Have you ever experienced a foot soak? A good foot soak offers some much-needed therapy to tired, achy feet (in addition to whole-body relaxation). Healthy, soothed tootsies can make a huge difference in your day.
Depending on what you do day to day, your feet can get rather beat up, sometimes forming calluses and rough, dry skin. And, just in case you didn’t know, there are over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments in each foot alone! Each foot is constructed of 28 bones and 30 joints, in addition to all those muscles. This support system is useful in balance and mobility. So, with all that going on in just one foot, it’s not hard to understand that a little TLC can go a long way.
Taking a foot soak for sore feet or dry feet, followed by a foot scrub, will keep your feet soft and pampered while taking away the stresses of the day. Some natural health practitioners prescribe them, claiming they help reduce the risk of toenail fungus as well as help to relieve a bone spur.
So, what can you soak your feet in to soften them? If you want to make a natural difference in how your feet look and feel, try this homemade foot soak. What’s great is that you can customize the ingredients to suit your needs without the chemicals found in most off-the-shelf versions.
Foot soak ingredient benefits
- Epsom salt is a great pain reliever and is a magnesium-rich detoxifier. In addition to treating sore muscles, it helps relieve dry skin.
- Sea salt is a great source of minerals to alkalinize and relax the body.
- Baking sodais naturally soothing for the feet, helping remove bacteria and odor.
- Peppermint essential oilis so refreshing and soothes aching muscles while also helping to release them by easing tension and tightness.
- Tea tree oil fights against bacteria and provides relief to the feet by helping to treat wounds.
- Sweet orange essential oilhas a lovely scent but also nourishes the skin of the feet with its high vitamin C content, while improving circulation and helping prevent infection.
- Olive leaf extract contains antifungal properties — another great source for relieving the feet and preventing infection.
DIY Refreshing Mint & Sweet Orange Foot Soak
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup Epsom salt
- ¼ cup sea salt
- 1 1/4 Tbsp. baking soda
- 8 drops peppermint essential oil
- 8 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 8 drops tea tree essential oil
- 10 drops olive leaf extract
- 1 to 1 1/2 gallons warm water
Instructions
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In jar or container with tight-fitting lid, combine Epsom salt, sea salt and baking salt until fully incorporated.
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Mix in essential oils. Then, add olive leaf extract and mix well.
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For the complete at-home pampering experience, follow up with a foot scrub. Then gently rinse and pat dry. Finish by applying a hydrating moisturizer.
Recipe Notes
Order the ingredients you need to make this therapeutic foot soak at Vitacost.com!
