Page 21 - Florida Sentinel 11-11-16 Online Edition

Health
Have you ever tried to figure out exactly why your feet hurt after an hour in heels? What about why you can’t ever find the perfect pair of running shoes?
Well, did you know that pain in your legs make it hard for foot muscles to comfortably do their job?
It’s a lot of questions behind foot pain but an easy way to al- leviate the pain is : foot stretches!
Stretching your feet can help reduce foot pain, increase the circulation in your feet and help with your balance. Here’s a list of exercises you can do at your desk or at home...
Thing’s You’ll Need:
– A hand towel
– A foot-step or a phone book – Tennis Ball or Golf Ball
1. Foot Roll
This is the perfect foot mas- sage.
Pace the tennis or golf ball
on the floor, step on the ball
beginning with the center of
your foot first. Begin rolling
the ball back and forth from
your toes to your heels. Be sure
to put enough pressure on the ball to ensure a nice deep tissue massage. Your feet will love this!
Living with anxiety disorder can be nightmarish at times. When work, family, money or love gets out of control, so do your heartbeat and then your breathing and then your mind. There’s no relaxing now. You’re in full panic-attack mode.
Here are some natural remedies to keep your anxiety disorder at bay:
Chamomile
This style of tea is a known to mimic the affects of Valium. Try a cup before bed or during a stressful day at work or home to calm down any jittery mo- ments.
Green tea
Experts say the amino acid in green tea, called L-theanine, can slow an increasing heart rate, reducing anxiety.
Hops
Yes, you read right. Hops are typically found in beer but the bitter herb is an oil that is
also used in aromatherapy.
Lemon balm
Folks in the Middle Ages used lemon balm to help with sleep. It’s also a stress reducer that is usually sold as tea or capsules.
Lavender
One whiff of lavender’s great aroma, according to one study, helped students feel less anxiety during an exam. That’s some powerful stuff!
Omega-3s
Research shows there is a link between anxiety, depres- sion and low levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3s – as a six-ounce piece of grilled wild salmon has about 3.75 grams of omega-3s.
Sauna/Steam room
Ever wonder why athletes hit the sweat room after a game or competition? It’s be- cause heating up the body re-
duces stress, anxiety and mus- cle tension, experts say. That’s also why exercise, where you also sweat, is a mood booster.
Meditation/Breathing Exercises
Meditation is the art of con- trolling your thoughts. A suc- cessful meditator can problem solve calmly in their mind while also practicing their breathing, which can affect the rate of your heart and thus your anxiety levels. Yoga is a great place to learn both prac- tices.
Note: Before adding any- thing new to your daily rou- tine, be sure to consult your physician to see if these prac- tices will benefit your anxiety disorder. In order to best talk with your doctor about your anxiety, keep track of your feelings in a journal. You may start to notice trends and which natural remedies work best at specific times of the day.
2. Towel Curl
To begin, stretch out a hand towel on the floor in front of where you’re sitting. Make sure your feet and legs are parallel to each other with your toes pointing forward. Starting with the end of the towel, draw the towel in toward your heels using your toes. Once the entire towel is under your foot, you reverse the exercise and use your toes to push the towel away from your heel. Doing this exercise will increase your foot strength and help support the arches of
your feet.
3. Step Stretch
If you’ve been having pain in your heels (Plantar Fasciitis) this would be the perfect exercise for you!
Try using a foot step, phone book or even just standing on a step in your home or office. Begin by standing with your toes on the step, leaving your heels extended off the edge.
Slowly lower your heels down, try and hold this position for about 10 – 15 seconds then lift your heels to starting position. The goal is to go up and down shifting weight from your toes to your heels BUT be sure not to bounce while transitioning from toe to heel. If you are already injured or find this painful, try only doing one foot at a time. This exercise is really going to help with stretching the muscles and tendons in the back of
your lower leg.
Here’s an exercise you can do sitting at your desk or at home on the side of the bed.
All you need is a towel and a few free minutes because you will need to do about 10 reps for effectiveness.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9-B