Treat Your Feet to Some TLC with Ayurveda

BY: Shreelata Suresh

Our feet are often the least pampered parts of our bodies. Here are some suggestions from ayurveda, the ancient science of healing from India, for taking care of your feet on a regular basis:

1. During your pre-bath ayurvedic massage (abhyanga), pay special attention to your feet. Massage the feet, each toe, the ankles, the heels and the soles in turn with the warm oil, gently stretching the feet and toes as you massage them and using circular motions around your ankles and heels. (Pat excess oil off your soles with paper towels before you step into the bath or shower and watch your step because oil can be slippery). This daily foot massage enhances lubrication and circulation, and helps draw toxins to the surface for release. Using massage oil that has been fortified with nourishing ayurvedic herbs provides added support to help keep your feet strong and flexible.

2. During your bath or shower, let your feet enjoy warm water for a few minutes, then cleanse with a gentle, non-irritating cleanser and a footbrush or washcloth, working between the toes and scrubbing the heels to slough off dead skin. Use a neem based cleanser to help rid feet of odor or bacteria. After your bath or shower, pat your feet dry and apply a moisturizing body lotion if you use one anyway, otherwise massage a little plain shea butter or coconut oil on your feet before slipping on a pair of cotton socks.

3. Once a week, apply a natural exfoliating mixture on your feet, especially on the heels and soles, when you cleanse, to remove hardened dead skin. Make your own exfoliating mixture of 2 parts coarse oatmeal, 2 parts chickpea flour (available at Indian grocery stores) and 1 part rose water. Add warm water as needed to form a thick paste. Apply on your feet and scrub gently, then rinse off with warm water. Pat dry and follow with an application of coconut oil, shea butter or natural body lotion.

4. Follow basic rules of comfort. Wear footwear that fits properly and is roomy enough so that no part of your foot feels pinched. Do not wear high heels except when you absolutely have to. Replace shoes before they wear out or become lopsided with use. Wear cotton socks indoors to protect your feet from the cold. When the temperature is comfortable and you are indoors, walk barefoot occasionally to allow your feet to breathe. Sit, stand and walk with an erect posture. If you work at a sedentary job, take breaks every hour or so and walk around a little. Use a footsie roller at your workstation.

5. A nightly foot and lower leg massage not only relaxes the feet, it also helps promote restful sleep. Use a light, non staining oil such as almond or jojoba, and if you like, you can add 4-5 drops of a relaxing essential oil such as lavender or sandalwood to every 2 oz. of base oil. Take a very small amount of oil, just enough to offer lubrication, in your palm and gently massage your lower legs and feet for 3-4 minutes each until the oil is absorbed by your skin. Use soothing strokes and breathe deeply as you massage. No need to wash the oil off--you can go to bed as soon as you are done.

6. For tired, stressed feet, try a foot soak. Either of the following two recipes will have you sighing, "Ah, this is bliss," as you soak the tension away.

Herbal foot soak:

1/4 cup lavender flowers

1/4 cup lemon peel

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

2 tablespoons fine oatmeal

2 tablespoons almond meal

Wrap the ingredients in a cheesecloth and tie with a string. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop the herb sachet in and turn off the heat. Let steep for 15-20 minutes. Combine the herbed water with enough comfortably warm water to immerse your feet up to your ankles, and soak your feet for about 15 minutes. Stay relaxed as you soak, either just sitting in silence and breathing deeply or hearing relaxing instrumental melodies. Pat you feet dry and rub on some lotion or shea butter.

Aromatherapy foot soak:

1/4 cup sea salts

1 tbsp Epsom salts

1 tsp baking soda

2 drops essential oil of lemon

2 drops essential oil of sandalwood

2 drops essential oil of coriander

Combine well all of the above in enough comfortably warm water (about 2 quarts) in a foot basin or bath-tub to immerse your feet up to your ankles. Soak your feet in the mix for about 15 minutes. Stay relaxed as you soak. After you're done, pat your feet dry and apply some moisturizing lotion or shea butter. Mmmm!

7. If your feet tend to perspire a lot or to help your feet stay fresh in warm weather, dust them lightly with the following natural powder:

1/2 cup arrowroot

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

2 drops essential oil of peppermint

2 drops essential oil of lemon

Pass the dry ingredients through a sieve two or three times to mix well. Add the essential oils to the mix, stir well, and sieve again. Store in a dry container.

Notes:

1. If you have any medical condition, please consult your health professional for proper care. Foot soaks, Epsom salts and essential oils, for example, are not recommended in certain conditions.

2. Exercise proper care when using salts and essential oils.

Disclaimer: The above article is educational in nature, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult your physician.

Article Source: http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ss_feet.html

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Care for Feet Every Step Of The Way

Foot Care Tips Help Prevent Complications of Diabetes

(ARA) - With winter just a few weeks away many people are starting to feel the itchy effects of dry skin, but for people with diabetes, dry skin is not simply a minor annoyance -- it may lead to more serious complications if not properly treated.

Severe dry skin may result in deep and painful cracks in the skin's surface, especially in the feet.

Approximately 60 percent of people with diabetes suffer from a complication called neuropathy, or nerve damage, and may not be able to feel those painful cracks on the soles of their feet. Left untreated, wounds may become infected and create greater complications.

More than 16 million Americans have diabetes, and each year more than 86,000 of them have amputations resulting from foot ulcers or chronic wounds, many of which begin as a small cut or blister.

Doctors estimate that nearly 50 percent of amputations may have been prevented through a combination of awareness, prevention and intervention.

"People with diabetes have the opportunity to significantly improve their condition by taking proactive measures to care for themselves," says Dr. Maria G. Dill, regional medical director for Curative Health Services and medical director at the Valley Baptist Wound Care Center in Harlingen, Texas. "Simple steps can be taken to prevent complications from arising."

The following preventive measures may help people avoid or minimize the severity of injuries, sores and infections to their feet:

Never walk barefoot.

Check feet every day for injury.

Wash feet daily in warm, soapy water.

Moisturize the soles of feet with unscented lotion immediately after bathing.

Avoid scented lotions, as they contain alcohol that may dry the feet.

Check shoes to make sure they are free of stones and sharp or lumpy objects, like a child's toy.

Wear loose socks in bed if feet are cold -- do not use hot water or heating pads to warm cold feet.

Make regular visits to a podiatrist.

Without proper treatment, injuries caused by neuropathy may become serious wound problems, resulting in chronic infections, gangrene and possibly amputation. More than 6 million people in the United States suffer from chronic wounds, which are commonly defined as wounds that show little or no improvement after four weeks of best practices, or do not progress toward healing in eight weeks. Curative Health Services (Nasdaq: CURE) operates a national network of more than 100 Wound Care Centers(R), which follow an interdisciplinary approach when treating patients suffering from chronic wounds. Nutrition, wound prevention, and education play key roles in all treatment plans. The program has healed more patients with chronic wounds than any other wound specialty program, and consistently averages a 90 percent patient satisfaction rate throughout the nation.

If non-healing foot ulcers occur, consult with a physician. For more information about foot care tips for people with diabetes or treatment for non-healing wounds, call the nearest Wound Care Center at (800) 991-HEAL (4325).

Article Source: http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ara-footcare.html

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Are Those Really Corns on Your Feet?

By Jane Rivero

There are several conditions that affect the feet that are very similar. You may think you have foot corns, for example, but in fact you may have foot calluses. So how do you know for sure? Well, while they may be similar from some points of view, they all have their specific traits that differentiates them from one another.

But first of all, let's see what corns on feet are and how they manifest. Foot corns are usually thickened areas of skin which are caused by applying too much pressure on the foot. Shoes usually apply pressure on the top of the foot, thus the toes are more likely to develop foot corns, as well as the under the ball of the foot or between the toes. They cause much discomfort and are painful and unsightly.

Compared to foot calluses, corns are quite different. Corns on feet are spherically shaped calluses of dead skin. Foot calluses are also areas where the skin has become toughened and thick and hard. Calluses tend to be flatter, thicker and far more extensive. They may cover the whole of the ball of the foot. In fact, you may have a callus, and have a corn on top of it!

Callused skin on the feet comes as a result of repeated friction, pressure or other irritations. The most frequent cause for their appearance is poor foot mechanics or badly fitting shoes. While corns on feet usually appear on the upper side of the foot, calluses develop on the sole of the foot, especially where the first metatarsal bone joins the big toe, but also on the heel. They are generally not harmful and don't hurt as much as foot corns, but they can be more dangerous; as skin ulceration and infections may appear.

Corns appear as a thickening of the skin on the toes. This thickening appears as a cone-shaped mass pointing down into the skin. A corn can occur over a callus or be surrounded by calluses. It has been observed that a corn is a thicker and more focal area, while foot calluses are more diffuse thickenings of the skin.

A common cause that leads to the formation of corns and calluses are hammertoes. A hammertoe is a condition resulting from keeping the toes tight and bunched up for a long period of time. Most frequently, they result from wearing inappropriate footwear or from foot abnormalities. Tight shoes force the toes to bend and keep them in that bent position for a long period of time. This causes toe muscles to shorten, which results in the toe having the appearance of a hammer. Thus the name "hammertoes". Because the toes are bent upward, they are prone to developing foot corns and calluses.

Both corns on feet and foot calluses are normal and natural ways in which the body protects itself. Both calluses and corns may go away by themselves eventually, but if you want to get rid of them more quickly, there are some treatment options worthy to be taken into consideration. These include using a callus shaver, salicylic acid treatments, alcohol free Goldenseal extract, medicated pads among others. Remember that tight-fitting shoes though are best avoided.

Jane Rivero writes on foot health and personal wellness. She recommends getting corns on feet checked by a podiatrist, as if the root cause is not found they will return time and time again. If you want to find out why you get foot corns and what you can do to stop them, a trip to the podiatrist is the best bet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_Rivero

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7 Factors That Can Increase Your Risk For Developing Fungal Infection of the Feet and Nails

By Lorinne Yen

Fungal infection of the feet and nails may start as yellow or white spots. Without treatment, the nail fungus can spread and may lead to nail thickening and discoloration.

Typically, foot and nail fungus is caused by fungi called dermatophytes such as Candida. The fungal infection enters the skin though tiny cuts in the skin or nail bed. In a warm and moist environment, the fungi can thrive and easily spread to adjacent areas.

Below are 7 risk factors that increase your risk for fungal infection of the feet and nails:

1. Unfortunately, it was observed that people with a family history of fungal nail infections are more prone to have the infection. Therefore, genetics plays a major role in the risk of developing the condition.

2. It is estimated that around 30 percent of people with diabetes have fungal nail infections. Thus, diabetes increases the risk of having feet fungus. Likewise, people with a weak immune system are more at risk.

3. People with psoriasis are also more at risk of having fungus nails. Psoriasis is a skin condition characterized by having thick, red skin, and scaly patches. Psoriasis and fungal infection can affect the feet at the same time.

4. If you wear tight shoes or footwear that crowds your toes, then this increases your chances of having fungal feet. Tight fitting shoes trap moisture or sweat and encourage the growth of fungi. Closed shoes do not let in any airflow. Wearing socks that do not absorb perspiration well also puts you at risk of having nail fungus.

5. Having damaged nails or cut in the skin can also increase the chances of contacting fungal infection of the feet and nails.

6. Walking barefoot in public places particularly gyms, shower rooms, and swimming pools puts you at risk of getting the infection.

7. If you perspire heavily or have hyperhidrosis, then you have increased risk for fungus feet. Fungi flourish in wet and warm environments.

It can be a challenge to treat foot and nail fungus. Treatment includes antifungal creams, ointments and oral antifungal medications. However, it can still take many weeks to months before improvement can be noted.

To help prevent infections, practice good hygiene. Wear good fitting footwear with adequate ventilation, keep your feet dry, use antifungal powder, and wash your feet regularly.

Terpenoids from plant extracts have been used widely for their aromatic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. One of the well known plant terpenoids is tea tree oil, derived from the leaves of the tea tree. It is used in many products and may be used as an adjunct in feet and nail fungus treatment.

Neutrea soap has an organic proprietary blend of tea tree oil and other essential oils to be used as an adjunct for the treatment of fungal feet and nails at http://www.drlamlabs.com/neutrea-soap.php

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorinne_Yen

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