Take a moment and look down towards your own two feet. These amazing appendages support our entire body, keep us upright, and motor us about.
How much time and effort do you spend caring for your feet? If you’re like many people…you may neglect your feet and then pay dearly with this lack of self-care. Foot pain, ingrown toenails, nail fungus, poor posture, and an improper gait are just a few of the problems you may encounter. Give your feet a well deserved break with one or more of these tips.
Treats for Your Feet
Ankle Rolls: Lie on your back with one leg straight, lying flat, and the other leg bent, foot raised, supporting your hamstrings with both hands. Make 20 ankle circles in each direction, then point and flex the toes 20 times. Lower and repeat with the other leg. Too challenging for you? Then try these ankle exercises you can do seated at your desk. Ankle flexibility helps us to maintain balance, prevent falls, and strengthens the lower legs.
Lose Weight: Extra weight places significant pressure on our joints. In fact, an excess of only five pounds places twenty-five pounds of pressure on joints. A small amount of weight loss can significantly improve the health of all joints…especially the ankles which supports the weight of our entire body.
Play Barefoot: Nerves on the bottom of our feet are more receptive than the nerves of our hands. Provide the extra stimulation feet need by walking barefoot at home and incorporating more barefoot exercise - like Pilates, dance, and yoga. Rolling your foot on a tennis ball for five minutes a day stimulates nerves, plus improves stability and mobility.
Decrease Inflammation: Foot pain related to swelling is typically linked to our diet. Eat a low fat and low sodium diet of anti-inflammatory foods such as legumes, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. These types of foods also prevents and treats degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis.
Reflexology: Schedule an appointment with a licensed practitioner and experience why reflexology is much more than a foot massage. A reflexology session can provide pain relief, reduce muscle tension, relieve stress, and improve circulation. Reflexology works by activating pressure points along the feet that correspond to spots on the entire body, making reflexology a very healing and therapeutic modality.
Foot Soaks: Make a cocktail for your feet! Add Epsom salts (1/2 to 1 cup) and either a few drops of peppermint essential oil or add a peppermint tea bag to warm water in a shallow container or your tub for a stimulating and regenerative soak. The magnesium sulfate in the Epsom salts relieves muscle soreness and peppermint invigorates and deodorizes hard working feet. For best results soak feet for at least 10-15 minutes.
Remember, this advice is not designed to replace medical care. Take what is useful, investigate these options, and speak to your physician before incorporating anything new into your wellness routine.
Be Well! ~Tiffany Anderson, LMT, RMT, BS, CHES
Founder, Anderson Therapeutics
*An edited version of this post was first published May 16, 2019
