Welcome to Healthy Living!

Most of us want to live a healthier life, but it is sometimes a daunting task trying to sift through the often-conflicting information we are given, in an effort to find what will work for us. We have all heard the ongoing debate about whether low-carb diets are healthy or bad for us and the varied opinions about which carbs we should be eating. There is the accepted opinion that coffee/caffeine has a harmful effect on your life and then the newer opinion that it is actually beneficial. The same is true for alcohol - red wine to be specific - does it kill brain cells or does is that negated due to the positive, healthy effects it seems to have on the heart? These debates are only the tip of the iceberg . . .
While the previous issues address what we should and shouldn't be eating, there is also the question of what to do if we have developed some ill effects (not feeling well, no energy, weight gain, disease) and want to reverse them. There are so many possible solutions. Do we fast - and if so what kind of fast (juice, water, fruit)? Do we need to detox? If so - how? Herbal cleanses, colonics, saunas, body wraps, sea water baths, Epsom salt baths? What herbs will help heal our bodies and in what quantities? And what about the alternative therapies: massage, Reiki, bio-feedback, hypnotherapy, meditation, light therapy, aromatherapy (to name only a few!)? Which of these would help us in our particular situation?
How to make sense of all this information? We would like to have this site be a place to discuss which things have worked for us (or haven't) and hopefully by sharing our experiences we will be able to help each other wade through all the possibilities and find our own paths to a Healthy Life!

Monday, December 10, 2007

Pamper Your Tootsies!

You can re-create a soothing spa treatment at home by giving your feet (or hands) a stone massage with natural essential oils. All the luxurious, soothing relaxation at a fraction of the cost! Feel free to use oils from your cupboard if that's what's available.

Here's how:

1. Choose your stones.

Gather one large smooth and rounded stone, and eight smaller ones to fit between your toes. Gather stones from your garden or use smooth river stones.

2. Choose an oil.

Lavender and chamomile scents are relaxing. Citrus essential oils, as well as juniper and clary sage, are rejuvenating. If you have sore feet, try using lavender, rosemary, or cypress essential oils. Dilute with a carrier oil such as olive oil. Lavender and tea tree oil are safe to use without a carrier oil. Tea tree essential oil is highly antiseptic, anti-fungal, has a crisp, clean scent and may be mixed with other essential oils.

3. Create a relaxing atmosphere.

Light your favorite candle or play relaxing tunes such as nature sounds.

4. Exfoliate.

Gently exfoliate your feet. Underneath those rough spots and calluses is smooth skin that is just waiting to be exposed. Use a foot scrub or a pumice stone. Use the stone firmly but gently. Don't pumice too hard or too frequently as friction is what causes rough skin in the first place. Use the stone once a week maximum. A pumice stone will last for years.

Warm up a pot of water to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit to heat the stones. Do not let the water boil. In a warm towel, take the stones to your designated home spa area. Place them between your toes. You can also use a crock pot to warm the stones for more convenience.

Massage the oils into your feet, making sure to get in between and under the toes and around your ankles as well. Use the large stone to rub the arch and ball of each foot for up to 10 minutes. Feel the tension melt away. If you'd like, you can warm up the stones again. Reflexology has shown that there are pressure points all over your feet that relate to other organs of your body. If you find a sore spot - massage it till you feel a easing of the soreness.

Enjoy improving your physical as well as your emotional health with your own natural home spa treatment. You will have better looking and feeling feet at a fraction of the salon cost.

Posted by Getting Healthy at 3:09 PM

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