1 minute read
Health & Wellness - Remove Their Stockings with Care
Resident Submission by Heidi Llwellyn
Winter, with its sniffles and coughs, is fast approaching. Did you know you can help relieve sinus pressure and drain congested lymph simply by rubbing your feet? If your children come down with a cold this winter, whip off their socks and try these tested methods of self-care. Foot rubs manipulate the nervous system to increase the body’s many functions, relieve stress and also to detox.
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As a mother of two children (10 and 8 years old), I have found rubbing their feet to be especially beneficial with helping my children relax at bedtime. We like to do 20 minute foot soaks in Epsom salt and a few drops of lavender oil. Read bedtime books while their feet soak in the fragrant warm water. The heat opens the pores on the feet (the largest pores on the body) and the magnesium and sulfates in the Epsom salts draws out toxins. After drying off, I also put a few drops of lavender oil directly on the bottom of their feet, behind their ears, and sometimes a drop on their pillows for a relaxing night’s rest.
We are also fans of the Vick’s Vapor rub trick. Get a little Vick’s Vapor rub and rub it on the bottom of the feet at bedtime (be sure to wear socks)! This can be beneficial for helping with coughs, colds, and relaxation.
When nasal congestion makes life miserable for your young ones (or yourself), try sliding a thumbnail or spoon in a downward motion on the inside of the big toe and the corresponding sides of the first two small toes to help with sinus drainage. This can be repeated as often as necessary on both feet until sinus pressure is relieved or the passages are draining adequately.
Rubbing our children’s or other loved ones’ feet can be a means of connecting with them on a calmer emotional level. It shows them we love them, we care about their well-being, and we enjoy spending time with them. Keep rubbing those tiny (and big) feet that run around your house to keep everyone happy and healthy this winter!
