Earlier this week I developed fever and chills out of the blue so I immediately started my naturopathic protocol of rest, homeopathy, bone broth and magic socks. Instead of developing the flu, I recovered within a day and felt stronger than before. Then it occurred to me that I should share this simple home hydrotherapy treatment on my blog because it has literally no contraindications and can really make the difference between only being sick for a day or so or for weeks!
Recipe for Magic Socks
Supplies:
- Bath, shower or hot foot bath
- Epsom salt and/or essential oils (optional)
- Thin cotton socks
- Heavy wool socks (do not need to be 100% wool)
This should all be done right before going to bed to rest overnight so you are not walking around after applying the socks. Collect your supplies and finish up your bedtime routine i.e.: brushing teeth, washing face, taking meds/supplements etc...
First, take a pair of thin cotton socks and put them into cold water so they are ready for after your bath. According your tolerance, you can add ice cubes to the water or put the well wrung out socks into the freezer. They will be stiff when you remove them but will soften up quickly
Draw yourself a very warm bath (hot as you can stand it without burning yourself) and submerge your body up to your neck to help bring up your core body temperature. Remember that elevated temperature such as fever is your bodies way of fighting any virus or bacteria causing your illness. If you are unable to take a bath, then a hot shower or hot foot bath will also suffice. Do NOT skip this step! You want to be nice and warm before applying the cold socks. It actually makes the treatment work better when there is a bigger difference between how warm you are and how cold the socks are! I often add a few cups of epsom salt and some lavender essential oil to the bath water but this is optional.
Once finished with the bath and ready for bed, put on the cold socks then immediately pull the heavier wool socks on over them and get right into bed. The cold generally only lasts for about a minute if you have done all the preparation work correctly. Go to sleep and when you wake up the socks will be warm and dry. If you wake up and having the socks on bothers you, then as long as the socks are warm, you can take them off. Most people tend to sleep well and feel better in the morning after this treatment. This can be repeated for several nights in a row if needed.
If you have any questions or need additional advice, call to schedule an appointment right away.