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Legs are an essential part of our body. And the most important part of our legs is our feet, as they are literally the foundation of our body supporting all its weight. We make them go through a lot every day, but we often don’t take time out of our lives to treat them properly.
Why Take Care of Your Feet
You can tell a lot about one’s health simply by looking at their feet as feet can show signs of illness in advance. Ancient acupuncture also suggests that feet have a large number of pressure points, which means that treating your feet can help prevent or solve a lot of health problems. You can learn more about the connections between your feet and your health by visiting an experienced podiatrist.
Healthy feet are also important if you’re into fashion, as treating your feet not only serves your health but makes your feet look good. Wearing fashionable shoes means drawing attention to your feet. If you have an unclean and unhealthy foot under your stylish shoe, then it will clearly decrease your fashion statement.
Here are some tips to take care of your feet.
Practicing Good Foot Hygiene
Cleaning one’s feet is an important daily task that no one should ignore. We walk through a lot of different places every day and all day long. That’s why our feet tend to get dirtier and sweatier than other parts of our body. So, it is important for us to sanitize our feet regularly in a good manner. They should be washed with warm water and soap so that you can get rid of all the sweat, dirt and bacteria. It is important to pay extra attention when cleaning in between the toes.
While washing your feet, you can use a pumice stone to scrub your soles, smoothing your skin. It also massages the soles and balls of your feet.
Moisturize
Moisturizing your feet regularly is a good way to keep them from drying up, making them softer. Dr. Velimir Petkov, a leading podiatrist in North Jersey and Medical Director at Premier Podiatry in Clifton, NJ recommends that you apply a specialized foot moisturizing cream every night before bed and put on comfortable socks to keep in the moisture. Just remember not to over-moisturize anywhere, as that might cause fungus infection.
Wear Proper Shoes
Wearing the right shoes is a critical part of taking care of your feet. Proper shoes not only give your feet comfort but also keep them clean and dry. So, when it comes to buying shoes, you should consider the ones that give you the most comfort and support rather than the ones that are cheap or just look better but might be uncomfortable.
Wearing the wrong type of shoes can cause foot and heel pain. And if you use these uncomfortable shoes on a regular basis, then they might lead to bad posture and vertebral pain. It is best to avoid cheap, substandard brands when selecting shoes for running. There are a number of brands available that makes custom shoes specialized for running. Always remember to test the shoes out properly before buying them to ensure that they are suitable for you. Dr. Petkov states:
“A sure way to do that is by testing how bendable a shoe is. A proper shoe should not bend at all in the middle of the shoe but only at the level of the big toe joint to help with propulsion. If a shoe is bendable in the midsole, that means that it will not provide you with any support and therefore it can lead to massive discomfort with overuse.”
If you have flat feet, high arches or have experienced heel pain in the past, it’s always a good idea to invest in a pair of custom orthotics.
Change your shoes when the weather changes as you change your clothing style. Wear sandals in the summer to let breeze pass through and keep your feet cool and dry. Wearing closed off shoes in the summer will only make your feet sweaty which can later lead to bad odor and fungal infections.
Keep your feet warm in the cold winter. Try wearing socks and waterproof boots to keep them warm and dry. You might fall prey to the cold hands of frostbite if your shoes don’t keep your feet warm enough.
Prevent Odor and Infection
The trick here is to keep your feet clean all the time. Bad odor and foot infections are very common problems. A sweaty foot can increase the number of bacteria unbelievably which can later lead to bad smell, fungus and even various types of infection. Try these steps to keep your feet from bad odor and infection.
- Change your socks several times per day. Always keep an extra pair with you if your feet tend to sweat too much. Doing so will keep the odor from building up any more.
- Keep your shoes neat and clean. The odor seems to be stronger in shoes drenched with sweat and bacteria. The answer to this is not to wear a shoe over a long period of time. Swap your current pair of shoes with a different pair every now and then and clean the used one properly before using it again.
- Don’t let fungus grow on your feet. You can try using foot powder. It helps keep your feet dry and odor-free. You can also use talcum powder or baby powder. Sprinkle some of the powder in your shoes before wearing them.
- Clean every nook and corner of your feet regularly as dirty feet might cause rashes and infections. Make sure to clean your toenails and the space between your toes properly. Use warm water and soap to clean your feet and dry them properly afterward.
Keep Your Feet Dry
Fungus usually grows in moist places. This means that fungus will grow on your feet if you don’t keep them dry. It might also lead to bad foot odor, infections, and rashes. You can use foot powder or talcum powder. It will keep your feet dry and odorless.
Change to good quality socks made from wool or cotton. Also, try to change your socks every now and then. Damp socks will only help fungus grow. Always keep extra pairs if your feet sweat too much.
Trim Toenails Accurately
Trim your toenails every week to keep them healthy and strong. Not trimming your toenails properly might lead to the painful result of ingrown toenails. Rather than trimming the edges into a curve, try a straight across trim. It’ll keep your toes protected from dirt that tends to get stuck in the edges. But if you prefer curves try square shape with slightly curved edges. Also, remember not to cut them too short as that might also result in ingrown toenails.
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This content is sponsored by Shahina Parvin.
Photo: Shutterstock