THE WAY TO NOURISH

A personal favorite, this moisturizing cream keeps my feet, and the rest of me, soft and oh so supple! It's readily available at Trader Joe's for $3.99 plus tax for the 16 oz. bottle. Try it! 

HOW DO YOU TREAT UNSIGHTLY ECZEMA?!?!?

A few weeks ago, we featured these before and after pictures to illustrate the effectiveness of our product, T!NTALIZE® concealer for feet. And while we want to continue selling this innovative concoction, we realize that we would be doing our readers and clients a disservice if we didn't take this one step further and talk about any effective measures that we know to eliminate the unsightly skin rash which characterizes eczema. That said, let me start by saying that I have eczema. As a child, my rash was largely stimulated by food allergies. I was highly allergic to strawberries as well as  chocolate, oranges and tomatoes. As I grew into puberty, my rash became less of a food-stimulated occurrence and more of a hormonal and stress related one. I remain susceptible to those stimulants to this day. But I DID have a 25-year remission, and here's the simple truth:

One day, when I was 22 years old, I left work and as soon as I got in my car, I began to scratch my legs until blood was streaming down in rivulets. I had concurrently begun to drive and ran onto the curb and into a fire hydrant as I scratched. Luckily, I wasn't going fast enough to tip the hydrant, but that event DID tip me. I knew I had to get help for my condition. I called a dermatologist whom I just happened to meet at a Stanford Alumni concert two days prior. Her name was Carla Herriford.  I made an appointment for a couple of days later, and went to see the good doctor. She asked how I had been controlling the eczema, and I explained that for long periods I used steroid creams and ointments. She said I needed to get off of them immediately. She introduced me to a lotion which had just been released on the market that stimulated new skin growth in the dermis while "burning off" the epidermis with lactic acid. This product was called Lac-Hydrin. She told me to couple that with using Dove cream bar during my shower. I did that, and within a few weeks, I was rash-free and I've remained that way for 25 years!

Besides steroid creams and the Dove cream bar/ Lac-Hydric combination, what else can you do???

1) Phototherapy which is simply treatment with light in a controlled environment. For skin disease, a narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) light is used

2) Psychological techniques (meditation, biofeedback, hypnosis)

3) Alternative therapies including acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbs, diet and vitamins

4) Bleach and vinegar baths

In addition, here are some other helpful tips: First, take warm showers/ baths, not hot. Hot water may feel great on your rash; somehow the heat makes the itch diminish; but, it's also very drying to the skin which then makes it itch again. Second, pat your skin dry, don't rub, and immediately follow your shower with a lotion. Third, determine what triggers your eczema and avoid it. 

IT'S A MATTER OF HEALTH: CAUSES AND TREATMENT OPTIONS

As a follow-up to the ongoing saga of my traumatized hands and feet, I am offering some explanations on why the nail separates from the nail bed as well as options on foot care if you should find yourself with a similar problem.

HOW IT HAPPENS

Just so you know, there is no way to reattach a nail once it detaches. A new nail must grow in its place, and this is a lengthy process. A fingernail can take six months, and a toenail up to eighteen months to grow back.

• Accidentally hitting or jamming the nail
• Wearing shoes that do not have enough room such that the toe is constantly pressed against the toe box
• Fungal nail infection which occurs when a fungus infiltrates the skin underneath the nail (nail bed). Toenails are more commonly infected than fingernails. You may experience discoloration (yellow, green, black, etc.), separation at the edges, cracking, thickened or streaked nails
• Skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema
• Chemicals, including acetone  which is found in nail polish remover
• Medicines
• Illness

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

Once your nail separates from the nail bed, you may have little alternative to removing the nail, keeping the area dry, and letting a new nail grow. If it were an infection or illness which caused the nail to separate initially, that issue needs to be addressed. You may also need to look at any medications or chemical exposure which may be contributing factors.

Beyond that, here's what else you need to do:

• Remove the nail that has separated and/or torn. If you remove the nail, you will have less concern about catching and tearing some more which can be painful in and of itself. Alternatively, you can cover the nail with tape or a bandage to protect the finger or toe until the new nail grows enough to protect it.
• Trim the nail and file the edges
• Soak your finger or toe in hydrogen peroxide to stem an infection. This has also been shown to prevent toenails from becoming thickened.
• If you're fighting an infection, apply an antibiotic ointment such as Bacitracin, and keep the area covered with a bandage.

MAKE YOUR OWN FOOT SCRUB

This is one of the easiest and most effective foot scrub recipes I've ever run across. Try it, and feel your feet thank you.

PEPPERMINT FOOT SCRUB

1 cup of granulated sugar

Your favorite olive or coconut oil 

Peppermint essential oil

In a bowl, pour the cup of sugar, and gradually add the olive or coconut oil. Mix together until you have a slightly wet but grainy consistency (really, you can use as much oil as you'd like). Combine the peppermint oil to the mixture (and this, too, is your option; it can be the essential oil of your choice). Transfer the scrub to a decorative jar, and THAT'S IT!!!! You've created a custom foot scrub!!!!

THE ART OF FOOT MASSAGE- PART 1

The Art of 
Foot Massage- Part 1

by Allyson Carey

Feet work more than any other part of your body, holding up your weight for hours on end. It should come as no surprise that your feet are among the most pleasurable parts of your body to massage. There are an infinite number of massage techniques for invigorating the feet, all of them equally good. The first in this series begins with Swedish massage.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1
Begin your Swedish foot massage with your client face down on your massage table. Lift their foot gently and sit on the end of your table so that the top of the foot can rest gently on your upper thigh.



2
Protect your own body by using your entire torso to work the feet, and not just your arms. Engage the muscles of your abdomen and push through your arms, protecting your low back and preserving your upper body strength.



3
Warm up the feet before working deep by cupping the top of the foot with your non-dominant hand and the sole of the foot with your dominant hand. Use the heel of your dominant hand to rub up and down the sole with gentle yet firm pressure, preparing the muscles to be worked.



4
Work a little deeper into the foot as the muscles begin to warm. Continue cupping the top of the foot, keeping the foot flexed, as this will keep the tendons relaxed and open up the bottom of the feet more. Use your thumbs, knuckles or even elbows to work into the sole of the foot. Work both up and down as well as crosswise.



5
Finish your Swedish foot massage by allowing the foot to rest on your thigh. Cup the heel between your hands and make long sweeping strokes toward the toes. Finish the stroke by gently grasping a toe and pulling very gently. Continue the strokes until you have completed each toe.