It's Sandal Season! Love Your Feet From Heel To Toe

Tag : closed toe

Whether you struggle with bunions, calluses, fungus or hangnails,your feet will undoubtedly need some attention before they debut atyour neighbor's BBQ or the community pool party.
Not a foot model? No problem. Regardless of how dry, cracked andunloved they are, it's possible to transform your feet into asoft(er) state using nothing more than organic treatments and someelbow grease. But there are some basic ground rules for footmaintenance: Ditch the three-inch stilettos. Wearing comfortable shoes is key.From knee-high boots to Roman sandals to men's leather loafers, itis essential to purchase shoes that fit you correctly and to ensurethat they keep fitting you well. This means no squeezing into asize seven-and-a-half when you've always been an eight - it doesn'tmatter if it's the last pair in the store - and replacing shoeswhen they become worn down with use.

Get naked. Naked feet, that is. Walking barefoot occasionally givesyour feet a break from stifling shoes and socks and allows them tobreathe.

Keep moving. Getting on your feet is as important as getting offthem. If you work at a desk all day, be sure to take walking breaksto increase blood flow to your feet - and the rest of your body.Conversely, if you're on your feet all day, be sure to take regularsitting breaks.

Rub regularly. If you can't get your significant other or your bestfriend to rub your tired toes, consider investing in a monthly footmassage or reflexology session. Reflexology is a method of applyingpressure to specific areas of the feet (or reflex zones) thatrepresent parts of the body. Your feet and any other achy areaswill benefit from regular reflexology sessions.
If you have better things to do than nurture your feet, justimagine what your teeth or hair would look like without consistentmaintenance. Not so good. And taking care of your feet is easy! Allyou need is a handful of extra minutes each day and a smallcollection of organic and natural lotions and scrubs. Stock yourat-home foot spa with the following:
A foot-specific scrub
Feet have special needs, so don't bother slathering your crackedheels with your facial scrub. Kiss My Face has developed a pepperminty foot scrub from walnut shells andnatural pumice as well as organic sunflower seed, soybean andcoconut oils for deep moisturizing. kissmyfacewebstore.com
The best balm
When my dry, tired toes need an extra kick, I skip the lotion andgo right to the balm. Rich with extra-virgin olive oil and jojobaoil, Badger's Foot Balm is enhanced with tea tree, eucalyptus,rosemary and peppermint essential oils that have antifungal andantibacterial properties (and help to make the average foot rub atingly experience). badgerbalm.com
Splurge!
Treat your feet (sorry, but the rhyme is irresistible) to luxuriousmoisture with Dr. Hauschka's St. John's Wort Foot Cream. Featuringorganic and biodynamically farmed ingredients, the lotion aims tosoften the roughest patches while treating the cuts and blistersthat often accompany summer shoes. drhauschka.com
Healthy nails 101
Tea tree oil is nature's first-aid kit. In its Nail Saver product,Jason Natural has combined the healing oil with sesame, aloe veraand evening primrose oils to combat brittleness, peeling, cuticleissues and hangnails. jason-natural.com
A superior slipper
As summer heat falls upon us - it's 99 degrees as I write this - Ilike to keep my slippers on ice. Keeping a pair of herbal slippersin the fridge - next to the iced tea or in the veggie drawer, yourchoice - guarantees a few blissful moments after a long, hot day.Uncommon Goods fills their slippers with flax, lavender, rosemary,peppermint and lemongrass for an aromatherapeutic effect. uncommongoods.com
Marisa Belger is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experiencecovering health and wellness. She was a founding editor of Lime.com , a multiplatform media company specializing in health, wellnessand sustainable living. Marisa also collaborated with Josh Dorfman on "The Lazy Environmentalist" (Stewart, Tabori, and Chang), acomprehensive guide to easy, stylish green living.
Please note: Neither Marisa Belger nor TODAYshow.com has beencompensated by the manufacturers or their representatives for hercomments or selection of products reviewed in this column.