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My Feet Hurt SOOOO Much!
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed). Then your heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk.
Plantar fasciitis is common in middle-aged people. It also occurs in younger people who are on their feet a lot, like athletes or soldiers. It can happen in one foot or both feet. Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament. These can lead to pain and swelling.
No single treatment works best for everyone with plantar fasciitis. But there are many things you can try to help your foot get better:
Give your feet a rest. Cut back on activities that make your foot hurt. Try not to walk or run on hard surfaces.
To reduce pain and swelling, try putting ice on your heel.
Do toe stretches, calf stretches and towel stretches several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning. (For towel stretches, you pull on both ends of a rolled towel that you place under the ball of your foot.)
Get a new pair of shoes. Pick shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole. Or try heel cups or shoe inserts. Use them in both shoes, even if only one foot hurts.
#foot
Toenail Fungus
Usually, nail fungus occurs when fungus enters the nail through a small trauma (cut or break) in the nail. Nail fungus is not caused by poor hygiene. Nail fungus can be spread from person to person. It may be hard to determine exactly where or how a fungal infection is acquired. However, a warm, wet place (for example, a locker room) is a good place for a fungus to grow.
To prevent foot/toe fungus, put clean shoes in plastic bags and put bags in freezer for 72 hours, this will kill any fungus in shoes. Wash socks in bleach or at least dry socks on clothesline in sun to kill fungus. Let shoes air in sunshine, when possible. Alternate shoes daily, if fungus flairs up, change socks at lunch after wiping toes with baby wipe dampened with tea tree oil. Change shoes and socks if you get your feet wet. Also, Vinegar has been used traditionally to ward off nail fungus.
Tea tree oil, a natural disinfectant sold at health food stores, works well for nail fungus. Paint the oil on affected nails twice a day for at least two months. The nail has to grow out for the fungus to be eradicated, so you may not see results for a year as the toenail grows slow. An alternative remedy is grapefruit seed extract used the same way as tea tree oil – twice a day for at least two months. Eating 1-2 cloves of raw garlic a day may also be helpful over time as garlic has significant anti-fungal properties.
#toe
Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia occurs when your body doesn’t have enough iron.
Iron is important because it helps you get enough oxygen throughout your body. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a part of your red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen through your body. If you do not have enough iron, your body makes fewer and smaller red blood cells camera.gif. Then your body has less hemoglobin, and you cannot get enough oxygen.
Iron deficiency anemia is caused by low levels of iron in the body. You might have low iron levels because you:
Have heavy menstrual bleeding.
Are not getting enough iron in food. This can happen in people who need a lot of iron, such as small children, teens, and pregnant women.
Have bleeding inside your body. This bleeding may be caused by problems such as ulcers, hemorrhoids, or cancer. This bleeding can also happen with regular aspirin use. Bleeding inside the body is the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia in men and in women after menopause.
Cannot absorb iron well in your body. This problem may occur if you have celiac disease or if you have had part of your stomach or small intestine removed.
You may not notice the symptoms of anemia, because it develops slowly and the symptoms may be mild. In fact, you may not notice them until your anemia gets worse. As anemia gets worse, you may:
Feel weak and tire out more easily.
Feel dizzy.
Be grumpy or cranky.
Have headaches.
Look very pale.
Feel short of breath.
Have trouble concentrating.
Babies and small children who have anemia may:
Be fussy.
Have a short attention span.
Grow more slowly than normal.
Develop skills, such as walking and talking, later than normal.
You can get the most benefit from iron pills if you take them with vitamin C or drink orange juice. Do not take your iron pills with milk, caffeine, foods with high fiber, or antacids.
You can prevent anemia by eating foods that contain iron every day. Iron-rich foods include meats, vegetables, and whole grains such as iron-fortified cereals.
You can prevent anemia in babies and children by following recommendations for feeding infants and making sure babies and children get enough iron.
If you are pregnant, you can prevent anemia by taking prenatal vitamins. Your doctor will give you prenatal vitamins that include iron. Your doctor will also test your blood to see if you are anemic. If you are anemic, you will take a higher-dose iron pill.
#iron
Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veinscamera.gif near the surface of the skin. They are most common in the legs and ankles. They usually aren’t serious, but they can sometimes lead to other problems.
Varicose veins are caused by weakened valves and veins in your legs. Normally, one-way valves in your veins keep blood flowing from your legs up toward your heart. When these valves do not work as they should, blood collects in your legs, and pressure builds up. The veins become weak, large, and twisted.
Varicose veins often run in families. Aging also increases your risk.
Being overweight or pregnant or having a job where you must stand for long periods of time increases pressure on leg veins. This can lead to varicose veins.
Mild symptoms may include:
Heaviness, burning, aching, tiredness, or pain in your legs. Symptoms may be worse after you stand or sit for long periods of time.
Swelling in your feet and ankles.
Itching over the vein.
More serious symptoms include:
Leg swelling.
Swelling and calf pain after you sit or stand for long periods of time.
Skin changes, such as: Color changes.
Dry, thinned skin.
Inflammation.
Scaling.
Open sores, or you may bleed after a minor injury.
Home treatment may be all you need to ease your symptoms and keep the varicose veins from getting worse. You can:
Wear compression stockings.
Prop up (elevate) your legs.
Avoid long periods of sitting or standing.
Get plenty of exercise
#veins
Increase the Benefits with Frequent Visits
Here’s the beauty of massage therapy.
The benefits are compounded when massage is utilized as a frequent therapy. The more you get, the more it does. Taking part in this form of regularly-scheduled self-care can play a huge part in how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain with each passing year. Budgeting time and money for massage therapy at consistent intervals is truly an investment in your health.
And remember! Just because massage feels like a pampering treat doesn’t mean it is any less therapeutic. Consider massage appointments a necessary piece of your health and wellness plan, and work with Monica to establish a treatment schedule that best meets your needs.
A Powerful Ally
There’s no denying the power of massage. Regardless of the adjectives we assign to it (pampering, rejuvenating, therapeutic) or the reasons we seek it out (a luxurious treat, stress relief, pain management), massage therapy can be a powerful ally in your healthcare regimen. The incredible benefits of massage are doubly powerful if taken in regular “doses.” Professionals at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami explain the more massage you get, the greater benefits you reap.
Here’s why:
Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. While eliminating anxiety and pressure altogether in this fast-paced world may be idealistic, massage can, without a doubt, help manage stress.
This translates into:
• Decreased anxiety.
• Enhanced sleep quality.
• Greater energy.
• Improved concentration.
• Increased circulation.
• Reduced fatigue.
Furthermore, clients often report a sense of perspective and clarity after receiving a massage. The emotional balance bodywork provides can often be just as vital and valuable as the more tangible physical benefits.