"The standard of 'foot soaking, only sweating is considered effective' carries significant risks for middle-aged and elderly populations.

When pursuing intense sweating in autumn and winter, forcing the pores to open excessively can cause the yang qi that should be internally retained to dissipate outward. Many people feel unusually fatigued, anxious, weak, or even more prone to catching colds after soaking their feet and sweating heavily, and the root of the problem lies in this.

The correct way to soak feet should achieve a gentle effect of "body warm and slightly moist," meaning soaking until the whole body feels warm, with a slight sense of sweating on the back or forehead, but without forming sweat droplets that flow down. The duration should be strictly controlled between 15 to 20 minutes, with the water temperature maintained at around 40°C, ensuring it feels comfortable for the body.

The following groups of people should be particularly cautious when soaking their feet, or even avoid it altogether.

First are diabetic patients. This group has a poor sense of temperature and is prone to severe burns. Additionally, diabetic patients have extremely poor wound healing abilities, and even a minor burn can lead to uncontrollable infections, ulcers, or even gangrene. If soaking feet is absolutely necessary, it is recommended to use a thermometer to measure the water temperature, keeping it between 37°C to 40°C, avoiding direct hand testing of the temperature, and limiting the soaking time to no more than 10 minutes.

Second, for patients with varicose veins in the lower limbs. Hot water will further dilate the lower limb blood vessels, exacerbate the stasis of venous blood, causing the varicose veins to become more prominent and tortuous, which is not conducive to controlling the condition. If foot soaking is absolutely necessary, the lower limbs can be elevated after soaking to promote venous blood return.

Third, for patients with severe hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cerebral arteriosclerosis. During foot soaking, the dilation of lower limb blood vessels causes a large amount of blood to flow to the lower limbs, which in turn leads to relatively insufficient blood supply to important organs such as the brain and heart. This redistribution of blood flow can easily trigger angina pectoris, myocardial ischemia, or acute cerebral ischemia. For this group of people who need foot soaking, the water temperature should be lower, and the duration should be shorter.