OUR FEET DO A LOT FOR US! They carry us around all day but we rarely do anything for them.
Our feet are more complex and important than is generally understood. Each foot has 42 muscles, 26 bones, 33 joints, 250,000 sweat glands and at least 50 ligaments and tendons. It has almost 15,000 nerve endings.
Foot massage dates back over 5,000 years to ancient Egypt and China! It is an ancient healing practice based on the principle that there are reflex points on the feet that correspond to the body’s different organs and glands. Stimulating and applying pressure to these reflexes on the feet is definitely pleasurable, but at the same time it helps promote good health.
Harvard Medical School found that "just like your neck, back, and shoulders, your feet can also benefit from a regular rubdown. Foot massage improves circulation, stimulates muscles, reduces tension, and often eases pain."
BENEFITS OF FOOT MASSAGE
1. Relaxation and Stress Relief
After a long tiring day, the best way to relax is a soothing and relaxing foot massage, particularly after a long day of standing and walking around, when our feet tend to swell up. Foot massage also gives you energy by releasing any blockages that hold back energy and relieving symptoms of stress and fatigue.
2. Better Sleep
A soothing and relaxing foot massage will help the body unwind, improve blood circulation and relax the nerves. These in turn will encourage restful sleep.
3. Improved Circulation
Due to sedentary lifestyles, most of us do not use the muscles of our feet properly. Also, improper footwear like tight shoes hamper normal circulation in the feet. Foot massage will improve your blood circulation, which in turn will help transport oxygen to the body’s cells. It will also stimulate the lymphatic system and help prevent varicose veins.
4. Promotes Mental Health
Foot massage is a great method to reduce anxiety and depression, since it is able to help release chemicals such as dopamine in the brain. It is a highly effective method for enhancing blood pressure and improving mental health.
5. Relieves Aches and Pains
There are lots of reflexology zones that that offer you benefits such as relief from different types of pains and aches, such as headaches, migraines, neck pain, lower and upper backaches.
6. Makes Feet Healthier
One easy way to keep your feet healthy and free from all kinds of foot problems is a regular foot massage. It helps stimulate the muscles around your feet, lessens stiffness and even reduces pain in the ankles or the heels. It has been found that massaging your feet with warm olive oil or coconut oil can give much relief from the pain and inflammation caused by foot tendonitis. Also, it is considered an excellent treatment for heel spurs.
7. Nail and Skin Health
Regularly using moisturizing natural oils and antimicrobial essential oils on your feet is a fantastic way to ensure healthy, happy skin and nails. It can prevent dry, cracked and painful heels that lead to fissures and infections, as well as stopping thick calloused skin forming. What’s more, regularly using essential oils like tea tree, lavender or eucalyptus will help you avoid bacterial and fungal infections of the nails and skin, including Athlete’s Foot.
