The humble foot is often ignored in relation to its needs because it’s all the way ‘down there’ and therefore doesn’t seem to be so important. Many people put up with a lot of feet stress, pain and discomfort when wearing tight shoes without proper arch support, or very high in-fashion heels that contribute to postural back problems. Research has shown that very high heels, worn excessively, affect posture, and therefore nerve connections of the legs and lower spine, leading to chronic knee, hip, or back pain.
The condition of our feet can tell us a lot about the overall health of our body, like symptoms of decreased blood circulation, stiffening (calcification), thinning of skin, brittle bones, muscle atrophy and arthritis, to name a few. Such conditions can initially manifest in feet and ankles as a precursor or indicator of what may be happening in other parts of the body.
Symptoms tend to become more obvious first in the feet because they bear a lot of weight in a small area with numerous variations of mechanical movement. In addition, the feet are loaded with tiny capillaries that supply an extensive nerve-sensory system, that is the peripheral nervous system.
The Peripheral Nervous System and Feet Stress
Why are we so ticklish on the soles of our feet? Answer: They contain more sweat glands and sensory nerve endings per square centimetre than any other body part.
The somatosensory nerves and autonomic nerves of the peripheral nervous system work together to rapidly relay information. The sensory pathway connects spinal nerves which transmit information about the external environment to the spinal cord, and therefore the brain.
All stress causes excessive loss of magnesium via urine, but we tend to feel feet stress more due to their extensive enervation. Feet are very sensitive parts of our body! The lower the magnesium in cells the more likely feet stress can cause oedema, referred pain, headaches, migraines, sleep problems and anxiety – as well as cramps, muscle twitches, and restless legs.
Magnesium deficiency is associated with hypersensitivity of the central nervous system, with inflammation quick to flare up at only small provocations.
After an extensive period of hypersensitivity the blood supply can become constricted, usually via calcium deposits, which slows delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the peripheral nervous system. Problems can occur in the feet and ankles such as chronic pain, swelling, stiffness, cramps, numbness or tingling, as well as formation of blisters, rashes or leg ulcers. As magnesium levels drop, more calcium is pulled out of bones to settle in soft tissue, leaving the bones deficient and prone to develop osteoporosis.
This is a common symptom for those with diabetes, but can also occur in others with age. These symptoms predict metabolic syndrome and mitochondrial dysfunction, sugar sensitivity and insulin resistance. They are states of hypoxia, which is low oxygen supply to cells, creating too much cellular acidity and free radical damage. This can damage nerves.
In this case, if the nerves become numbed or dumbed down, we don’t get alerted to problems early enough so that skin irritations can be well underway before we notice them, or we may just get used to a stiffer gait and not realise it may indicate hardening (calcification) of the blood vessels in the cardiovascular system. In extreme cases whereby the blood supply to the extremities shuts down altogether, toes can turn blue and gangrene sets in, which can lead to foot amputation.
Tips for Foot Care, Relief of Stress and Avoid Those Cracked Heals!
- Wear comfortable and supportive shoes to avoid thickened skin, corns and calluses (from abnormal rubbing and pressure).
- Avoid standing on hard concrete floors for prolonged periods of time without a break. Wear aids like pressure stockings and supportive shoes if your work requires standing for long periods. Regularly massage magnesium cream, lotion or oil into legs and feet muscles.
- Walk with bear feet on grass or stone surfaces outside in order to earth (discharge static electricity) from time to time. This also exercises the fine muscles of the feet and stimulates blood flow to extremities. You can also roll a tennis ball under your feet to stimulate blood flow and nerve electrical conduction. Infrared light-heat from sunshine or an infrared device can speed up repair and healing of injury.
- Wash feet daily and dry well.
- Wear shoes that circulate air, or use absorbent socks to avoid excessive moisture content which becomes an ideal environment for fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot and foot odour.
- Indulge in a pedicure from time to time, or see a podiatrist so the professionals can take care of ingrown toenails or structural issues.
- FOOT SOFTENING DETOXIFYING MAGNESIUM FOOTSOAKS: Two or three magnesium footsoaks each week will ensure natural uptake of magnesium (better than taking tablets and powders). You only need a couple of tablespoons of magnesium chloride flakes and soak feet for about half an hour. This also encourages detoxification via feet, which lifts the load on the liver. An added bonus is that it sets you up for a deep restful sleep if you do it before bed. Add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar if you are dealing with foot fungus or odour. Adding a few drops of your favourite essential oils can top off your magnesium soak with beautiful aromas and blissful relaxation.
- MAGNESIUM MASSAGE: Make sure to pamper yourself, giving some love to your feet every day with a heavenly foot massage (using magnesium cream of course). Magnesium massage promotes blood circulation and flexibility of muscles and ligaments, because getting enough magnesium prevents calcification of muscles, joints, and vessels. A magnesium massage also just feels sooooo good! And let’s not forget about the great antiageing skin benefits delivered by daily magnesium cream all over your body – which helps you to stay younger longer.
By Sandy Sanderson © 2024 www.elektramagnesium.com.au
