About the Ion Cleanse Detoxification Machine

An ion cleanse machine at first appears to be a foot bath, but proponents say this product has much greater health benefits. After your feet have soaked in the electrolyzed water for 30 minutes, the liquid has usually turned into a mixture of brown, green and black bubbles. According to ioncleansemachine.com, the water and the electrolysis have combined to remove toxins from your body through your feet.

History

Ions were first theorized about in the 1830s, but ion cleanse machines are mostly less than 10 years old. The idea that you can heal your entire body through the feet dates back to the ancient art of foot reflexology.

Function

An ion cleanse machine operates through the use of steel and brass electrodes and salt water, which combine to create an electrical current in the bath. This electromagnetic force is closely aligned with the one that operates in the body, which is how the machine purportedly draws out toxins.

Considerations

You may have to reveal parts of your medical history before having an ion cleanse--the procedure is not recommended for those who are pregnant, have pacemakers, are on blood thinners or are epileptic. Before the ion cleanse begins, your muscles may be tested to determine the correct amount of time for your feet to be kept in the water.

Benefits

Those who have ion cleanses often report a greater sense of well being, calmness and serenity following the procedure. Some participants report wide-ranging health benefits including relief from headaches, arthritis and back pain.

Misconceptions

According to the BBC's Consumer Watchdog, the ion cleanse produces the ugly water through rusting of the metal electrodes in the brine and the effect has nothing to do with toxins leaving the body. Many promoters of the ion cleanse have since then moved away from claiming that the water color represents the removal of toxic bodily waste. Instead the health benefits are attributed to the electrical current running through the salt water, which helps restore bodily energy patterns, or "chi."