If you have heart problems, high blood pressure or a chronic health condition, check with your doctor before soaking your feet in a mustard foot bath. (Actually, if you’re reading this you probably have a chronic health condition, so check with your physician.)
That’s because mustard foot baths are simply. But they’re also very powerful, and I did them with the idea that I was gently detoxifying my body.
- Place one quart of comfortably warm, but not piping hot water in a basin.
- Add one Tbs. of organic mustard powder
- Soak for up to a half hour. If you feel light headed, stop sooner.
Even if you have to purchase a new bottle of organic mustard powder, it’s a good investment, because you can also use it as a healing kitchen spice, incorporating it in your recipes.
Mustard powder appears to contain potent natural anti-cancer compounds. Natural healers believe this spice is also a nervine, which means it’s good for the nervous system and it may help protect against nerve damage.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use herbal remedies unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional. People with chronic health problems should check with their doctor before doing mustard foot baths.
How To Detox Your Feet With a Mustard Foot Bath
If you spend time reading about holistic health, you’ll hear a lot about how to “detox.” However, drastic detoxing is something I didn’t do. Instead, I just started eating healthy real food and avoiding toxins. I did take various herbal remedies. I know these contain compounds that may facilitate the release of toxins. But I didn’t do anything drastic, such as long fasts or chelation. (This is a controversial treatment used to remove heavy metals from the body.)
Instead, I just focused on letting my body remove the toxins naturally. I wasn’t in a rush. It wasn’t a race. Going forward, if I avoided toxins, my body wouldn’t have to work as hard.
I also used easy “detox” methods, including mustard foot baths. I’m not a doctor or a healthcare professional. But I’ve read enough to know that drastic detoxing can potentially make you sicker. Especially if you have longstanding chronic health problems. That’s why I’m a big fan of easy ways to detox your body naturally.
Mustard Foot Baths With Essential Oils
Mustard foot baths have been used for centuries, in various cultures. It’s been said the Romans made use of this natural wellness method. Mustard baths have also been used in Great Britain as a natural cold and flu treatment. Mustard baths also have a long-standing history of being used in Ayurvedic medicine for detoxification.
Mustard Foot Baths vs Epsom Salts
Lately, in the United States, essential oils have become very popular. I’ve seen other people recommend adding them to mustard foot baths. For instance, if you were using the bath to detox, you may want to add a couple of drops of lavender essential oil, plus a half cup of Epsom salt. (Epsom salt is always a good idea when adding essential oils to water, as it may protect your skin from the strong oils.) Or, if you have a cold or the flu, you may consider adding peppermint essential oil instead.