Henry VIII could have used an Ionic Foot Bath.

Anyone who’s learned about the former English King Henry, Eighth of his Name, has probably heard about his many dead, divorced, and decapitated wives. But they may not have heard that he had Gout. In the past, it was known as ‘the Disease of Kings’, because only people that could afford to drink wine and beer, eat shellfish and red meat, and not do a lot of exercise, were inclined to contract it.

Nowadays, it is much more prevalent.

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is one of many toxins that the kidneys work to remove from the body, but sometimes there is too much uric acid, or the kidneys are not working at top capacity. When the excess uric acid reaches critical mass, it solidifies into urate crystals and settles in the joints.

Only about half the time it affects the big toes. Other joints affected are the knees, ankles, wrists and fingers. This causes pain, discomfort, swelling, and a sensation that your toe is on fire. Generally, the symptoms tend to appear only at night. There is no cure, but the symptoms can be controlled through diet and exercise. When uncontrolled, it can lead to tophi – swollen masses at the elbows, ankles, and fingers – and chronic kidney dysfunction. Kidney dysfunctions lead to kidney stones, kidney failure, and death.

Gout itself is not a mortal disease, but chronic kidney dysfunction can be.

Often, Gout is linked to other systemic disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disorders, and obesity, meaning that anyone with diabetes or high blood pressure could be at risk for contracting Gout. It is most common in men over the age of 40, with menopausal women a close second.

If Henry VIII had had an Ionic Foot Bath, he could have soaked his feet in it for half an hour a day, a couple days a week, and potentially rid himself of the symptoms. Unfortunately for him, electricity hadn’t been invented yet. Fortunately for modern sufferers of Gout, we do have electricity, and Ionic Foot Baths.

It is known that a low urine pH, or acidic urine, is one cause of kidney stones, which are made of the same crystal found in the joints during an attack of Gout. And since it is known that Ionic Foot Baths alkalize the urine, in theory, a sufferer of Gout or kidney stones should find relief, if not healing, through the use of an Ionic Foot Bath. This hypothesis has not been tested, but the theory is sound.

Anyone can use an Ionic Foot Bath and discover in the sediment of the bath what toxins had been floating about through their body, but the sufferer of Gout might find that the water turns an orange or yellow-green colour, with potential red flecks from cellular debris. Due to the sensitive nature of the feet during a flare-up, one should not use an Ionic Foot Bath during an attack. Wait a few days for the pain to subside, then try it.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gout

https://mindbodypal.com/ionic-foot-baths/