Circulation issues are common, especially in the elderly. With time, the blood circulation, that is important even for the brain to function in optimal capacity, slow down or becomes sluggish. Poor circulation makes a person more prone to high blood pressure and blood clots, both important causes of stroke. Warm foot baths make the blood move freely from the extremities toward the heart, improving oxygen delivery and reducing vascular strain.
Poor circulation has been associated with a variety of diseases- of which some are Peripheral artery disease, Deep-vein thrombosis, kidney disease, diabetes complications and what not.
A leading risk factor for stroke is hypertension, a state of high blood pressure that puts added stress on the blood vessels and can cause vascular damage. The Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research published a study regarding soaking the feet for 15 minutes among 100 individuals who were hypertensive. The results showed a significant drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Apart from blood pressure reduction, the same study reported improvements in heart rate variability — a measure of balance in the autonomic nervous system. Warm footbaths decreased the “sympathetic tone” — or stress response — of the body and enhanced parasympathetic activity, often referred to as “rest-and-digest” mode, which helps in maintaining long-term cardiovascular health.
Another study from nursing and community health research pointed out that foot baths dilated blood vessels but also stimulated nerves in the soles of the feet, which link to vital organs such as the heart and kidneys, thus suggesting that Ashi Yu may have a systemic effect on improving blood flow to key organs and supporting overall vascular function.
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