wash-and-dry system
lessens problems such as
athlete's foot, odor, bacteria
and fungus.
If you like to soak your feet,
forget the Epsom salts—
they're too drying and don't
offer any medical benefit.
Instead, just use warm
(never hot) water and a little
liquid soap, such as
dishwashing solution,
containing skin softeners.
Moisturize your feet after
washing. During dry-skin
winter months, you may
want to moisturize several
times a day. Nothing fancy
is needed: basic lotions and
creams are fine.
Alternate the shoes you
wear each day. That may
mean having two pairs of
your favorite everyday
style, but shoes need time to
air out to avoid triggering
foot odor or infections.
Change socks or stockings
more than once a day. If
you have a problem with
smelly feet, soak them in a
JOY FEELINGS MAG!
mixture of vinegar and
water.
Your feet should not hurt—
ever. Tight shoes can
worsen bunions, distort toe
shape and cause painful
foot growths. If you wear
high heels, choose heels
that are wide, stable and no
higher than two inches. Toe
boxes should be wide;
pointed toes shouldn't begin
their narrowing shape until
well past the ball of the
foot. To protect your
Achilles tendon from
shortening, alternate heel
heights regularly.
Flip-flops and completely
flat shoes don't provide arch
support. Neither does
walking barefoot. Women
are especially prone to
developing flat feet, which
can lead to other foot
problems. To keep feet
strong and healthy,
minimize the amount of
time you wear shoes that
lack supportive arches.