The Power of Warm Feet

Can warm feet really help support your well-being?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cold and wind are regarded as two of the six primary factors that can lead to imbalance. It's essential to stay warm to maintain good health during cold winters. This involves dressing warmly when outdoors and shielding your midriff, neck, and head from exposure to wind and cold, as these are key areas through which cold can enter the body and potentially cause illness.

So what about the feet?

Have you ever had the experience of warming up your feet and feeling your whole body immediately warm up too? This is because our feet have lots of blood vessels and nerve endings and play an essential role in temperature regulation.

TCM offers a philosophy that feels both ancient and startlingly relevant.

At its core is one simple idea: warmth sustains life and cold weakens it.

In TCM everything begins with Qi- our body’s animating force. It must flow freely and remain abundant for a person to feel vibrant, clear minded and emotionally grounded. Warmth moves Qi. Cold slows it.

Warmth also supports yang energy which governs metabolism, circulation, reproductive function and cellular vitality. Cold depletes yang.

Your feet are considered gateways for cold (yin) invasion, especially via Kidney 1 (located on the sole of the foot). Keeping your feet warm helps the body remain healthy and ensure your Qi and Blood are flowing well. Warm socks are not aesthetic. They are protective. Our feet have 6 different meridians running through them, four of which are vital for out daily well-being; the Stomach, Spleen, Liver and Kidney meridians.

How can we keep out feet warm and protected?

• Avoid walking barefoot of cold surfaces.

• At home, consider wearing socks or cozy slippers if you tend to get cold feet.

• Remove wet and cold socks/footwear as soon as possible.

• Try having a warm Epsom salt foot bath before going to bed. This will warm up your whole body in no time as well as support the quality of your sleep, and to guide any excess energy(Qi) from the head back to the source—the Kidney.