Why IonCleanse detox foot bath?
Start slow and build up
Most of us are pretty toxic and if you detox too fast, your body has to work really hard. That can lead to some not-so-nice side effects (also called Herx or Herxheimer reactions) that you might want to avoid. Side effects can include: extreme tiredness / lethargy, dizziness, headaches, itching or rash, mood swings, 'flu-like' symptoms, constipation or diarrhea and 'brain fog'. By starting slow, you will lessen your chances of experiencing those.
Support your body while it's detoxing
Toxins can be removed from your body through your lymph, liver, kidneys, digestive tract and your skin. In order to help your body do its job, stay well hydrated, eat nutritious foods regularly and get adequate amounts of sleep. Some people like to take supportive supplements and we recommend that you consult with your health care practitioner as to what would be suitable for you. Be wary of 'stacking' too many detox protocols at the same time - for example, doing Epsom Salt baths, Infra-Red Saunas, supplement-specific detox protocols and the IonCleanse. This increases the load on your body and you may need to adjust your schedules accordingly.
Monitor side-effects
Keep track of what changes you notice (good and bad) while you're doing your footbaths. You can use the Toxicity Assessment Form produced by AMD, or for Autism you might like to use the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist. Complete the checklist prior to starting your footbath or any other protocol, and then monitor on a regular basis. It can be surprising to go back through previous lists and see the symptoms that you no longer have!
Experiment with the best time to cleanse
A lot of people find that the IonCleanse relaxes them and helps them to sleep better, so they will cleanse in the evening. Others have noticed that they or their children might become more active, so they prefer to cleanse earlier in the day. If you're experiencing any effects related to sleep, experiment to see which time of day suits you best.
Children over the age of two
We suggest starting off slowly with this age group and closely monitoring any side-effects. Do a 10-15 minute session for the first time and then wait for at least three or four days to see if they have tolerated this well. We do not recommend doing less than 10 minutes, as this can stir up toxins but not start the process of moving them out. You may then see negative effects such as rapid mood swings.
Your next session, repeat the same length of time and wait three days. If you've done 10-15 minutes at a time and had four footbaths without any negative effects, then start to increase the time gradually. You want to aim for 20 minutes for younger children, and up to 30 minutes for primary school aged children. This is a good starting point for most children.
Teenagers and adults
Follow the same guidelines as above, but start off with 15-20 minutes. Aim to increase to 30 minute sessions, three times a week. Some people find it beneficial to have longer footbaths as their relaxation response takes longer to 'kick in'. In this case, you might like to gradually work up to 45 minute sessions, depending upon your progress.
Elderly and those with severe health issues
Those who have underlying health issues such as Lyme, or are elderly, can often find the footbath makes them very tired. We recommend following the same protocol as for young children, but space your footbaths out further - you may wish to do one a week to start with.
What is the polarity?
The IonCleanse by AMD has a patented, dual polarity process. When you're running your IonCleanse, your screen will show you a positive (+) or negative (-) symbol. This symbol shows you which ions are being influenced in the water. So a positive symbol is influencing positive ions, and a negative symbol is influencing negative ions. It might seem rather obvious information, but it's important to remember that ions are attracted to opposites!
When a positive ion is being influenced in the water, that means the machine is actually generating negative ions. So the machine showing you positive, is actually generating negative ions, in order to influence those positive ions in your detox. The reverse applies as well of course. Confused? Don't be - just remember the paragraph above! Positive symbol = positive ions, negative symbol = negative ions being influenced.
How much positive and negative happens during the cycle?
A standard IonCleanse Solo operates at 70/30 cycles. For 7 out of 10 minutes, the machine will show a positive symbol (influencing positive ions in the water). For the other 3 minutes, it will flip over to the negative symbol and influence negative ions in the water.