The feet are important parts of our body that we need to give proper attention and care to live a happy and healthy life. We must take care of our feet as much as our face and other parts of body.
Our health and happiness are greatly influenced by our external senses and internal blood circulation. The condition of our feet directly affect our senses and blood circulation thus having "Happy Feet" leads to health and happiness.
Sensation - the ability to feel pressure, injury, heat, cold and pain.
Circulations - a constant supply of food and energy and a way to get rid of waste materials.
In order to prevent further injury or infection; an extra loving care must be given to our feet that have developed a problem with either circulation or sensation.
The Feet's Blood Circulation
The Feet's Blood Circulation or Vascular Circulation is the arterial blood flow into the foot and venous blood flow away from the foot back to the heart. It is the transportation system that brings fresh blood to your feet and carries blood back to your heart and lungs. Poor Circulation is the condition that occurs when your blood transportation is not functioning properly.
Indications of Poor Circulation
First, we must love our feet and pay attention to our feet. Our feet tells us we must give closer attention and immediate care to our feet when;
- The feet hurts while walking or resting and dull cramping pain in the calf muscle after a long walk.
- The feet lacks sensation; numbness or tingling in the foot and toes.
- The feet are cold, pale, blue, reddish, or swollen.
- The feet have sore that do not heal.
- The feet skin is thick, dry, scaly, calloused, or cracked.
Causes of Poor Circulation
Blood is prevented from either reaching or leaving your feet because;
- Arteries become rigid or hard (arteriosclerosis).
- Arteries become clogged or blocked by fatty deposits.
- Veins become blocked or narrowed so fluid and waste materials spill out into the surrounding foot and ankle tissue.
- Diabetes causes blood vessels to age and harden fasten than normal.
The most common cause of poor blood flow into the foot is atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This is a progressive degenerative process characterized by the deposition of fatty substances inside the wall of the artery along with a fibrous thickening of the artery wall resulting in a diminished ability of blood to flow down to the foot.
Walking is the primary treatment in treating arteriosclerosis in mild to moderate cases.
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WALK BAREFOOT
If you do it in summer in the park or in your garden on a variety of terrains, your cardiovascular system will be stimulated, blood pressure-regulated and therefore circulation improved.
In Germany they also believe that it can strengthen the body's immune system. Barefoot walking has been regarded as life enhancing and exercise of the body and mind.
It also makes life more interesting due to the environment. Barefoot walking expands your sense of touch and helps you regain a connection with nature through the contact with the ground beneath your feet.
Many people have remarked on the similarity of the benefits of barefoot walking, with reflexology. Barefoot walking is often regarded as 'do it yourself' reflexology.
Reflexology is an ancient healing art based on the idea that reflex points exist in the feet, (as well as the hands and ears) which correspond to every part of the body.
The use of reflexology dates back over 5,000 years. When the many reflexes on the soles of the feet are stimulated, this can produce a variety of health-related benefits, including relaxation, improved digestive functioning, decreased pain and improved overall well being.
Cobblestone walking is really a form of self-reflexology. Walking on specifically placed uneven, natural stones can stimulate these reflexes or acupressure points in the feet much like a reflexology session. As a result, people have happy feet while walking barefoot.
The ancient Chinese practice of walking barefoot on paths made of river stones is good for health in more ways than one. The Chinese believe that walking on cobblestones activates acupoints on the feet.
Acupressure and acupuncture specialists say that points on the feet, hands, ears and other areas of body relate to specific organs, flow of energy and functions of the body.
In today's China adults of all ages spent about 30 minutes each day walking, standing, and sometimes dancing on these beautifully laid paths of river stones in the parks and gardens of large cities. They do this for their health every day of the week.
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| Reflexology Walking Path |
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Twenty five percent of the bones of your body are in your feet. If any of these bones are misaligned, your entire body could be affected. You might not even feel that you have a foot problem but it can be causing knee problems, hip or low-back problems, shoulder and neck problems and even headaches or stomachaches. Foot problems can also cause emotional stresses and physiological changes in the body like adrenal stress, blood sugar, fatigue and many others. Many doctors look to the mechanics of the foot for proper posture but there is so much more making up the foundation that we stand, walk and run on.
Any health symptoms that are related to foot problems will get worse as the day goes on because your feet become more stressed as the day goes on.
Muscles that support the shape and function of the feet are related to the adrenal glands and the bladder. Problems with these muscles can cause foot problems and eventually deformation of the feet can occur. “Shin splints” (pain in the lower leg while walking or running), "Dropped Arches" or “Flat feet” and "Plantar Fascitis" can also be caused from the muscles of the feet not working properly.
Reflexology of the foot has become very popular as an alternative treatment for health problems. There are reflexes that are related to organs, glands and other parts of the body on the bottom of the foot. The reflexology practioner will find the reflexes that are active and use acupressure-like stimulation on these points to treat the reflexes which in turn helps these organs, glands and body parts to work better. What causes these reflexes to be present are the misalignment of the bones of the foot causing tender spots or trigger-points. With Applied Kinesiology diagnosis and treatment of the foot, these bones will be adjusted back into their proper places. When the bones are aligned properly, the reflexes on the bottom of the foot will be stimulated as you walk.
When your foot is working properly, you are getting automatic reflexology while you walk or run.
Misalignments of the bones of the feet also cause problems with the acupuncture meridians that travel through the foot. Meridians are highways of energy in the body that flow in general areas and directions. When they are blocked, by a misaligned bone, health problems can be caused to the related organs or glands. The foot contains meridians related to the Spleen, Liver, Stomach, Kidney, Bladder and Gallbladder. Since all of the acupuncture meridians of the body either begin or end on the feet or hands, the health of you foot is important for a proper balance of the acupuncture energy system. In Chinese medicine, the definition of disease is an imbalance (either too much or too little) of energy (Chi) in the body.
Problems with the feet can send confusing information to the central nervous system which can cause mechanical problems in the body.
The foot has many nerve receptors in it that send important information into our central nervous system. This information is used to track where certain parts of the body are at every moment and in what direction, how fast they are moving and how much pressure they are receiving. Problems with the feet can send confusing information to the central nervous system which can cause mechanical problems in the body. As we walk, each joint of the foot sends information to the nervous system so that it can turn on and off our muscles. The turning on and off of the muscles allows us to walk, if they didn’t turn on and off we would not be able to move properly. This is one way that foot problems can cause knee, hip, neck, shoulder, jaw problems and even headaches. If a muscle is not turning on when it is supposed to, then a muscle on the other side of the body will become too tight because the balance is upset. When it becomes too tight, it pulls the bones out of alignment causing problems.
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| Doc Martens |
Is it a good shoe?
Shoes that are too tight will shut off your positive support mechanism which keeps your body standing in an upright position. If the positive support mechanism is not working properly, you will start to slouch with your shoulders and head forward as you stand. This can cause discomfort throughout the body, even chronic neck/back pain and will eventually cause permanent posture problems and bone deformation.
It is important to treat the foot with respect and to invest in its good health. Applied Kinesiology treatment is very important to restore the proper function to the foot. Another important factor for prevention and to maintain the health of your feet is wearing good shoes. A good shoe will support the foot well and prevent injury and deformation. A good shoe will support the foot while standing, walking or running. There are many misconceptions about what a good shoe is. Here are guidelines on what to look for when buying shoes:
• A good shoe will have laces; the more eyelets the shoe has for laces the better. The laces help the shoe to form to the foot so that the foot can work properly. Lace-up shoes are much better to walk in than slide on or most strap on shoes. Make sure you lace up you shoes so they are snug but not too tight. Do not wear your lace up shoes with the laces loose because your foot will flop around in it and cause problems.
• A good shoe has a heel support and a firm shank to support your arch but will still be flexible when you walk. The heel should not be higher than a medium height.
• Proper width and length are important. Your toes should not touch the front of the shoe and the foot width should not hang over the side of the shoes. You should try on or be measured for shoes at the end of the day because your feet expand during the day due to gravity and your body weight while you are walking. At the end of the day you can trace your bare foot on a piece of paper. Place your shoes on top of the template and make sure that the shoe totally covers the outline of your foot-- no lines should stick out or else your shoe is too small.
Care for your feet and protect your health by wearing good shoes or use orthotic shoe inserts. Learn to recognize symptoms or indications that may be caused by wearing bad shoes.
How to recognize LOWER back pain
Lower back pain can have several causes, including being on your feet all day long. The lumbar region of the spine, or lower back, is where pain strikes most often. As the heel strikes the ground, thousands of tiny shock waves travel up legs to the lower back, where they aggravate back muscles and initiate pain.
How to recognize knee pain
Misalignment of the lower leg due to overpronation of the foot is a leading cause of knee pain. Pronation, the flattening of the arch during each footstep, is normal. Overpronation occurs when the arch flattens excessively, creating misalignment. This can increase the stress on the knee joint, and can cause knee pain over time. Pain typically manifests on the inside portion of the knee during weight-bearing activities such as walking.
How to recognize heel pain
Heel pain can be either a dull ache or a sharp, shooting pain in the heel, possibly accompanied by inflammation. Symptoms often appear over time and with low intensity. Heel pain is usually more severe after running and in the morning after getting out of bed.
How to recognize arch pain
Flat feet is a common problem that occurs when a person’s arch collapses upon weight bearing activities such as walking. This can cause stress or inflammation, possibly causing severe discomfort and lead to other foot problems. Without properly supported arches, even walking can pull the body out of alignment and cause painful stress, strain, and fatigue in your arch, heel, knee, or lower back
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