Feet is an important part of our body. They carry us all through our lifetime, for thousands of miles. But we hardly take care of them unless they are affected by fungal infections or are sore, tired, cracked, dry or itchy. Foot care is a must in today’s fast paced world as we are always on the move and hardly heed to our body, leave alone the feet. Aromatherapy essential oils are a great way to treat your feet. They not only soothe sore or tired feet, but also cure infection caused by fungi or viruses.
Essential oils and foot care: There are certain common essential oils that are used in foot care. Here are a few:
1. Peppermint oil: Peppermint is an anti-inflammatory oil that can soothe the skin and produce a relaxing effect. It is also a decongestant.
2. Rosemary oil: Used for many therapies, rosemary oil is a mild stimulant which is good for rheumatic aches or pain.
3. Eucalyptus oil: A strong aromatic oil, eucalyptus is an all-time oil for pain relief. Its anti-viral and bactericidal properties make it a great oil for the feet.
4. Lavender oil: A naturally soothing and relaxing oil, lavender is highly efficient in soothing your feet and helping it relax better. An excellent remedy for tired, hard-working feet.
5. Lemon oil: Like lemon, lemon oil is also refreshing, reviving and stimulating. It enhances circulation and relieves the body of pain and aches. A rejuvenating oil for sore or tired feet.
Toenail fungus: Essential oils can cure a lot of conditions related to feet. One of them is Toenail Fungal infection. Caused by fungus, this is a common infection among the Americans. Almost 30 million people in the United States are infected by nail fungus. This occurs mostly in men and women aged between 40 to 65, though some kinds of fungal infections happen in children also. Oral medications are not that effective in treating toenail fungus. This is because oral medications work only wherever blood circulates and toenail infection is concentrated mainly on the nail and the cuticle. Since there is no chance of blood reaching the interior of the nail, toenail infection cannot be effectively treated with oral drugs. Topical creams do work, but nothing works better than essential oils.
Three essential oils play a key role in treating toenail fungus. They are: 1. Tea Tree Oil, 2. Lavender Oil and 3. Oregano Oil. Tea Tree oil is an antiseptic that is used in several infections, especially skin related ones. Oregano oil has antiviral, antiseptic and anti-parasitical properties which reduces pain and inflammation in the body.
Essential oil remedies for problem feet: Aromatic oils can be used to treat Athlete’s foot, sore feet and burning feet. Here are a few remedies for different foot conditions:
Foot bath blend for tired feet: An essential foot bath blend should comprise of the following components: 3 drops of lavender oil, 3 drops of rosemary oil, 4 drops of lemon oil mixed with 2 gallons of warm water. While lavender soothes your feet, lemon and rosemary re-energize and revive it with increased blood circulation.
Essential oils for athlete’s foot: Add 4 drops of tea tree oil, 4 drops of lavender oil and 2 drops of sandalwood oil with 2 gallons of warm water and soak your feet in the blend. Tea tree oil combats the fungus, while sandalwood oil softens and smoothens the cracks and sores in the feet. You can even substitute sandalwood with patchouli oil.