The health and wellness industry is said to have undergone a boom in recent years as people have come to realize how vital it is to keep their bodies healthy and well-nurtured.
Going to the hospital for an annual check-up, exercising, eating right, and retaining excellent mental well-being are just some efforts that you can do to stay physically and mentally fit. In addition, you have to do a daily body care routine to ensure that all the parts of your body function well. This article will be focusing primarily on properly caring for your feet.
Foot care is sometimes overlooked by people who don’t have enough time to get a foot spa or have their toes pedicured and pampered. But there are easy tips to conditioning your feet without taking too much time off from your hectic schedule. Over the weekend, you can visit a podiatrist such as Eastern Idaho Foot Clinic and other licensed professionals to check how your feet are coping with the daily demands of movements.
Read the following guide containing helpful ways for taking care of your feet to make them pretty and healthy.
- Keep Your Feet Clean And Dry At All Times
It’s inevitable for your feet to acquire a lot of dirt daily, especially if your working environment is exposed to outdoor elements. Hence, it’s vital to care for your feet at all times. Don’t worry because there are non-demanding ways to ensure your feet’ cleanliness.
Here are some tips for cleaning and drying your feet:
- Wash Your Feet Everyday
Every day, don’t forget to wash your feet thoroughly but carefully with soap and water while you’re taking a bath. If possible, you can use a loofah to wash off and scrub any dirt and stubborn bacteria from your feet.
Ensure to address all parts of your feet from your soles, toenails to the spaces between your fingers. While in the shower, be mindful of the time your feet are soaked in water as they might lose their natural oils if they’ve been exposed to water for prolonged periods.
- Dry Your Feet Thoroughly After Every Wash
After you’ve taken a shower, make sure you completely dry off your feet. Don’t forget to clean commonly overlooked areas including between your toes with a feet towel. Take some time to dry your feet carefully. Not being able to do so might cause bacteria and fungus growth over time. Also, don’t wear socks or shoes if your feet aren’t completely dried up yet.
- Always Moisturize
Keeping your feet moisturized can help maintain them maintain the healthy oils they have. This will prevent cracks and callouses from forming on your feet. If your feet’ skin tends to be on the dry side, purchase a good feet moisturizer and apply them as often as needed. It’d help if you place a bottle in your bag to moisturize your feet even while working.
- Remove Your Toenail Polish Frequently
The paint on your toenails is said to be best left on for about two to three weeks or depending on the kind of nail paint services you’ve had done. When the paint is removed, make sure to let the toenails grow naturally for some time.
During this time, don’t apply any nail product at all including natural nail polish. Leaving your toenails untouched results to air being able to reach the nail bed that permits them to breathe. In the meantime, make sure to wear breathable shoes and sandals. This will allow your toenails to recover.
One good advantage of removing the polish is that you’ll be able to inspect the toenail for possible signs of fungus infection. Keep in mind to use nail polish removers that don’t contain strong chemicals for they’re not good for your toenails. Read the product’s label and avoid those that have a high acetone content.
Your toenails need a little time off from nail polish now and then. Consistently painting your toenails may result in discoloration which usually results in a reddish or yellow tint. To avoid this from occurring, keep your toenails au naturel for a few weeks.
- Visit A Podiatrist For A Feet Check-Up
Poor physical health is said to always impact mental health. Thus, it’s in your best interest to ensure that you stay physically healthy all the time. Foot and ankle-related conditions and injuries are the responsibility of a podiatrist.
A podiatrist is a medical expert trained to help patients dealing with discomfort and ailments on their feet, ankles, and the like. If someone is suffering from a foot or ankle problem, visiting a podiatrist is highly advisable. You also can get high-quality smartknit socks online.
The following are some reasons that you need to visit a podiatrist regularly:
- If You Have Some Calluses
Some people perceive calluses and bunions as small fry feet issues that are only related to aesthetics. But in some cases, it’s not always like that. You need to seek treatment if your experience more severe symptoms.
- If You Feel Pain In Your Heels
You may suffer from plantar fasciitis if the heel of your foot hurts. You can know that you have this ailment when you experience stabbing pain almost instantly after sitting continuously. To alleviate the pain and ensure it won’t worsen, it’s best to rely on a trained podiatrist to treat it while it’s at its early stage.
- If You Have Diabetes
Having diabetes makes foot care extra challenging since people with the disease are more likely to develop wounds that would take a longer time to heal. These conditions are particularly hazardous for people with diabetes. As such, regardless of whether you experience symptoms on your feet or not, consult with a podiatrist to assess your feet on a routine basis.
- If You’re Playing Sports Frequently
The risks of foot and ankle injuries or conditions are said to be higher in very active people or athletes. If you play sports regularly, it’s best to schedule a regular visit to your podiatrist. With this, you may ensure that your performance will not be negatively impacted by poor foot health. Keep in mind that preventive care is always the wiser choice than seeing a doctor when an injury already has happened.
- If You Have Arthritis
The condition of arthritis affects the long-term function and health of the joints. Arthritis can be felt in your feet too. Consult a podiatrist for routine assessment of your feet’ joints if you have this recurring health condition. There will be treatments and medications that only they can administer to help relieve the pain and discomfort brought upon by the disease.
- Maintain And Trim Your Toenails
Trimming your toenails is one step to keep your toes in good health. Long toenails might be uncomfortable and result in cuts or blisters when wearing tight shoes. However, when doing the trimming, make sure to cut off nails the right way. It’d help to use an emery board to gently shape the edges of the toenails after you cut them straight across.
When your toenails are in the right length, your feet will feel comfortable and relaxed with whatever kind of shoes or sandals you choose to wear.
- Get A Good Pedicure
Although some people see pedicures as an unwarranted care regimen because they feel it’s only intended for pampering, there’s actually more to it. Having your nails done can be a delightful experience sometimes, but there are some excellent reasons why you probably shouldn’t limit this to only an occasional indulgence.
Other than aesthetics and keeping your feet pretty, there sure are more valuable benefits. Here are some perks you can enjoy from a good professionally done pedicure:
- Healthier Toenails
Getting a pedicure ensures that your toenails look great and are cleaned thoroughly. This is crucial since your feet are always exposed to a lot of dirt and friction on a day-to-day basis. The good thing about pedicures is that your dead skin cells will be removed which may result in a healthier regrowth of new skin cells.
A good pedicure also gets rid of dead cuticles, keeping your toenails growth healthy. With regular pedicure sessions, you can keep possible fungus and bacterial infections at bay too.
- Makes You And Your Feet Feel Relaxed
A pedicure is said to be a sure-fire way for a person to relax. Not only that, but it’s also an excellent opportunity to dedicate some time to yourself. It’s necessary to have ‘me’ time sometimes. Reading a book or simply getting a good rest while having your pedicure done at your favorite nail salon aids in relaxation. After this session, you’d feel more refreshed and reenergized and you feel good about yourself and your happy pair of feet.
- Boosts Feet’ Blood Circulation
Pedicures are said to commonly come with a gentle massage of the feet although this might vary depending on different salons. It’s believed that foot massages are great for the blood circulation in your feet. Coldness or numbness in the feet and swelling or joint pain are all symptoms of poor blood circulation. So, make sure that your feet will get some good old loving through foot massages to help improve blood circulation.
- Buy And Wear Comfortable Shoes
Some people are believed to be more concerned with shoe style than comfort when they’re shopping for a pair of new kicks. This forces their feet into shoes that are painful when worn for long periods. As much as high-heeled shoes look so good on women, they’re a pain to wear too. Choose to prioritize comfort when shopping for shoes instead. Apply the following tips too:
- Consider the thickness of your socks when buying shoes. It’d be best to wear those specific socks when shopping for a new pair of shoes.
- The late afternoon is the best time of the day to buy shoes for it’s believed that your feet have already expanded and become a tad bit larger at the end of the day.
- When buying shoes, make sure to try walking around wearing them. Check and ensure comfort on all sides especially on the toes.
- Avoid or steer away from high heels, clogs, and other shoes that are deemed uncomfortable and unhealthy for your feet and soles.
- If, in any case, you feel like the other foot is slightly larger, choose shoe size following the bigger-sized foot.
- Consider the shoes’ material, quality, durability, and comfortability. Find shoes that have high-quality craftsmanship.
- Don’t overemphasize buying brand-name shoes; sometimes, unbranded and generic ones are also comfortable and durable which give you value for your money.
- Prevent Foot Fungus And Odor
Problems with odor and fungus happen to your feet when you’re wearing the wrong shoes or when you have sweaty feet. Sweat from your feet eventually combines with the bacteria inside the shoes resulting in fungal infections. This can be dangerous for your health so prevent it before it happens.
Here are a few ways to eliminate fungus infections and smelly feet concerns:
- Don’t Reuse Unwashed Socks
The same pair of socks shouldn’t be worn twice in a row without washing them. No matter how lazy it feels to get a new pair, go and reach for a fresh pair of socks each time you’re going to wear your shoes. Sweat and moisture from unclean and used socks are said to create an ideal environment for bacteria to proliferate leading to fungus growth. Aside from bacteria accumulating and growing, your feet might start giving off an unpleasant odor too.
- Wear Good-Quality Sweat-Absorbing Socks
Foot moisture should be kept at a minimum. Fungal infections are believed to less likely to develop when there are lesser amounts of moisture present. Choose socks that absorb sweat efficiently so that moisture levels will be contained and controlled. The next time you go socks-shopping, find a great fabric that absorbs sweat quickly.
- Use Anti-Fungal Foot Powder
You can kill bacteria on shoes by using a disinfectant spray or powder. Anti-fungal products are easy to find and available in department stores, pharmacies, and others. You can sprinkle some on your feet and shoes in conjunction with your current foot care routine. Your feet will remain clean and odor-free by including this step in your regimen.
- Enjoy A Relaxing Foot Soak
Spend a few minutes relaxing your feet in a soothing foot soak. You can do this on the weekend or whenever you have time after a long day at work. When you get back home, prepare a tub of lukewarm water and dilute some aromatherapy oils into it. Soaking your feet in the mixture for a few minutes may help remove hardened layers of skin on the heels, toes, and balls of your feet.
Conclusion
The eyes may be considered as the windows to the soul, but the feet are said to oftentimes reveal your state of overall health. Hopefully, the foot care guide above has helped you on what to do to maintain a good, healthy, and happy pair of feet. Also, remember to visit your podiatrist not only when you’re already experiencing foot pain or injuries but for preventative foot health measures instead.
