I remember sitting on the couch one sunny day about 4 years ago. My precious baby boy was napping in the rock-n-play next to me. My sweet 3 year old daughter was spinning around in circles, dancing around the living room. She spun over to me and looked up at me with her beautiful brown doe-eyes. She asked if we could take the baby for a stroll.
It broke my heart to tell her no. She was so excited and full of energy and ready to help me push her baby brother along the sidewalk.
But I was stuck on the couch. I suffered from chronic pain. Every day, by about 3pm, I had to sit down. My feet hurt so badly, I could barely stand or walk. With a 6 month old and a 3 year old, that was not working. It was a very difficult time.
There are a multitude of reasons why your feet may hurt. It could be as simple as ill fitting shoes or as serious as a bone, ligament or tendon issue.
I experienced the pain of Plantar Fasciitis for years before I finally found something that took it away for good. If you’ve ever experienced a persistent stabbing pain on your heel — especially when you get out of bed in the morning — then you know all about plantar fasciitis.
Common Causes of Aching Feet
Your sore feet likely stem from a few known causes and risk factors:
- Abnormal foot anatomy: Common problems include flat feet, an excessively high arch, and arthritis or joint restriction.
- Obesity: Carrying excess weight results in increased strain on ligaments, muscles, and joints.
- Overuse: Increased walking or standing, especially when combined with other contributing factors, can cause even the healthiest feet to become sore. Also, walking or standing on hard surfaces, such as concrete, can stress your feet. This can be a problem for those who stand all day at work or are generally on their feet for long periods of time.
- Pregnancy: In addition to the stress caused by increased weight, pregnancy hormones cause the ligaments that stabilize your feet to relax. These two factors together result in excess strain on your feet.
5 remedies: Try one of the following to help reduce or relieve foot pain.
STRETCH FEET
Regularly stretching the feet can help people prevent painful arches and plantar fasciitis-related pain.
Try the following:
Toe curl
Toe curl exercises stretch the feet. To do this stretch:
- Place a towel on the floor.
- Sit in a chair with the foot flat on top of the towel.
- Using the towel, grab the toes and pull them toward the body.
Marble pickups
Marble pickups exercise the feet. To do this stretch:
- Put a few marbles and a cup on the floor.
- Keeping the heel on the floor, pick up the marbles with the toes and put them in the cup.
STRETCH CALVES
Tight muscles in the calves can contribute to sore feet. Stretching them may help relieve the pain and discomfort.
Try the following:
- While standing up, place the palms of the hands flat against a wall. The hands should be at shoulder height and shoulder-width apart.
- Step forward with one leg, with a bend in the knee, placing the foot flat on the floor.
- Bend the front knee until there is a stretching feeling in the calf muscle of the other leg.
- Hold this position for 10–30 seconds.
- Repeat with the other leg.
People can do this exercise three to five times on each leg.
This is one of my favorites:
Curb Hang or Wall Stretch
- You can use stairs/curb or a wall
- Aim to get your feet planted on the ground at a 45 (ish) degree angle and lean forward. Using a wall this involves flexing your foot against it, if you have a curb, hang off it. Hold for about 10-15 seconds, then alternate with your other foot.
WEAR BETTER SHOES
Ill-fitting or uncomfortable shoes can cause many kinds of foot pain. Switching to low heeled, comfortable shoes can help with arch pain and swollen feet.
People with plantar fasciitis, which causes pain in the bottom of the heel, should try wearing wide shoes with a thick, cushioned sole. Using a cushioned insole might also help.
In my personal experience, wearing better shoes is a short-term, temporary fix. It can help you make it through the day longer before you have to sit down, but it doesn’t get to the root of the problem.
According to Healthline, these are some helpful shoe options for Plantar Factious:
- Best running shoes for plantar fasciitis: Asics Gel Nimbus 20 and 22
- Best foam running shoes for plantar fasciitis: New Balance 1080v10
- Best walking shoes for plantar fasciitis: Hoka One One Bondi x Opening Ceremony
- Best affordable walking shoes for plantar fasciitis: Saucony Grid Omni Walking
- Best hiking shoes for plantar fasciitis: Keen Targhee
- Best comfortable sandals for plantar fasciitis: Kocota Recovery Slide Sandals
- Best sandals for plantar fasciitis: NAOT Krista
put your feet up
Sitting with the feet up on a footstool or chair is a simple way to ease sore, tired, or swollen feet. Take off your shoes and socks before elevating your feet. Shoes can cause blood to pool in your feet and encourage swelling. Socks can do this too, particularly if they are tight around the ankle. Give your toes a quick wiggle to get your blood flowing. Raising your feet will increase blood circulation.
take supplements
After reading some testimonials and talking to a few friends who had fallen in love with Lifelong Vitality Supplements, I decided to try them. And with a 30-day money back guarantee, it was a no brainer. I had heard stories about increased energy, decreased inflammation, better focus and even weight loss (though it is NOT a weight loss product).
I started taking the supplement pack at the beginning of November 2017. The first week I experienced a bit of detox. I didn’t feel great. I almost felt sick. The second week, I noticed I was feeling better and had more energy. The third week, the foot pain that I had suffered with for 16 months, disappeared. And as an added bonus, I weighed myself after about 6 weeks and lost 10lbs.
I have been taking these incredible supplements ever since. And my experience with those supplements inspired me to join doTERRA as a Wellness Educator so I could help people who were suffering like me.
Without further ado, here is the 3-pack that changed my life.
AlphaCRS is the powerhouse. It has 6 anti-inflammatory properties. This is where we see less pain and less brain fog. Thank you Alpha CRS for enabling me to think clearly and go for walks with my kiddos!
Microplex VMZ is our Food and Nutrient supplement. It has the equivalent of 12 servings of fruits and vegetables in a daily dose. No matter how hard we try to eat properly, it’s hard to get that much nutrition entirely without supplement. This is our energy booster! Thanks to Microplex VMZ, I have the energy to keep up with my young children. Huge win!
The Xeo Mega is our omega fatty acid supplement. Here we are helping support skin, hair and nails along with cardiovascular and brain function. This helps you get that proper amount of healthy pure fats our bodies need. I didn’t mention this earlier but yes, my skin is clearer, my nails grow like crazy and my hair is healthier than it has been in decades!! (you can ask my hairdresser!)
If you are interested in learning more about the Lifelong Vitality Supplement pack, you can contact me or visit my website. I would love to schedule an appointment with you to chat about your health needs.
