Foot Care
In the average life-span, our feet cover some 70,000 miles. This is extremely impressive, so considering how much our feet do for us, how much do we do for them in return? Very little. In the Western world millions of people are treated annually for foot problems and deformities. Despite these distressing statistics, very little attention is paid to proper foot care.
A health-conscious person may pay great attention to diet, avoiding the hazards of food additives and chemicals; chemicals in cleaning materials and personal care products, smoking, etc., but is often completely unaware of the health damage caused by ill-fitting shoes. Most people are born with healthy feet, but statistics indicate that 80 per cent of adults will develop foot disorders at some point - the majority being self-induced.
Foot disorders disrupt our centre of gravity and can cause backache and knee instability. As meridians and reflexes are also affected, problems can arise in corresponding body parts. Most foot disorders can be avoided and corrected with proper foot and health care.
Reflexology as Preventive Therapy
Health-threatening dangers lurk around every corner in our modern world: polluted land, air and water, processed food and contaminated environment. Add to this the stress of our every-day lives - bad diet, attitudes and lifestyle - and we have a potentially lethal cocktail to encourage disease. Most people wait until disease strikes before seeking help but it is far better to listen to the body's warning signals and take action early. Apart from eating sensibly, exercising and calming the mind and body using relaxation techniques, occasional visits to a reflexologist as extra 'maintenance' can be of enormous benefit.
Foot Maintenance
It pays to take care of your feet. A bit of time and attention will not only keep your feet looking good, but will have further health benefits. Of primary importance is good hygiene. Foot hygiene focuses on washing the feet thoroughly every day to remove dead skin and eliminate bacteria. The average foot gives off about half a cup of moisture a day. The skin becomes soft and soggy as a result of the moisture, making it easier for friction to cause blisters, for chemicals to leach from the shoes and cause contact dermatitis, and for athlete's foot and other forms of fungi to take hold.
The most common problem of moisture is bromhidrosis or smelly feet. This occurs because the foot's warmth and sweat provide ideal conditions for bacteria to develop. Good foot hygiene will help combat this by reducing perspiration. Perspiration can also be reduced by paying special attention to the type of footwear worn.
These are a few basic foot care hints:
- Wash feet carefully and dry thoroughly daily, especially between the toes
- Go barefoot sometimes- don't keep them constantly enclosed in shoes
- Trim your toenails straight across
- Use creams to keep the skin supple
- Use powders to absorb extra moisture and prevent infection and odour
- Regular pedicures are beneficial to remove dead and hardened skin
- Avoid rubber or synthetic shoes to decrease the risk of fungal infection
<li)choose cotton="" or="" woollen="" socks="" rather="" than="" synthetic="" materials<br=""></li)choose> - Correct and regular foot exercise to keep the feet in shape
- Maintain your feet with regular reflexology.
