It might surprise you to know that your feet are actually a great barometer of your overall health. Having health challenges with your feet, whether that’s from ingrown toenails or infections—your foot health can impact your overall quality of life.
And depending on how long a particular foot problem lasts, it can cause you to skip exercise, send your balance off-center, and have a knock-on effect on your circulation. Essentially, if your feet fall behind, so do you. So while you enjoy wearing those cute summer sandals and spend more time walking around the house barefoot—here are some simple ways to make caring for your hard-working feet a priority and support your overall wellbeing:
1. Wash your feet, every day
This might sound obvious, but even if your feet look clean, thoroughly washing them with soap and warm water helps keep infection-causing bacteria at bay and prevent dry and cracked skin.
2. Moisturize, but not too much
If your skin feels dry or cracked, use a deeply hydrating moisturizer like CBD cream, but wipe off any excess. Avoid putting the cream between your toes because the skin there needs to stay dry to prevent infection.
3. Clean and rotate your shoes
If you’re a shoe lover—you’ll love this tip! Make sure you alternate between different pairs of shoes to allow each pair to have time to air out fully and be sure to clean your shoes inside and out. Bonus tip: do your shoe shopping in the afternoon, as feet tend to swell throughout the day.
4. Make sure your shoes are a shoe-in
Surprisingly, your feet change as they age—sometimes feet get bigger, wider, arches flatten, or toes start to curl. Regularly wearing shoes that look great but don’t fit properly, don’t offer enough support, or don’t have sufficient grip on the ground, can create foot health problems. Make sure you release tension or temporary discomfort as soon as you notice it, and ideally only wear shoes that fit correctly and make it easier to walk safely (goodbye, flip flops).
5. Choose the right socks
Socks help to keep your feet dry but ensure you change yours every day or even multiple times a day if you’re active or your feet sweat a lot. Look for natural fabrics that ‘wick’ moisture away from your skin and avoid socks with ridges or tight elasticized tops, as these can restrict your circulation or irritate delicate skin.
Your feet are considered to be the foundation of the body (quite literally!). Use these tips to be a good friend to your feet by taking care of them well, using them as a good excuse for some more (much-needed) self-care and to give your feet the support they’ve been giving you all these years.
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