Dearest feet

During the nine months, especially when the belly starts to grow, the feet tend to be forgotten and are only remembered when they swell or ache. An apology to your feet via a pedicure and massage to go with it can do wonders. It would boost your morale reminding you how attractive you really are. While spa and beauty treatments make a woman prettier, safety of the products and any chemicals they contain should be considered before use in pregnancy. Nail products may contain fumes which, when inhaled in small quantities may cause nausea. When inhaled in larger quantities, they have been linked to birth defects. Ensure that the room you are having your pedicure done in is well ventilated or wear a mask to diffuse the fumes.

8 Foot care tips

1. Soak feet in lukewarm water to help them cool down and relax

2. Ask your partner to cut your toe nails

3. Encourage him to slather some thick moisturizer and give your feet a good massage

4. Elevate your feet when resting

5. Encourage your feet to breathe by avoiding footwear or socks swell that constrict your feet

6. Take regular exercise to improve overall physical health and have your feet and aid in blood circulation

7. Watch your diet and avoid very salty or spicy foods, as these will result in water retention, causing your feet to swell.

8. Check your footwear regularly and have your feet measured throughout the growth period in your pregnancy. Choose the right shoe size for your .

4 Foot care rewards

• A massage of the feet is a wonderful way to relief the pain and pressure felt due to carrying the extra weight
•  Improves outward appearance and makes you feel good
• Scrubbing the feet with a gritty substance removes dead skin, leaving your feet feeling soft
•  It helps in rest and relaxation

10 Foot Facts

. The foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles
. 1/4 of all the bones in the human body are down in your feet. When these bones are out of alignment, so is the rest of the body

. Neglect and lack of awareness of proper care—including ill fitting shoes, cause foot problems

. Your feet mirror your general health. Conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet. So foot ailments can be your first sign of more serious medical problems
. The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, which adds up to about 115,000 miles over a lifetime. That’s enough to go around the circumference of the earth four times
. Walking is the best exercise for your feet. It also contributes to your health by improving circulation, contributing to weight control, and promoting all-around well being
. Walking barefoot can cause plantar warts. The virus enters through a cut
. Women have about four times as many foot problems as men. High heels are partly to blame . . . There are 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet. Sweat glands in the feet excrete as much as a half pint of moisture a day
. The two feet may be different sizes. Buy shoes size of the larger foot.

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