Don’t you think that many of us are biased in the way we treat our own bodies?
Let me explain.
Don’t you wash your face 4 to 6 or even more times a day? And your hands’ God knows how many times?
But how often do you even look at your own feet?
While there are exceptions to the rule, chances are that you would be among many the millions who just look at the feet may be cursorily in the morning after taking a bath; and then forget about them.
We do not realize that the most distant part of our body is also the one which goes to the maximum wear and tear and is responsible for your bodily movement.
Only when we suffer from some ailments like gout, numbness, arthritis etc or unlucky get injured in which our feet become non-functional even if temporally do we realize that we need to take care of our feet.
While everyone would like to have healthy feet, that are hygienic and soft, it is a fact that most of us turn up having rough, scaly and disfigured feet; mostly due to our own attitude of neglect.
Remember, your feet are very vulnerable and if you do not take care, they are also very susceptible to fatigue, infections, and injury.
Neglecting your feet may also lead to many other conditions like pain and other physical and psychological problems. Therefore, try to make an effort to have healthy feet so that you can move around freely without having to worry about pain or any other disfigurement.
move around freely without having to worry about pain or any other disfigurement.
Tips for healthy feet
1. Take care of overall health of your feet.Are you having any ailment like hypertension or diabetes? These can lead to multiple problems in feet. They are also indicators for numbness in feet and it would be in your interest to take your regular medication and keep them under check.
2. Inspect your feet regularly.
It is a good habit to lay attention to your bare feet regularly, maybe while taking a bath, or before going to bed, or during a foot massage and look out for cuts, swellings, blisters, redness, etc. You can ask your family member too to help seeing the bottom of your feet in case you cannot make out easily. In return, you can do the same for them.
3. Wash your feet two to three times a day.
Using warm water to wash your feet or dipping them in a bucket of water for some time is not only soothing but also would help them be soft and smooth. Dry them well thereafter and ensure that every corner, especially the area between the toes is dry.
4. Gentle massage and smoothening of feet.
Use a pumice stone or a wet cloth gently to rub the skin and remove the old dry skin and scales; this would make it smooth and soft. Use a good quality skin lotion to massage gently into your skin of your. It would also take care of conditions like corns and calluses
5. Keep your Toenails trimmed regularly
Toenails tend to accumulate dirt which may give rise to bacteria which can cause foul smell besides other complications that may come in the way of having healthy feet. While trimming your nails cut them straight across and thereafter file the edges smooth using a nail file.
6. Never walk barefoot.
Wear shoes and fresh socks at all times. The shoes should be well fitting, comfortable and airy. Use medicated foot powder to keep the sweat away and make the feet feel fresh all the time.
7. Keep your feet protected from extremes of hot and cold.
When you are walking on the beach or a pavement, always use shoes. Similarly in cold climate, wear socks and sleep to prevent the feet from getting cold.
8. Ensure proper Blood Circulation in your feet
Remove the shoes when you can and occasionally rest your feet on a chair or an incline while sitting. Move your ankles in rotation a few times and also wriggle your toes regularly so that blood flows easily. Also, do not cross your feet or legs for long stretches of time.
9. Remain active
Sedentary life is a major cause of most ailments. Keep a regular exercise schedule and make your activity chart in consultation with your doctor in case you have any physical ailment in the feet.
10. Lastly, do not neglect the smallest of symptoms like partial numbness, a sore, cut, bruise, or blister on your feet. Try to follow some home remedy methods but in case you do not see relief, do consult a doctor and follow the treatment as advised.
Remember, prevention is better than cure so act now! Start looking after your feet regularly and keep them in perfect health.
