The human foot has 52 bones and 214 ligaments and is subject to more pressure than any other part of your anatomy. Despite your feet being one of the most important parts of your body they can often be forgotten about and neglected. Considering they need to carry you for the rest of your life this simple guide will tell you all you need to know to achieve beautiful feet. Jennifer Lopez once said 'the secret to my sexiness is my feet, I always wear pretty shoes' Not everyone is in a position to race down to the beauty salon once a month for a full pedicure. You only need to allocate just half an hour every two to three weeks and I guarantee your feet will thank you for it. Happy feet make a happy person and beautiful shoes are not complete without beautiful feet to put in them. If you feel your feet are in pretty good shape its definitely a good idea to carry out the half an hour treatment every few weeks. How to treat common foot problems Problem: Cracked Heels Heel fissures which are commonly known as cracked heels are caused when the skin on the bottom outer edge of the heel becomes hard, rough, dry or flaky. Common causes for this include climate, weight, going barefoot or wearing shoes with hard soles. Treatment: There are literally thousands of products on the market to treat cracked heels but if you want a couple of tips to try at home these definitely work and will probably save you quite a bit of money too. - Take 100 gms of coconut oil, 5 gms of camphor and 20 gms of paraffin wax melt and store in a tin. Use on your feet every night until the cracks disappear [and youll be quite amazed because they actually do!] - If you arent up for mixing your own potion, soak your feet every night in salt water and scrub the heel with a pumice stone - Apply a rich moisturizing cream to your feet twice a day at night wear socks over your feet to allow your feet to soak up the moisturizer Problem: Calluses Calluses are hardened or thickened skin that usually form on the soles of your feet but can actually appear anywhere on your feet. Treatment: Again lots of products to choose from but a couple for you to try. - Massage the areas with a natural oil such as coconut or castor oil and file down with a foot file or pumice stone this will reduce the size of the callus and eventually eliminate it altogether Problem: Corns Corns can be quite painful and if you do have or get these at any time you should aim to remove them immediately. Treatment: - Ensure that you are no longer wearing the shoes that caused them or shoes that will cause you more pain. - Apply a corn cap band aid which you can buy from any supermarket or chemist. These are suitable for small corns. - If your corns are troublesome you should visit a trained podiatrist to ensure they are removed before becoming worse. - To ease the pain of corns tape garlic or onion onto the corn itself. The tips above are ways in which you can eliminate common foot problems yourself. If you have any foot problems you feel are troublesome or very painful you should always seek advice from a trained podiatrist. 30 Minute Miracle In addition to carrying out any treatment for cracked heels, corns and calluses you should aim to give yourself a pedicure every two weeks [three weeks at most]. A pedicure doesnt have to cost the earth. These simple steps should take you no more than half an hour and if you are paying particular attention to any problem areas you will find after a few treatments the health of your feet is dramatically improved. - Using cotton wool and nail polish remover, completely take off any nail polish you may be wearing - Soak your feet in warm water for about 10 minutes. Add Epsom salts or a drop of lavender oil to the water. - Completely dry your feet - Cut your toenails straight across. Be sure to leave them slightly longer than your toes to avoid in growing toe nails. In growing toenails are usually self inflicted, caused by cutting nails too short or snipping down the sides and piercing the skin. New skin grows and you have an in growing toe nail! - Massage your feet with a rich foot lotion for about 5 minutes, paying attention to the heels of your feet. - Push your cuticles back with an orange stick and/or remove dead cuticles with cuticle remover. - Remove any residue cream from your toe nails using cotton wool and nail polish remover - Use a nail file/emery board to smooth and shape the edges of your nails - Try using a proper nail buff to give a natural shine to your nails - If you do want to apply nail polish always make sure you apply a base coat to avoid any colour staining the toe nail. Apply a clear top coat to seal the colour and give shine to the colour. Other Tips for Beautiful Feet Aching Feet If you find your feet ache try these home soothing foot remedies:- - Rub the soles of aching feet with vinegar or lemon juice - Stir 1 tsp of malt vinegar to 1 carton of natural yoghurt and rub over your feet and in-between your toes wash off thoroughly, dry and apply your usual moisturizer - Take 3 tsps of mustard powder and add a little water to make a paste. Add this to a bowl of hot water and soak your feet for 15 minutes. - Massing your feet with your favourite oil after a salt foot bath is very soothing Swollen Feet Swollen feet can be caused by a number of medical ailments and of course sometimes in late pregnancy. However, it is perfectly normal to suffer from swollen feet if you stand for long periods, cross your legs a lot or obviously in hot weather. Some tips to try: - Remove your shoes and any socks you are wearing
- Elevate your feet and legs
- Reduce your salt intake
- Nutrition and daily exercise improve the health of the cardiovascular system and circulation which can reduce swollen feet - Soak your feet in a large bowl of hot water and add Epsom salts and a handful of salt to the water - Apply ice and lightly tickle the soles of your feet Exercises for Feet You might also try some of these ideas:- - Stretch your arches and twiddle your toes - Walk barefoot on sand, thick grass or carpet for 30 minutes - Picking up marbles with your feet is good exercise Remember happy feet, happy you and of course ultimately whatever shoes you wear, your feet will look great! To give your feet a real treat visit http://www.womens-shoes-guru.com |
