CategoriesHealth

How to Improve Circulation in Your Feet

Cold and numb feet aren’t always a sign it’s time to put the heating on this winter, sometimes it can be an indication that you have poor circulation in your feet. Good circulation to your feet is important for foot health and functionality, but circulation impairment is a common side effect of age and an all-too-common sedentary lifestyle. Other symptoms include the feeling of ‘pins and needles’, dry and scaly skin, pain and aching, and changes to the appearance of the foot such as engorged veins and discolouration. 

Ways to improve circulation in your feet

Whilst minor circulation symptoms can be self-managed, if symptoms are persistent and problematic you may want to seek medical help. Impaired blood flow can be a symptom of an underlying condition such as atherosclerosis, deep vein thrombosis or diabetes, or lead to other effects such as blood clots and impair healing to the feet and legs. Here are a few ways you can help improve circulation in your feet:

Move, stretch and exercise

It doesn’t matter the amount you’re able to exercise, only that you do it. Any amount of movement to get the blood pumping will aid in circulation to the feet, be it a walk, a jog or a yoga session.

Avoiding long periods of immobility will help in circulation, even if as simple as taking a stretch break every hour at the office desk. Ankle rolls, heel lifts and knee ups are all simple ways to get the blood flowing to your feet even from a seated position.

Leg elevation will also improve circulation, this can be as simple as sitting on a recliner chair, or if you’re feeling more adventurous, aligning your legs straight vertically on a wall and holding in the legs up the wall yoga pose. 

Keep your feet warm 

Try extra thick socks and a heating pad to counteract the effect of poor blood flow on your cold feet. Try a warm foot bath to encourage blood flow to the feet, using a moisturising foot cream afterwards to combat dryness. Herbal remedies for your foot bath can include:

  • Epsom salts for exfoliation and relaxation
  • Red ginger, that has been found to reduce circulation pressure

Wear compression socks and correct footwear

Compression socks and foot support sleeves inhibit veins to expand with excess blood and cause stagnation, and so help to keep blood in circulation. If you’re new to compression socks, start with a pair less tight than necessary and build your tolerance. For footwear, wearing comfortable shoes that don’t put strain your feet, orthotic footwear will help with this, giving your feet space to move around and correct alignment to aid in foot pain.

Stay hydrated 

The recommended daily minimum water requirement for a healthy woman is 8 cups of water. Your blood is around half water so staying hydrated keeps your blood functioning optimally, aiding in circulation. Keep water with you throughout the day and make a habit of staying hydrated. Remember to drink more to match your activity level throughout the day. 

Change your diet

A high blood pressure can worsen circulation, but you can lower your blood pressure through health eating and weight management. Eating leafy greens, legumes, fatty fish with health omegas, and switching to dark chocolate are some dietary choices to lower your blood pressure. Further lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking and avoiding stress will lower your blood pressure and positively effect your circulation. 

CategoriesHealth

Herbal Remedies: Ways To Treat Foot Pain From The Comfort Of Your Own Home

According to the Orthopaedics Associates, ‘Only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems. It’s neglect and a lack of awareness of proper care- including ill-fitting shoes- that bring on problems.’ It is important to consider what steps you can be taking to improve your foot health. Read on to learn about simple herbal remedies that you can do in your own home.

The benefits of herbal remedies at home

Using herbal remedies to tackle foot pain is increasingly common. If you are feeling pain in your feet, it is always important to see a doctor as it could be a symptom of an underlying problem. However, if you want to generally look after your feet or try to minimize pain until seeing a doctor then herbal remedies may just be the perfect solution.

There are multiple benefits of using these remedies, the main being how simple and easy it is for someone to try. As previously mentioned, most foot problems are due to a lack of proper care. Using a spare 20 minutes from your day to relax and take care of your body is essential to ensure you remain of good health and lower you risk of any further health problems occurring.

How foot baths can change your life

There are various techniques and herbal combinations that you can try to soothe the pain you are experiencing. The most common being foot baths with various herbs, oils and salts. Soaking your feet for 20 minutes a day can increase not only influence physical health but also mental health. The warm water helps your bodies muscles to relax and increase white blood cell activity, your body needs this as it boosts your immune system and can help to prevent future sickness.

Soaking your feet with Epsom Salts

One of the most common treatments that can help tackle foot pain is using Epsom Salts and warm water. The salts help to reduce inflammation and relax muscles, this is important when trying to increase manoeuvrability and relieving stress from damaged nerves.

Experimenting with Essential Oils

It is important to note that essential oils should be diluted before being used, it is not recommended to apply oils directly to your skin without diluting. There are many sources of information that can help with direction for each oil and how to mix them for the best outcome.

Whilst it may be a little confusing at first, adding essential oils to your footbaths can be a great way to improve your foot health. Lavender is often known to help with relaxation, however when mixed with other oils it can help to alleviate pain. Another example is Cedarwood essential oil is known to have benefits such as being an anti-fungal and helping skin conditions such as acne. However, when used with oils such as Lavender, Peppermint and Rosemary, it can help ease pain from arthritis.

The Kitchen Cupboard solution, Cayenne Pepper

Another at easy yet surprising remedy is having a footbath, mixed with Cayenne Pepper. Soaking your feet again in warm water and adding half a teaspoon of the pepper powder can help to relieve aches and pains in your feet.

Master massage techniques for muscle relief

Another at home remedy is to invest in a foot spa. This works the same as a foot bath as you need to soak your feet, however these machines can include massage features which will help to reduce pain even further as your muscles are actively being targeted. These machines help to reduce inflammation and have been proven to help those with poor circulation in their feet.

Another solution, rather than using a foot bath you can massage essential oils into your feet. Massages are a great way to target specific parts of your foot, as well as strengthening your foot muscles.

A commonly used massage technique is to simply knead your knuckles / closed fist into the base of your foot, gradually working from the ball of your foot to the heel. The motion combined with increasing pressure helps to relax your muscles and targets pain in the arch of your foot.

Finding the perfect fit

As briefly pointed out by the Orthopaedic Associates, wearing ill-fitting shoes can have an impact on your foot heath and result in experiencing unnecessary pain. Buying shoes is a common activity, for those who care about the health of their feet you may shop cautiously and try to find shoes that look comfy. However, this may be a major problem! Many footwear brands are aware that the public are seeking comfortable shoes and as a result will release ‘comfy-looking’ shoes however you may be unaware that actual comfort and support is sacrificed because they want to reach a certain aesthetic.

With Uufey Shoes this is not a problem you need worry about! Our footwear is built with comfort as the primary focus. People do not need to sacrifice their comfort for the sake of fashion, they are two elements that need to be considered hand in hand. Uufey Shoes have a range of products to suit women from any fashion standpoint.

Enjoy reading this content? Read on to learn more about orthopaedic shoes.

Add to cart