 Nature's
Way
with Alan Hayes
Keeping your Feet Fresh
At the end of a busy day, a therapeutic foot bath will work wonders for tired and aching feet, and soaking them at night before going to bed will help to eliminate lots of toxins.
Before soaking your feet, give each one a preliminary massage. Prepare your massage oil by mixing together 15 ml of almond oil, five ml avocado oil and six drops of rosemary essential oil. Store in an airtight, amber-coloured glass bottle for up to two months.
Next soak your feet. You will need a basin large enough to hold them when they are fully stretched out. Pour in sufficient water to cover your ankles and then add 1 tablespoon of sea salt, and three to four drops of lavender or rosemary essential oil – swishing the water around to dissolve the salt and blend the oil. For extra sore and aching feet add one tablespoon each of sea salt and bicarbonate soda and three to five drops of rosemary oil to the water.
Leave the water to cool slightly before soaking your feet. After soaking for ten minutes revive your feet with a quick dip into a basin of cold water, and then back again. Continue doing this as long as the hot water stays hot.
If it has been raining and you have cold, wet feet, a pinch or two of mustard powder added to the water is especially invigorating.
For those of you who enjoy a lot of walking, give your feet a quick soak in a footbath using geranium (pelargonium) essential oil before you set out. It strengthens the skin and improves elasticity and circulation, and helps to prevent the occurrence of blisters.
If you suffer from dry skin on your feet, wash them with a mixture of one tablespoon of bran and three tablespoons of strong chamomile tea (about three level teaspoons of dried chamomile steeped in 300ml of hot water until cold). Rinse, wipe dry, and then moisturise with your favourite hand lotion. And to soften very hard skin on the soles or backs of heals, massage with equal quantities of olive oil and cider vinegar. Smooth daily with a natural pumice stone.
Prevent foot odour and excessive perspiration by including sufficient silica in your diet. Eat barley, garlic, onion, parsley, lettuce and celery. Bathe your feet in a bowl of hot water containing a few drops of lemongrass oil, then apply a lotion made by mixing together 18 drops of lemongrass oil and 30ml soya oil. Store in an airtight, amber-coloured glass bottle.
Athlete's foot is another common infliction, and is caused when the acid balance of the skin has become too alkaline. This type of fungal infection is usually characterised by soft, peeling skin between the toes, leaving your feet clammy and quite often smelly.
This condition is very infectious, so do not walk around barefoot where other people are likely to tread or allow sharing of thongs, sandals, or towels or use the same bath mats. After drying between toes wash the towel in hot water and soap, with a few drops of lavender oil added. Don't use the towel on other parts of your body, as tinea can easily spread, especially to the groin area.
Treat with applications of cider vinegar over the affected area, or apply a fungicide made by dissolving one part tea tree oil in ten parts water. For persistent cases, paint with neat lavender oil.
Wash your feet by soaking them in warm water to which has been added six to ten drops of tea tree or lavender oil. After washing, dust between the toes with powdered arrowroot when they are well dried.
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