A person’s feet are not just the weight-bearing part of the body that supports the legs, hips, abdomen, and head, but also the part with the pressure points that control overall well-being. Scriptures from traditional Chinese medicine emphasize maintaining the well-being of the feet. This is because it has pressure points that correspond to different areas in the body, and applying pressure on these can treat numerous ailments, including stress, insomnia, and digestive disorders. Are you taking good care of your feet? Here are a few tips you could use to ensure your feet are healthy and well looked-after.
Visit A Podiatrist
Your feet bear the entire weight of your body and are prone to more injuries and strain than you would like to believe. Therefore, it is important to protect and treat them from these injuries if you wish to have pretty feet. To do so, you need to visit your podiatrist often, who will examine your feet, ankle, and legs for any scars, injuries, etc., and treat them to help you recover.
To make sure you pick the right podiatrist, you can do a simple Google search of your region along with the term podiatrist. Searching for Guelph Podiatrist, you will find the listings and reviews, and recommendations of people who have used the services in the past. Going through these reviews will help you make an objective decision on the doctor.
Moisturize Often
We spend hours tending to our hands and face and often forget our legs and feet. This leads to dryness and cracks. Your feet could also get itchy and painful if the dryness is ignored for long. Get into the habit of scrubbing the dry skin off your feet and moisturizing them. Once a week, soak your feet in an oatmeal bath or lukewarm water. This will eliminate the dry skin and naturally moisturize it.
Every night apply petroleum jelly to your feet, wear a pair of comfortable socks, and leave it on overnight. This will reduce cracked heels overnight, prevent the development of fissures, and treat dryness. Regular application of petroleum jelly will soften the skin and make it easy to get rid of dry and dead skin cells.
Follow a Healthy Diet
When your nails are healthy and strong, you notice it right away whether on your hands or feet. However, the bad-fitting shoes, workouts, and sweat take a toll on the toenails. Changing your diet to include food rich in zinc, biotin, Vitamin B, C, and E will strengthen the nails and make them look pretty. Make it a habit to include more egg, fish, dairy products, and vegetables like tomatoes and carrots regularly in your meals.
It is important to consume rich omega-3 fatty acids to prevent nails from going dry and brittle. Walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and salmon are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Clean, trim, and maintain your toenails often to prevent injuries and infections. While toenails look pretty with a polish on, make sure you go a few days without any chemicals on your nails. This will help the toenails breathe and stay healthy. The same goes with the footwear too. Do not wear closed shoes all day long.
Treat Yellow Toenails
Yellow toenails are usually a result of dark-colored nail polish. Identify the discoloration and treat it at the early stage. Another common cause of discoloration is a toenail fungus, which is a result of mold or yeast. It would help if you treated it before it spreads from one nail to another. Using over-the-counter medication or antifungal ointments is the easiest remedy.
Alternatively, you can create an antifungal treatment at home using apple cider vinegar and water and soak your feet in the solution for a while before patting it dry with a towel. Following this routine for a few weeks will show desirable results and prevent the relapse of the fungus.
Massage Your Feet
All-day long, our feet go through the strain of carrying our weight around and walking on uneven surfaces. All this stress and strain takes a toll on the way your feet look. To ensure that the feet are relaxed and you do not sleep with the pain and fatigue, it is important to massage your feet. You do not have to visit a spa every time you need a foot massage. Instead, all you need are a comfortable chair and a tennis ball.
Sit on the chair and place the ball under your feet. Now roll it from your heel to toes while applying pressure around the areas that hurt the most. This relieves stress and increases blood flow.
These are just some of the many tips you could follow for healthy-looking feet. Don’t forget to get a pedicure often, which will treat early signs of corns, fungal infections, and dry feet.
