Tired feet? Three Steps to Brighten Your Step
/Tired feet? Contrast foot baths, herbal soaks and salt glows can help. Standing on cement floors, (service workers? I see you!) walking long distances, and playing sports will often lead to sore or tired feet. Poor alignment, poor fitting shoes, and even structural issues with the feet, legs, and/or hips can also cause fatigue.
As a herbalist and body worker, I tend to be surrounded by really cool, groovy folks who have come up with innovative ideas of self care. One of my early Lomi Lomi teachers Barbra had a purple tote (the kind you keep kids toys in with the cool handle). It was large enough to put both feet in and stand comfortably. The innovation? It was loaded half way with marbles! So when you stood in it and moved your feet like smashing grapes, you would get a smooth marble foot massage. It was fantastic!
Massage can address tired feet by bringing blood and lymph to the area, especially if you have slow circulation. Other self care solutions that don’t involve totes full of marbles? Try a salt glow rub followed by a contrast foot bath to increase blood flow and local circulation, leaving the feet feeling healthy and rejuvenated.
A salt glow is a friction treatment performed on the skin by rubbing it with moistened salt. Salt glow friction creates a “glow” or turns pink as the blood vessels under the skin dilate. Salt glows prepare the feet (or other areas of the body) to absorb herbal preparations and essential oils by softening the skin and removing the top layer of dead skin cells. Local circulation will be better , the superficial muscles more relaxed and allows a pleasant sense of well being.
A contrast foot bath is a sequence of hot foot baths followed by cold foot baths. Contrast foot baths encourage good circulation in the feet by increasing blood flow, stimulating the skin and reducing musculoskeletal pain. As an added plus, as circulation increases, circulatory congestion in other areas , such as pelvic and abdominal organs is reduced.
Here is the process….
Start with a Salt Glow. This variation is a simple recipe for a Salt Glow for the feet adapted from my friend Jade Shutes and her book Aromatherapy for Bodyworkers.
Mix 2 cups of fine to medium grade sea salt with a half cup of sunflower oil. Other oils can be used but sunflower is my oil of choice. Salt is drying so always add some sort of oil during application.
Epsom salts can be used but they dissolve quickly so use only as an added salt to maximise friction.
Epsom salts aid in eliminating waste material from the skin and reduce muscle aches by reducing lactic acid build up. Lactic acid buildup in the muscles causes inflammation and pain. Inflammation in the joints may be caused by uric acid which is also reduced by Epsom salts. Reducing acid buildup is key to long term resolution of pain.
Essential oils may be added up to 10 drops per application. I recommend juniper or rosemary. Lavender and lemon are also favourites.
Wet the skin of the feet with water or hydrosol. Take about one tablespoon of the moistened salt in your hands and spread it on the foot and up the ankle. More salt may be needed depending on the size of the person and how far up the ankle or leg you go.
Use brisk upward movement with one hand and brisk downward movement with the other hand. Continue for one to three minutes.
Rinse the salts with water to remove the salts. Continue on to the contrast foot bath.
Salt glow precautions:
Never apply salt to broken skin.
Do not use table salts. Coarser salts will give a greater reaction. Sea salt, kosher salt, pickling salt are all good choices.
Be careful not to apply too much pressure. Salt crystals have sharp edges and may feel unpleasant with too much pressure.
If there is not time after the salt glow for a traditional contrast bath, complete the treatment with alternating hot and cold towels after rinsing salt from feet.
Follow up with a Contrast Foot Bath….
Contrast Bath
A contrast foot bath is simple.
Fill two buckets or washtubs full of water- one with hot tap water, as hot as you can get, best around 110 degrees.
Second, fill a washtub with cold tap water, around 50 degrees.
Put both feet in the hot water for 3 minutes.
Then move the feet to the cold tub and soak for 30 seconds.
Repeat this contrast bath 2-3 times, ending with the cold tub.
Dry your feet and massage with a bit of your favorite massage oil, rosemary being a first choice in my household.
Want more?…
Salt Glows and Contrast foot baths both stimulate the skin leaving the skin open and ready to absorb further topical treatments. This is an excellent time to massage in a good herbal massage oil or move on to the third aspect of the art of the foot bath.
Foot baths are an excellent way to absorb herbs without using the plant internally.
Ginger Foot Bath
Made from freshly grated ginger root, this soak will stimulate circulation, alleviate aches and pains help arthritis and break a cold through sweating.
A ginger foot soak can also ease mental fatigue and tiredness.
(see blog post on medicine making 101 for directions on making herbal tea and decoction)
Calming Bath
Combine equal parts lavender, rose, skullcap and chamomile into a strong brew. Add the quart of infusion to your foot tub and soak, This bath calms the mind and body, relaxing muscles and toe cramps.
In closing, remember daily how supported your are with your feet. They are taking you wherever your path leads you in this world. Thank them and bless them with these tokens of affection from the Earth and Sea medicines.
