1. Garlic (a natural antibiotic & antibacterial)
2. Honey (no germ can live in honey!)
3. Lemon (See use for #2 & 3 here – Nature’s Cough Syrup)
4. Ginger (great for inflammation & circulation)
5. Spices (like Turmeric and Cayenne Pepper, which are both believed to kill cancer calls among other benefits so clearly they’re excellent for you in general!)
6. Herbs (like Thyme)
7. Sea Salt (great for gargling)
8. Veggies (lots & lots of all kinds, especially the deeply/brightly colored ones to keep your immune system in tip top shape!)
9. Fish high in omega-3s (such as 2 of my favs – wild salmon & sardines)
10. Tea (White, Green, Black – in the order of their antioxidant levels from highest to lowest – and herbal teas. Hot liquids are where it’s at this time of year)

“Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” ~Hippocrates

Be well my fabulous readers!

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So what are you waiting for? Whether it’s filling up the bath tub just enough to cover your feet, using an actual foot bath (like this one) or any other container that can fit your feet, foot baths are so easy to do, so relaxing and so good for your overall health! Very warm water alone is great, but I also love to add Epsom salt, sea salt, baking soda, essential oils (especially lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus) and even some flower petals or dried lavender.  It makes the foot bath even more fun and therapeutic!

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My dad started me on this habit when I was a kid and I’ve loved it ever since. When I was little, it was followed by slathering our feet with Vaseline and putting on cozy socks right before heading to bed. Now it’s still followed by cozy socks and usually before bed, but these days it’s usually an all natural shea butter (like Organic Essence) instead. It’s especially great to do when you’re feeling stressed or run down. I just love how much better it ALWAYS makes me feel.

I already have Nikki and Dylan on board (did you both smile at this post?) and maybe you next!

]]> http://allnaturalannie.com/2010/11/another-reason-to-soak-your-feet/feed/ 19 http://allnaturalannie.com/2010/09/black-tea-your-feet/ http://allnaturalannie.com/2010/09/black-tea-your-feet/#comments Thu, 16 Sep 2010 07:00:18 +0000 All Natural Annie http://allnaturalannie.com/?p=4491 You or someone you know (or maybe even a four-legged friend) have issues with foot odor? You really don’t have to answer that, but here is a quick, natural remedy:

• How to: Soak your feet in a bowl of very black tea* (like Lipton or Red Rose, etc) for about 5 minutes. *Make sure you really let the tea steep (get dark)

Why does this work? The tannins in the tea change the pH of your skin and should eliminate the odor!

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Without a doubt, you will only do right by yourself to include more garlic (cooked and raw) in your diet, especially during this time of year! My cold medicine of choice is always one finely chopped clove of garlic and a tall glass of water. You always have the option of chewing it (which is definitely the way to go if you want to keep people, as well as germs away).  Otherwise, just chop it up finely and swallow it like you would any other vitamin/pill. *I would recommend taking raw garlic after you’ve eaten, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.

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• water, water, and more water!
• celery
• asparagus
• cucumbers
• bananas

2. Apply pressure to the acupressure point in the webbing between your thumb and index finger to help ease the pain of a headache (*this is not an acupressure point that pregnant women should press). Also, gently pressing the back of your neck with three fingers on each side can also help relieve muscle tension that might be causing the headache.

3. Apply a cold compress to your forehead and/or the back of your neck. Add a couple drops of peppermint oil to a wet washcloth and put it in the freezer for a few minutes (I love doing this!). The scent of peppermint is known for providing headache relief.

4. Drink some H20! A very common cause of headaches is dehydration.

5. RELAX. Often, we hold a lot of tension in jaws so unclench your jaw, relax your face (and the rest of your body) and take some really good deep breaths.

Combine:

• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Honey (preferably raw)
• 8 oz water

Take 2 -3 times per day.

**Honey should not be consumed by infants up to one year old.