Natural Remedies For Aching Feet:
By Chef K.T. Murphy
Foot pain is something that we have all experienced in our lives. After a long day at work, shopping, or yard work your feet can be tired, achy, swollen, and heavy. This achiness happens because when you are on your feet, there is a significant amount of stress being put on your feet. However, you aren’t doomed to suffer this pain with no relief. Below are some natural remedies that will ease your sore feet and have you feeling great again.
Alternate Hot And Cold – Alternating hot and cold baths alternately dilates and constricts blood vessels in your feet, which boosts circulation and reduces the swelling and achiness in your feet. To do this exercise, fill one basin up with cold water and one up with hot water. While sitting comfortably, place your feet in the cold water for five minutes. Afterward, switch to the hot water. Switch back and forth for a total of thirty minutes for maximum effectiveness.
Elevate Your Feet – Elevating your feet for fifteen to twenty minutes after you are on your feet for any length of time will increase the circulation in your legs and feet and help to reduce and pain and swelling.
Epsom Salts – Epsom salts are made of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. Magnesium is known to help reduce swelling and therefore ease the pain. There are two ways you can use Epsom salt to reduce the swelling in your feet. First, you can fill a basin with hot water, add Epsom salt and soak just your feet or, if you are looking to relax your entire body, you can fill your bathtub with hot water, add Epsom salt, and soak your whole body for forty-five minutes to an hour.
Soak In Essential Oils – An alternative to Epsom salts is to use essential oils, which can help to increase blood circulation and reduce swelling. Essential oils are used in the same two ways as Epsom salts. The best essential oils to use to increase blood flow are peppermint oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, and rosemary oil.
Vinegar Soak – If you don’t have Epsom salts or essential oils in the house, a final alternative for a foot soak is vinegar. Vinegar helps to reduce inflammation and can be used in two ways. First, you can fill a basin with hot water and add two tablespoons of vinegar; it is additionally beneficial if you add some salt to the water as well. Soak your feet for about twenty minutes.
Second, you can put equal amounts of water and vinegar into two basins. Make one basin cold water and one basin hot water. Soak a towel that is big enough to wrap around your feet in the hot mixture and squeeze out the excess liquid. Wrap the hot compress around your feet for five minutes. Repeat the same process using the cold mixture. This process is thought to be the most effective because you are getting the benefits from the vinegar as well as from alternating hot and cold on your feet to maximize blood flow and reduce swelling and achiness.
Sore feet are not something that you must accept as a necessary evil when you are on your feet for any length of time. Taking preventative measures, such as investing in a good pair of shoes and stretching your feet throughout the day can help minimize the amount of time you spend with sore feet. However, if you do find your feet achy and swollen after a day out, use the tips above to quickly ease the pain and be ready to go again.
All the best, Good Food makes For Better Decisions.
Chef Murph
