YOUR feet can say a lot about you. By looking at a person’s feet, you can judge a person’s health, personality and of course, their lifestyle (whether active or sedentary). Smooth foot soles, pedicured toenails and moisturized skin are your key to looking and feeling good. Moisturized and clean feet are your key to a healthy lifestyle.

Of course, if you have diabetes, your feet demand additional care and the following tips are just what you might want to get started with. You can have healthy feet by exfoliating and moisturizing your feet at least twice a week.

Here’s how:

Things you need:

A pumice stone

A foot spa machine or a small tub filled with lukewarm water. Add some Epsom salt to it

Foot file

Nail file and a nail cutter

Exfoliating cream (preferably a body scrub)

Moisturizing cream (Your choice – I prefer foot moisturizers compared to body moisturizers)

Method:

1. Soak your legs in lukewarm water mixed with Epsom salt for 15 minutes (foot spa machine or a small tub will do).

2. Apply the exfoliating cream. Rub the pumice stone around the sole areas that are hard. This would remove the dead skin cells from your feet. Continue doing this until this area becomes soft and try not to rub the pumice stone very hard.

3. Once you’re done with the pumice stone, it’s the foot file’s turn. Smooth the ridges of your soles (around the end especially) until you get a smooth feel with the foot file.

4. With the help of an orange stick, clean the corners of your toenails to remove fungus or any other penetrative dirt.

5. Take the cuticle remover, apply it on your toenails and clean it with the help of a small spatula. If you’d like to give it an additional touch of beauty and pamper yourself, try the French pedicure.

6. Towel-dry your feet. Massage the moisturizing cream or lotion.

Your feet have just been pampered with an exclusive “do-it-yourself” pedicure treatment; that too all by yourself! The best part about DIY foot treatments at home is that you can be creative. You can try different kinds of creams, foot salts and different massage strokes. If you are offering a foot spa to your spouse (you have no idea how much they will love it), try different kinds of massage strokes starting from the top of the foot and slowly work your way down the sole in circular motions, gently. A five-minute massage can make a big difference in one’s mood.

Foot spa can make you look and feel great by inducing relaxation and releasing stress from your body. Foot spa has more than just relaxation benefits. It helps relieve headaches, indigestion, acidity and of course, insomnia. If you learn some reflexology and acupressure techniques, a foot spa can also help in the process of detoxification by cleansing itself from the toxins accumulated in our body. More than just a relaxation technique, foot spa can actually be one of your key secrets to good health. Want to know more about detoxification and healing ? Stay tuned for our next article in this column!