Do Away with Smelly Feet!

Posted on:  Patch.com

Sweaty feet and foot odor are quite common, especially among dancers, athletes, when you exercise or during the hot weather.

One of my readers contacted me for a natural solution to a common, but embarrassing problem, smelly feet.

Sweaty feet and foot odor are quite common, especially among dancers, athletes, when you exercise or during the hot weather. Wearing shoes and socks that don’t breathe or rough, dry skin on your feet can promote foot odor. Bromhidrosis, foot odor, is due to bacteria that breed and multiply in warm feet, socks, and shoes.

The soles of your feet have thousands of sweat glands that produce perspiration, which can breakdown in contact with certain bacteria, causing an odor.

Bunions, hammertoe, fallen arches, excessive perspiration and odor, or toenail fungus require a visit to the podiatrist. There are several simple things you can do however, to prevent ordinary foot odor. Clean your feet regularly with a scrubber and soak them in salt to prevent calluses.

Choose open toed shoes or sandals during the summer; other times of the year wear leather or canvas shoes, which breathe. Air them out occasionally in the sun and don’t’ forget you can wash your sneakers! Avoid shoes lined with solid rubber or synthetic materials and wear all cotton socks. Sprinkle your shoes occasionally with cornstarch to absorb moisture.

To get rid of foot odor, soak your feet in either white vinegar or tea. Brew 2 tea bags in a pint of boiling water for 15 minutes; add tea to 2 quarts of cool water and soak for about 20 minutes. You may need to do this daily for a week.

Below is a recipe for a foot deodorizer with specific herbs and essential oils known for their astringent and deodorizing qualities.

Foot Deodorizer (Recipe from Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles)

Ingredients: Foot tub, 6 quarts water, ½ cup sage, peppermint or rosemary leaves, ½ cup baking soda, 5 – 10 drops rosemary, sweet orange, peppermint, tea tree or eucalyptus essential oil

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil, remove from heat and add the herb of choice. Cover and steep for 30 minutes. Strain into the foot tub. Add baking soda and the essential oil and swish with feet to blend. Soak feet for 15 – 20 minutes. Towel dry and coat with moisturizer. (Coconut oil works great!)

There is a natural solution to everything – good luck!

Please call the Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center office in Las Vegas anytime @702-878-2455 between Monday – Friday and we would be happy to set up an appointment for you.  Please visit our website @ www.FallCenter.com or www.walkwithdiabetes.com.   The Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center has Diagnostic imaging:  Digital X-Rays, Ultrasound or Advanced Imaging will be used to aid in the diagnosis.

Dr. Anthony Ricciardi at the Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center has completed training in endoscopic/minimally invasive surgery for chronic heel pain and nerve pain, foot and ankle joint replacement for restoring pain free motion, arthroscopic surgery, bunion surgery, fracture repair, flat foot correction, external fixation for complex deformities and extensive experience in peripheral nerve surgery including diabetic peripheral neuropathy and reconstructive surgery of previously failed foot surgical procedures.  In addition to his surgical training Dr. Ricciardi focuses on sports medicine of the foot and ankle through regenerative techniques using the patient’s own blood/platelets for healing chronic foot and ankle problems (pain) as a result of repetitive sport injuries.  This cutting edge technology enables patients to continue training with little or no down time.  Dr. Ricciardi continues to be active in teaching and training other podiatric surgeons on innovative surgical techniques in foot surgery.  Dr. Ricciardi is Board Certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of  Foot and Ankle Surgeons and Fellow of the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons.  Dr. Ricciardi’s vision is to bring each patient the most current state of the Art Technology and personalized treatment options to meet their Foot and Ankle needs (from conservative care to surgical options).  Dr. Ricciardi believes in quality service and puts his patients first!