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After a long day at work, doing yard work or window shopping, your feet can feel tired, achy, swollen, and heavy. And as you get older, it seems to get even more common.
Standing or walking for extended periods of time puts a significant amount of stress on your feet, which is what causes the discomfort and pain.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to ease these sensations without having to pop a painkiller tablet.
These natural remedies will ease your sore feet and have you feeling great again.
Elevate Your Feet
When you are standing, your feet bear all your weight. Elevating your feet for just 15 to 20 minutes takes the weight off your feet, giving you instant relief.
It also increases the circulation in your legs and feet, reducing the pain and swelling.
Soak Your Feet in a Basin, Alternating Between a Hot and Cold Foot Bath
When you put your foot in a hot bath, it dilates the blood vessels in your feet. Then when you put them in a cold bath, the cold water constricts the blood vessels. This alternate dilating and constricting boosts circulation and reduces the swelling and achiness in your feet.
Here’s how to do a hot and cold foot bath.
Fill a basin with cold water and another with hot water.
Sit comfortably and place your feet in the cold water for five minutes.
Remove your feet from the cold water and place them in the basin with hot water.
Switch back and forth every five minutes for a total of thirty minutes for maximum effectiveness.
Soak Your Feet in an Epsom Salt Bath
Magnesium is known to help reduce swelling and ease the pain. Epsom salts are made of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, which makes them very effective for this purpose.
There are two ways you can use Epsom salt to reduce the swelling in your feet.
One way is to fill a basin with hot water, add Epsom salt and soak just your feet for at least 20 minutes.
Alternately, if you are looking to relax your entire body, fill your bathtub with hot water, add Epsom salt, and soak your whole body for 45 minutes to an hour.
Soak Your Feet in Essential Oils
An alternative to Epsom salts is to use essential oils, which can help to increase blood circulation and reduce swelling.
The best essential oils for tired feet are peppermint oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, and rosemary oil. All of these essential oils increase blood flow in the feet and legs, which reduces the swelling and pain.
Essential oils for tired feet are used in the same two ways as Epsom salts. You can put a few drops in a basin of warm water and soak your feet in it for 20 minutes. Or you can put a few drops in a warm bath and soak in it for 45 minutes to an hour.
Vinegar Soak is a Great Alternative
If you don’t have Epsom salts or essential oils in the house, a great alternative for a foot soak is vinegar. Vinegar helps to reduce inflammation and can be used in two ways.
One way is to fill a basin with hot water and add two tablespoons of vinegar and one tablespoon salt. Soak your feet for about twenty minutes.
The second say is to get two basins of water- one with hot water and the second with cold water. Add vinegar and salt to both basins. Soak a big enough towel in the hot mixture and squeeze out the excess liquid. Wrap the hot compress around your feet for five minutes. Repeat the same process using the cold mixture.
This process is effective because you are getting the benefits from the vinegar as well as from alternating hot and cold on your feet to maximize blood flow and reduce swelling and achiness.
Taking preventative measures, such as investing in a good pair of shoes can help minimize pain and swelling. If you do find your feet achy and swollen after a day out, these natural remedies are very effective at easing the pain and reducing the swelling.
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