The Way to a Woman's Heart.....

The way to a woman’s heart is through her feet

My fondest memory about my Grandparents’ loving and enduring relationship is how every evening my Grandfather would devotedly rub a rich lotion on my Grandmother’s feet….

The human foot is at once the most functional and the most tortured part of the anatomy…and the hardest to draw! One of my art teachers used a human foot as a final exam once… The complex skeletal structure of the foot can be compared to the inner workings of a Swiss watch; capable of propelling the body in any direction at high speed while sustaining huge amounts of force. As such, the foot is exposed to constant physical stresses, some of which are exacerbated by footwear and weather. My Grandmother’s poor toes came to a central point due to decades of patent leather pumps!

Including the bones of the ankle, the foot holds 26 separate bones, many of which are relatively small and delicately fashioned. Over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments combine with the skeletal bones to create 33 separate joints. A complex series of blood vessels and nerve pathways run within individual networks to support the cardiovascular and neurological demands of movement. The sophistication of the skeletal structure of the foot is underscored by the fact that the bones of the two human feet constitute almost 25% of all bones in the human body.

Not only is the foot a complex if underappreciated machine, but Scientists at the Canada Research Council discovered that by rubbing a substance on your feet the body quickly absorbs and utilizes it. Try rubbing raw garlic on the bottom of your foot; you’ll taste it in 20 minutes! This is why I hate crocs; they are polyurethane foam that’s off-gassing into your feet! What comes in also goes out; this is the theory behind foot Detox patches: based on Reflexology Points, the tourmaline and herbs in the patch stimulate circulation in the blood vessels of the foot, and encourage the natural detoxifying processes of your organs.

But as a culture, we primarily ignore our poor footsies, taking their magnificence for granted. You can start being a foot worshipper by using a pumice stone in the shower to exfoliate dead skin and prevent callus build up. Follow with a nice rich lotion or foot cream, I really like Collective Well Being’s Cardamom Foot Butter, it’s rich, moisturizing and smells delicious. If, like so many people, you work on your feet all day, try EO’s Revitalizing Lotion for Legs and Feet; fragrant essential oils of French Lavender, Peppermint and Citrus are combined with stimulating menthol to increase circulation and provide soothing relief. There are also a wide variety of massage tools available for soothing sore, achy feet.

The best treatment for Athlete’s Foot I have ever seen is Fungal Rx by Grateful Body. With am and pm formulas and an ingenious applicator, I have witnesses it bring many folk much needed relief over the years.

Create loving traditions in your family, and rub someone the right way.