One of Canada’s unofficial national pastimes is keeping in step with Mother Nature’s next major weather event. “Tis the season” is synonymous with keeping our extremities coddled in protective layers of clothing; from down filled jackets to fur lined boots. Accessorized with an endless fashion parade of gloves, scarves, toques and hats; we endure the chilly elements swaddled within layer upon layer of winter wear.
Well hidden and cocooned deep within our winter woollies are our tender tootsies; ensuring that we can navigate from work to play time with aplomb.
Kissing your feet with
MistleToe Magic Our feet are amazing masterpieces of biodynamic engineering and are truly a work of art. Tiny but mighty for their physical size, feet host some pretty amazing anatomical statistics. The human foot is comprised of 26 bones, 33 joints, over 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments and approximately 250,000 sweat glands. Packed into these ten toed little dynamos are over 7,200 nerve endings that link every major organ and body part to our feet. Keeping all those delicate and intricate body parts happy and comfortable can be challenging during our damp and chilly seasons, especially when our feet are cold, tired or just plain worn out. Nurturing these magnificent modes of locomotion is as vital to one’s overall well-being as moisturizing your skin and brushing your teeth. Improving a few small steps in your foot hygiene routine will take you giant leaps forward, changing how you sleep at the end of the day and transition into tomorrow. CLEAN YOUR FEET NIGHTLY Feet release toxins by sweating throughout the course of the day. Soak your feet at night - paying close attention to washing between the toes and under toe nails with the use of a soft toothbrush. When plagued with winter colds or the flu; soak your feet with Epsom salts and herbal sachets. For the athletic type - try a warm water soak with organic apple cider vinegar for 10 minutes to help with tired feet and fungal infections like athlete’s foot. DRY THOROUGHLY BETWEEN EVERY TOE After washing your feet, focus on drying between each toe carefully. Feet are happiest when they are dry and allowed to breathe comfortably. LET YOUR TOE NAILS BREATHE Remove nail polish during winter months. Bacteria and fungus like to hibernate underneath polish. Take a break and allow your toe nails to breathe while tucked into winter’s protective gear. 34 OKANAGAN WOMAN WINTER | 2018
REMOVE CALLUSES with a quality foot file SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK Gently and lightly buff off hard or callused skin after drying your feet; then apply lotions containing aloe vera, tea tree oil or shea butter that nurture the skin and bolster foot health. KEEP TOENAILS TRIMMED Regularly trim toe nails straight across and at a length to prevent injury to adjacent toes. Pamper your feet with a professional pedicure each season and for those on a tight budget; try DIY at home or contact your local cosmetology school. Your feet will love you for it. WEAR ROOMY FOOTWEAR Wriggle your toes in your shoes - they should move freely within the toe box (the front area of the shoe housing your toes) without any constraint. Wearing thicker and warmer socks may require buying a half-size or bigger footwear in order to accommodate the bulkier layer without squeezing the tender parts of your feet or squashing your toes. KEEP YOUR TOES AND FEET WARM Troubled with cold feet at night? Invest in a microwaveable thermal bag or an electric mattress pad. One can also restore warmth by massaging in foot cream - start with circular motions from the heel up to the toes.