People Think That TikTok’ers Are Crazy For Sleeping With Sliced Potatoes In Their Socks To Ward Off Flu Symptoms – Here’s What The Doctors Won’t Say

It’s flu season again, and people are looking for any method they can find to avoid getting sick. The latest home remedy trending on TikTok is putting sliced potatoes in your socks while you sleep.

Proponents of this odd practice claim that the potatoes will draw out toxins and reduce flu symptoms. Of course, medical experts are skeptical about whether potatoes have any real therapeutic benefits. But Ancient Chinese Medicine may show us more then what we’ve been taught in Western culture.

In this article, we’ll explore the potato sock remedy, look at what science has to say, check out the beliefs of our ancient ancestors, and you can decide whether this viral hack could actually work.

With flu cases on the rise this time of year, many are desperate to avoid coming down with illness. But can sleeping with spuds in your footwear really help? Let’s dig into the latest quirky health trend lighting up social media.

@crystal.irish

Replying to @tobytucker1 WOW!! This amazed me even more!! Potatoes for the win!! Definitely add them to your cure remedy! 🙌🏼🥔🙌🏼 #potato #potatoes #potatotiktok #cure #grandmarecipes #naturalremedy #holistichealth #potatochallenge

♬ original sound – C R Y S T A L ❀

Raw Potatoes In Your Socks?

A viral health hack taking TikTok by storm claims that putting sliced raw potatoes in your socks at bedtime can help ward off flu and cold symptoms. The remedy stems from the belief that the high antioxidant content in potatoes enables them to “pull” toxins and germs from the body overnight.

According to TikTok users, the potatoes should be placed near the arches of the feet before falling asleep. In the morning, the potatoes are often shriveled, brown, or even black, full of dead bacteria they extracted overnight.

Proponents of the trick praise its ability to reduce inflammation, boost circulation, and alleviate flu symptoms after a night of sleep “detoxing” with spuds. Despite enthusiastic reviews, there is no research ever done to prove these claims. But from the number of viral videos on TikTok, I’d say the evidence should be taken into consideration.

@dr.tiah

#stitch with @autumnthadoll The antioxidant effects of potatoes #antioxidant #potato #holistichealth #detox #naturaldetox #drtiah

♬ original sound – Dr. Tiah | Chronic Pain Chiro

The Medicinal Benefits Of Potatoes

• Potatoes supply beneficial vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, B6, and potassium.
• Potatoes have a compound in them called anthocyanidins & anthocyanins that are antioxidants, and considered antimicrobial.
• Potatoes are also rich in compounds like flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids. These compounds act as antioxidants in the body by neutralizing potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals.
• When free radicals accumulate, they can increase the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.Studies have also found that colored potatoes like purple potatoes can have three to four times more antioxidants than white potatoes. This makes them potentially more effective at neutralizing free radicals.

Ancient Belief’s Of Detoxing Through Your Feet

Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches that “if the human body were a tree, the head is the branches, the body is the trunk, and the feet are the roots, so in order to treat our illnesses, we must water our roots.” 1/4 of the body’s bones are in the feet, as well as 72,000 nerve endings and 6 meridians.

Foot baths also increase circulation, which is highly beneficial in colder regions. Soaking your feet increases the heart rate the same way as exercising, which is helpful for those who are physically inhibited. Cardiovascular activity is essential for our body to process efficiently, so foot baths are highly effective for those with more sedentary lifestyles.

One practice of ancient Chinese medicine was using reflexology techniques as foot remedies to detoxify your body. These methods were based on the belief that the energy zones in the feet are connected to internal organs. Both Chinese and Japanese cultures believed that you could cleanse the entire body by extracting accumulated toxins via the soles of the feet.

About Ancient Chinese Medicine

Ancient Chinese medicine is a holistic approach to healthcare that has been practiced for thousands of years. It is based on the belief that the body’s vital energy, known as Qi (pronounced “chee”), flows through meridians or channels. These meridians are pathways that connect different parts of the body, including the internal organs.

Reflexology, which is the belief that there are specific energy zones in the feet that correspond to different internal organs and systems. This practice is sometimes referred to as foot reflexology or foot acupressure.

The concept of detoxification through reflexology and the viral hack involving sliced potatoes on the soles of the feet both draw on the idea of promoting wellness through the feet, albeit through different mechanisms.

Detoxification through Reflexology:

• • Reflexology is based on the belief that specific points on the feet correspond to different organs and systems in the body. By stimulating these points, practitioners aim to promote balance and facilitate the body’s natural healing processes.
  • Advocates of reflexology claim that it can help the body eliminate toxins, improve circulation, and reduce stress, ultimately supporting overall well-being.
  • While scientific evidence on the effectiveness of reflexology for detoxification is limited, many people find it to be a relaxing and enjoyable practice.
  • This viral hack suggests placing sliced potatoes against the soles of your feet and securing them with socks. The claim is that the natural compounds in potatoes may draw out harmful bacteria or viruses through the skin.
  • Although this practice lacks scientific validation, the viral response to many videos amidst tiktok and other social media platforms can’t be ignored.

Although the ancient beliefs and scientific evidence do not align, you can’t help but wonder if this potato-sock-flu home remedy has some truth to it. Thankfully, unlike other OTC medicines, there is little to no risk of side effects if you decide to give it a try.

I would recommend using organic potatoes, and as information was stated above, the colored potato variety tend to have more antioxidants than the plain russet variety. So give it a shot and let us know how it works for you in the comments!

4 Other Natural DIY Foot Detox Recipes

1. Ionic Foot Bath

Soak your feet in warm water to open the pores.

• 1 cup of Sea Salt
• 1 cup of Epsom Salt
• 2 cups of Baking Soda (Pure Sodium Bicarbonate)

Dissolve all ingredients in boiling water and, when the water cools to a comfortable level, soak your feet for 30 minutes. In addition to toxic relief, this bath will help fight body aches and tiredness and increase magnesium levels.

2. Oxygen Foot Detox Bath Recipe

Fill your foot tub with hot water.

• 2 cups of Hydrogen Peroxide
• 1 tablespoon of Dried Ginger Powder

Stir the water to mix the ingredients and then soak your feet for 30 minutes. This is a great bath to treat irritations and allergies as well as remove toxins from your body.

3. Clay Foot Detox Bath Recipe

Pour hot water into a foot tub. Be sure to not use metal bowls, as this may reduce the effectiveness of bentonite clay.

• 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt and allow it to dissolve
• Prepare a mixture of 1/2 cup of Bentonite Clay and water.

Add it to the Epsom salt bath. Soak your feet for 20 minutes to heighten the level of magnesium in your body and remove toxins.

4. Ultimate Detox Foot Bath Ingredients

Pour hot water into a foot tub. Be sure to not use metal bowls, as this may reduce the effectiveness of bentonite clay.

• 1 cup Epsom Salt
• 1 cup Dead Sea Mineral Salt
• Prepare a mixture of 1/2 cup of Bentonite Clay and water
• ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 10–20 drops of Essential Oils (optional)
  (My favorite is lavender for night, orange for day)

Carefully pour hot water to a basin large enough to comfortably accommodate your feet. Add Epsom salts, Dead Sea salt, bentonite clay, ACV and your favorite essential oils to the water. Soak your feet for 20–30 minutes.

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