So, I'm not really into this whole Summer-season being over, I want more beach, more picnics, more swimming. Fall is also slightly depressing because it means wearing shoes, no more flip flops. The topic of this post was inspired by my brilliant friend Katinka and my need to clean up my "summer feet" (I am notorious for running around barefoot), so I thought I would include a luxurious recipe for a foot soak to help transition us into fall.
Directions for the Foot soak:
1. Prepare a quiet place where you can sit for 10-20min. Place a towel or mat on the floor for the foot basin and have one handy for drying off your feet.
2. Fill the basin with warm to medium hot water.
3. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a tub of warm water. For particularly tired feet try 1 cup. You can add 3-5 drops of therapeutic grade essential oils to bath. I love to add dried herbs (rosemary is wonderful!) or flower petals such as roses, lavender and marigolds to the water. See recipes below.
4. Soak feet for as long as it feels right or until the water cools. Dry off and gently massage. You may want to use a lotion or oil.
Items Needed
Epsom Salts
Basin
Towel
Flower petals or oils (optional)
Feet!
Nurturing Foot Soak
½ c Epsom Salt
½ c Aluminum Free Baking Soda
Handful dried lavender buds
Handful rose petals (fresh or dried)
Cold Care Foot Soak
1 c Espsom Salt
5 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
Handful dried rosemary
Our feet contain maps for our whole bodies. Each foot has over 7000 nerve endings that connect to a different area of the body. Certain zones on the feet correspond to zones in the body- for example the long arch of the foot corresponds to the spine and the big toe to the neck and head. Take some time to look at your foot, does it mirror any places in the body?
There are channels of energy coursing through the body; each organ and muscle is connected by a network of nerves to a tiny point on the foot where the energy terminates. When circulation in the feet slows down—through illness, wearing shoes, or lack of exercise—crystalline deposits form at the nerve endings. This is why rubbing our feet feels good- it helps breakdown the buildup that cause soreness and tenderness. Soaking the feet in warm salty water also dissolves the lactic acid crystals and encouraged the whole body to keep circulating energy.
Ten percent of the body’s lymph is in the hands and feet. The lymph pulses through our bodies once every 30sec. During a 20min foot soak your lymph will cycle through your feet 40times. Epsom salts are made from Magnesium Sulfide. When magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, such as
in a bath, it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous
system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural
emollient, exfoliator, and much more. Next time you feel a cold coming on or have had a long day and need a treat- try a 20min foot bath and see for yourself how it effects you!
Katinka Locascio is a Licensed Massage Therapist with 8 years experience. She offers intuitive integrative bodywork and is certified in Cranial Sacral Therapy, BodyTalk, and Mayan Abdominal Massage. Her specialties include fertility, prenatal, postpartum massage and cranial sacral therapy for infants. She’s located at Union Square and in LIC, to book an appointment or order essential oils call: 212-203-2782 or earthandskybodywork@gmail.com
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