When it comes to caring for our feet, we could set up an appointment or simply indulge in some self-care at home. From socks to spa treatments, we offer some suggestions for self-care for feet.
Massage Tool: Yoga Tune Up Balls
The weight, grip, and density of Yoga Tune Up balls make them useful as massage tools. Our feet benefit from regular massage.
To use the balls as massage tools, stand on a sticky mat near a wall for support. You can work with one foot at a time or challenge your balance and massage both of your feet simultaneously.
Place the ball under the front of your foot’s arch. Drop your weight into the ball. Roll to the back of the arch. Allow your body weight to sink into the ball. Roll the ball all the way around the sole of your foot. Try this technique for self-care for feet.
Learn more and order balls at: tuneupfitness.com
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Self-Care for Feet: Earth Therapeutics
Sometimes what you need the most – either at the end of the day or during the day – is a warm blanket for your feet. One that stays on no matter what activities you are doing. Earth Therapetuics’ Aloe Socks are infused with aloe vera and Vitamin E. They’re even designed to be worn after applying your favorite moisturizing lotion.
In Ayurveda, massaging your feet at night before bed with nourishing oils or soothing butters is both calming and restorative. Covering your feet with the Aloe Socks magnifies the effect. Whether you are a runner or someone who is on their feet all day, these aloe-infused socks offer any-time-of-day relief. With different colors and patterns available, you can even match to your favorite PJs or robe.
Glen Ivy’s Very Berry Pedicure
You can visit Glen Ivy Hot Springs to soak in the vast array of pools, cover yourself in mud, or dose up on Vitamin D with friends. Or you can indulge at the on-site spa. When it comes to caring for your feet, Glen Ivy features treatments that rotate with the seasons.
From April through June, one of the seasonal foot-nurturing options is the Very Berry Pedicure. This experience includes a soothing soak, a rejuvenating exfoliation, and moisturizing body milk (as well as a full pedicure). Products used such as the Fresh Melon Body Milk, Green Tea & Marigold Mineral Bath Soak, and Rasmopolitan Body Scrub with Organic Vodka are made by FarmHouse Fresh. For more information, visit: glenivy.com
FarmHouse Fresh is based on a Texas ranch. The company began their line with foot care: scrubs made with sea salt and rice bran oil to address cracked heels. They’ve expanded to include a full range of nourishing skin care options that are 100% natural with many certified organic ingredients; FarmHouse Fresh is made in the USA with love.
Ola Tropical Apothecary Coconut Body Butters
We’ve been hearing about the positive benefits of coconut oil for just about everything – including the skin. According to Sahara Rose, author of Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda, “Coconut oil is both cooling and hydrating, and, balancing out our hot and dry California climate.”
Hawaii-based Ola Tropical Apothecary creates a line of coconut body butter with the values Aloha Aina: To love, respect, and steward the land. More than stewarding the land, the butters are stewards for the skin and body with scents that uplift the soul. These products are made in Hawaii. The nourishing varieties include Pikake (Hawaiian jasmine), Coconut, Passion Fruit, Plumeria, and Rainforest. When your feet are tired or after a day on the trails, try massaging on your soles and beyond.
Reflexology at Exhale
Kerry Lorimer is a Reflexology Therapist at Exhale Spa. She says this about the practice, “Generally speaking, reflexology can offer a bodywide effect by stimulating the reflex points in the feet (and hands). This can be a huge benefit for someone who just taxed their muscles by running a marathon, training, or hiking.”
In Reflexology, the practitioner uses a specific set of techniques to apply pressure to reflex points that correspond to the body as a whole. Kerry also points out, “Like other bodywork modalities, it is important for the massage therapist to check for signs of injury, blisters, and swelling before treatment.” For more information, visit: exhalespa.com/spa/massages
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.