Yoga Journal
Well being - Care of the Sole
Tired of worn-out feet? Nurse them back to health with an Ayurvedic routine. According to Ayurveda, foot problems are a dosha imbalance in the body. So, if you have tired, dry, or achy soles, try an Ayurvedic routine to cleanse, exfoliate, and massage your feet and help balance your dosha.
Footbaths. Ideal for cleansing feet and softening rough skin, they can help open pores and increase blood circulation and energy flow. Vatas should add orange rind and orange essential oil to warm and ground them, says Sara Inclenrock, who specializes in Ayurveda at the Stellar Spa in Corte Madera, California. Pittas can turn to calming lavender oil and dried lavender. Kaphas should add dried rosemary and rosemary essential oil to stimulate and energize them. (To determine your dosha, visit the "Health" section at www.YogaJournal.com.) Also, choose a water temperature that complements your dosha - cool or lukewarm water for fiery pitas, and hot (not scalding) water for cooler vata and sluggish kapha types. Add five to ten drops of essential oil to the water and three to four tablespoons of the matching dried herb per gallon of water, ad soak your feet for 20 minutes.
Foot scrubs. Done after your footbath, they can exfoliate dry, hardened skin. For kaphas, Inclenrock suggests blending dried rosemary (half a cup) with cornmeal (one cup) and adding rosemary essential oil (10 to 15 drops) to a base of almond or safflower oil (one-half to three-quarters of a cup, for desired texture). Vatas should mix course salt (one cup) with grated orange rind (one to three cups) and a blend of orange essential oil (10 to 15 drops) and sesame or olive oil (one-half to three-quarters of a cup).Pittas can use cornmeal (one cup) blended with dried lavender (half a cup) and a mix of lavender essential oil (10 to 15 drops) and almond or coconut oil (one-half to three -quarters of a cup). Take a small handful of scrub and gently rub it all over each foot. Using small circular motions, focus on the heel and any areas that feel dry and rough. Then rinse your feet well and pat dry.
Massage. An ayurvedic foot massage directs the flow of negative energy out through the toes by stimulating the major marma (vital energy points) on the feet. For massaging, Inclenrock suggests coconut oil for pitas, olive oil or sesame oil for vatas, and safflower oil for kaphas. To make massage oil, use 20 to 40 drops of essential oil per eight ounces of carrier oil. An ayurvedic foot massage begins at the ankle and moves toward the toes, two areas where energy can get stuck and cause a dosha imbalance, says Inclenrock. Begin with a small amount of oil, and add more as it gets absorbed. Using both hands, massage in circular motions at the heel, moving around the sides and the anklebone. Continue with long strokes up the bottom of the foot, rubbing oil into the pad and near the toes. Spend time stroking oil around and in between the toes, stretching, rolling and pulling each toe. Finally, work oil down the top of the foot, back toward the ankle, and finish with circular motions again on the ankle and heel.
Feet First Aid. Athlete foot: Apply oregano oil, slightly diluted with sesame oil, to clean, dry feet. Reapply up to three times daily until the problem disappears.
Cold feet: Make a hot tea with half a gallon of water, three tablespoons of fresh grated ginger, and three tablespoons of mustard seed, boiling for 10 minutes. Then fill a bucket with the tea, adding up to half a gallon of cool water to adjust the temperature. Soak for 10 minutes.
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