Bamboo Vinegar Foot Detox Patches
My latest foray into the wonderful world of bamboo was bamboo vinegar foot detox patches. I found them in a department store in town. They were made by a company called Chikusaku. When my Japanese girlfriend came round to my flat I asked her to translate the instructions on the pack. Firstly, I was pleased with myself that I had actually bought the right thing. There had been plenty of times when I had got home from shopping to discover that I had purchased the wrong thing - pictures can be deceiving.
Then I was pleased to discover that they were patches for detoxing my body. I have a fairly unhealthy life style as an English teacher in a language school - late nights, alcohol, cigarettes and junk food. I wondered if what I had read about bamboo vinegar was true. Namely, I wondered if bamboo vinegar really could draw out the poisons from my blood stream and liver and give me a boost.
According to my girlfriend I had to put the patches on my feet and leave them overnight. So that night I took out two of the individually wrapped patches and removed the plastic. They were like over-sized sticking plasters. They felt cold to the touch. They didn't smell of vinegar, rather a smoky smell.
The next morning I peeled off the patches. I was shocked to discover how black they had become. Whatever the black stuff was, I was glad it was on the patches and not in my body. I cannot claim to have felt any more 'genki' that morning but it did make me curious about toxins.
It seems that toxins are everywhere - in the air, in the tap water and in a lot of processed food. In the past people detoxed by fasting, vigorous exercise and eating only certain vegetables and fruit. If you don't detox you can start to feel run down, get skin irritations and if you are a woman toxin build up can disrupt your periods.
I also read about what incredible stuff bamboo vinegar is. It's collected when bamboo charcoal is made. It contains over 200 organic chemicals and has a slightly acidic PH and so is called 'vinegar'. The Chinese used it for treating people who had been poisoned.
Science has now discovered other uses for bamboo vinegar. It is anti fungal and so can be used to treat athlete's foot. It is antimicrobial and antibacterial and can be used to sterlize things. It also works as a medicine to cure constipation, to improve blood circulation and to stop inflammation. Bamboo vinegar can also be used as an insect repellent and as a deodorizer.
It doesn't stop there. Bamboo vinegar is also an aid to beauty. It can used to soften the skin and to make hair shiny and soft. I could do with some more beauty!
Reading all this made me think that I really wanted to buy a bottle of bamboo vinegar instead of just the patches.
Nevertheless, I have perservered with the bamboo vinegar foot patches for about a week now. The difference may be more psychological than real but I am starting to feel a bit more energized. What is certain is that my fascination with bamboo and bamboo products remains unabated.
