Wearing high heels can make you stand so that your legs looks slimmer, your stomach is flatter, and your femininity is unstoppable. It can also do wonders for your stride, but walking in high heels is not a natural talent–it’s learned skill, perfected by practice and discipline.

Tips:

1. If high heels are not your thing, or if this is the first time you’ll be walking a lot in high heels, you may want to consider “working your way up” to the heel height you’d like to be wearing. Start with a lower heel than the high heels you’ll be wearing on the day or evening of the event, and practice walking in them first, using the above steps as you work your way up through to higher heels.
2. Consider starting out with a chunkier high heel, as opposed to a stiletto. If the high heels you’ll eventually be walking in have a thinner heel, you can at least adjust first to the “added height” element before adding balance to the equation.
3. If possible try to limit the number of obstacles in the first high heels you’ll be wearing – for example, a pair of high heels with rounded toes will probably be more comfortable than pointy-toed shoes, and you can concentrate more on walking gracefully in high heels if your toes aren’t being pinched together.
4. Try at first to avoid backless, or extremely flimsy high heels. Opting for a pump, or a sandal with an ankle strap will add support for your ankles, and will definitely help in your attempt to walk in high heels.
5. Don’t shoe shop with swollen feet — e.g., when it’s hot or right after exercise
6. Fast dancing in high heels can be extremely dangerous, and should be avoided. But don’t think it’s okay to simply throw off your shoes and head barefoot onto the dance floor. This can be equally or more dangerous if you were to step on broken glass, or have someone else’s spiked heel come down squarely on the top of your foot. If you have a chance to remove high heels before dancing, do! When clubbing, opt for a lower heeled shoe that you can dance safely in – or go to the club, and don’t dance.
7. Focus on one step at a time.
8. Buy a quality pair of shoes. Shoes in the $50 and up range will last longer and be better for your feet. Some brands make shoes with a sturdier heel spike and padded insole. If you are looking for shoes to dance in, check with your local dance instruction school for recommendations on stylish shoes that are designed for dancing.
9. Change heel heights several times a day. Feet and legs shouldn’t be allowed to mold themselves to any one shoe shape.

When we were born, we were free of foot problems. Then we put on shoes and put a world of stresses on our feet. Various stresses and pressures cause our feet to have blisters, corns, bunions, sweaty feet and athletes foot. In an ideal world, we would walk barefoot on soft ground, with plenty of time to rest and clean our feet when necessary. Unfortunately we live in an ideal we have to sometimes put fashion over comfort. Our shiny pointy toed shoes may look nice but may not provide our feet with the room needed for normal growth. Our hard roads and sidewalks may be great for cars and bikes to ride on, but can do a number on the soft tissues of our feet and knees.

For those of us that have to walk long distances in dress and casual shoes, there are exercises for our sore muscles. These exercises are designed to relieve pain in our arches, ease heel pain, ease the pain of hammer toes, bunions, and toe cramps. Our body needs exercise to stay healthy and function properly. Foot is also one of the most important parts of our body. It is this part of our body that helps in movement and therefore, demands appropriate care and attention.

It absorbs a tremendous amount of pressure the whole day. However, when it comes to exercises, we mostly tend to neglect it. Excessive walking and pressure can lead to the weakening and fatigue of the foot and toe muscles. Performing simple foot exercises can go a long way in building muscle tone, relieving fatigue, preventing cramping, and foot pain. The best exercise for your feet is walking barefoot on green grass. Apart from that, you can practice a number of exercises to strengthen your feet. Some of the beneficial foot exercises have been mentioned below:

Foot Stretch
Sit on the floor and keep your legs stretched out in front of you. Now, loop a towel around your feet. While keeping your heels on the floor, pull the towel with both ends, using it to draw the middle of the foot and toes towards the body. Hold the position for 4-5 seconds and slowly come back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.

Ankle Stretch
Stand straight, with your legs pressed together. Now, lift up one of your knees, as high as it is possible for you. Next, flex your ankle back as far as you can. Then, extend your leg forward, pivoting at the knee, and flex the ankle forward as far as you can. Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.

Marble Pick-up
Place about 20 marbles on the floor. Try picking up those marble with the help of the fingers of your feet. This exercise provides flexibility to your feet and also helps strengthens it.

Cycling
To strengthen the muscles of your feet, cycling is one of the best exercises. When you indulge in cycling, almost all the muscles of your feet are put to work and get strengthened. It also helps ensure proper blood circulation to your feet.

Toe Pulls
Put a thick rubber band around your toes. Now, try to stretch the foot fingers as far as you can. You can repeat the process for about 10 times. Avoid the exercise in case of any injury in the fingers or toes.

Toe Raises & Toe Curls
Sit on the floor and keep your legs stretched out in front of you. Try to curl the fingers of your feet and raise the heels of feet. Hold the position for about 5 seconds and repeat 4-5 times.

To maintain a lifetime of foot health, a daily cleaning and a few specialized exercises will go a long way. Please note that these cleaning treatments and daily exercises will have little value towards foot health if you are spending 15 hours a day in shoes that work to damage your feet.

Below is a brief overview of some healthy foot exercises.

1. A footsie roller massage. A footsie roller massage is a roller that you put the arch of your feet over, to gently roll back and forth.
2. A golf ball roll. A golf ball roll, like the footsie roller, is designed to relieve pain on the arch of your feet.
3. The point and flex exercise involves flexing your foot up and down, holding each position for ten seconds.
4. The heel raise is designed to increase the length of the Achilles tendon to relieve pain.
5. The runners stretch is good for anyone suffering from heel pain

Cracked heels are very common. They can be painful, unattractive, and very upsetting – especially to those of us who love sandals. 

Cracked heels are a sign of lack of attention to foot care rather than just overexposure or lack of moisturizing. Medically, cracked heels are also known as heel fissures. Fissures are regular linear cut wounds and mostly affect the surface level which comprises of the epidermis. Sometimes it may get deep into the dermis and become painful. Excessive pressure on the feet pads make the feet want to expand sideways. As the skin, surrounding the sides of the feet are dry they crack and cause cracked heels. Appearances of cracked heels also indicate zinc and omega-3 fatty acid deficiency.

Though cracks in the skin may arise anywhere in the body the most common is area is the rim of the heel and web of toes, which happen to be the most frequently or constantly used parts of our body. Dry skin or xerosis is one of the most common causes that lead to cracked heels .The other key reason being thick or callus skin around the rim of the heel. Most of the foot problems arise due to neglect and oversight with regard to feet care. Cracked feet, corns and other common feet ailments can be attended to and are easily avoidable.

Cracked heels are not a harmful in anyway except when the fissures or cracks are deep, and tend to become painful and the skin begins to bleed. This could lead to infection and is an avoidable situation mostly for those already suffering from chronic ailments such as diabetes or lowering immune system due to age or illness which may retard the treatment of cracked heels.

Cracked heels are a common occurrence for senior citizens or people who are constantly on their feet thus exerting pressure on the feet pad. It can affect either both the heels or one of the heel. But most commonly, cracked heels affect both the feet.

Usually, cracked skin on our heels and feet is caused by excessively dry skin. For many it’s worse in the winter months or for those who live in dry climates. But going barefoot and wearing shoes with open backs can exaserbate the problem, meaning that even in the summer our feet are in rough shape.
Unfortunately, as the condition worsens, it becomes more difficult to treat, since regular moisturizers won’t penetrate the dry, dead, thick skin on our heels.

It’s important to note that skin problems on our feet can be a sign of other health issues, and particularly people with diabetes, skin or circulation problems will want to discuss any foot care regimen with their doctor before beginning. If the cracks on your heels are very deep or bleeding, you’ll also want to speak with your doctor.

If like most of us, you’re just suffering from worn and weathered skin, here is the routine I used to recently combat a very bad case of very dry and cracked skin on my heels.

Most common symptoms of dry, cracked heels and feet

Signs and symptoms that surface on the skin are simple indicators of a faulty internal activity or an external abuse. If one observes the body and its manifestations minutely one can avoid disease and disorders by treating them before they take on a destructive path. Similarly, feet care calls for a little attention and when the feet finds it lacking they indicate the following signs to show the feet could do well with some care.

The most common symptoms of dry, cracked heels and feet include:
-Red or flaky patches
-Peeling and cracked skin
-Itchy skin
-Bleeding or discharge from cracks

Consume a diet rich in calcium, iron, zinc and omega-3 fats

Cracked heels are caused by deficiency of vitamins, minerals, zinc and omega 3 fatty acids. Therefore it is essential to have a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and zinc. Omega-3 fatty acids are not naturally produced by the body, therefore it has to be ingested from food or supplements.

Here is list of essential foods that one can include in a regular meal and help curb deficiencies that may cause cracked heels:

-Vitamins (Vitamin E) rich foods include: vegetable oils, green vegetables, cereals, wheat germ, whole-grain products and nuts.
-Minerals (Calcium and Iron) rich foods include :
1) Calcium: milk, cheese, yogurt, goat’s milk, fortified soya milk, mineral water, ice cream, tinned fish, juices, cereals and broccoli are excellent sources of calcium. Dairy products such as milk and yogurt are also considered as one of the best sources of calcium.
2) Iron: Meat, chicken and fish are good sources of iron. Iron is also available in cereals, eggs, vegetables and beans; however it is not as easily absorbed into the body as the iron from meat, chicken and fish.
3) Zinc rich foods include: Oysters, chicken, crab, kidney beans, yogurt, brown rice, spaghetti.
4) Omega-3 fatty acids are largely found in: Purslane herb, cold water fish, and flaxseed oil or flax seeds.

Pedicure at Home

Giving yourself a professional looking pedicure at home is a snap if you follow some simple steps. Pedicures can be done alone of course, but they are so much more fun when you invite a group of girlfriends over for a pedicure party. Pedicure Precautions  The importance of pedicure hygiene cannot be more important, however very few people seem to understand that with manicures and pedicures, the risks are raised substantially compared to other beauty procedures because there is the risk of puncturing the skin and contracting diseases such as AIDS or Hepatitis, which could very possibly cause death.

Not just to mention HIV or Hepatitis, other infections such as Staph can also be transferred by using equipment not sterilized properly. It has to be said that the transfer of diseases are rare, and that most manicurist and pedicurist do adhere to the strict code of conduct but it only needs to once amongst thousands of treatments for the ill effects of the disease to be felt.

Pedicure Tools Needed:

• Nail polish remover
• Cotton balls
• Toenail clippers
• Nail file
• Nail brush
• Orange stick
• Cuticle oil
• Foot file
• Water basin
• Foot Scrub
• Foot Lotion
• Base Coat
• Clear Nail Polish
• Colored Nail Polish

1. Thoroughly saturate a cotton ball with nail polish remover and use it to remove any old polish you may have on your toenails from you last pedicure. Gently pressing the cotton ball on the nail for a moment before wiping the nail with a circular motion will make it easier to remove the polish.

2. Fill the dishpan with enough warm soapy water to cover your feet. Soak for at least five minutes.

3. Dry your foot and apply the cuticle remover at the base of each nail. Wait one minute for the remover to soften the cuticle. Use the wedged end of the orangewood stick to push the cuticle back. If desired, carefully snip off the excess cuticle. Repeat this procedure on the other foot.

Note: If you like, you may trim your cuticles with cuticle nippers. I don’t recommend this if you aren’t experienced at it. Once you start trimming cuticles you have to keep doing it every time you give yourself a pedicure. You may nick yourself in the process and bleed. This will not make for a relaxing pedicure experience!

4. Using the nail clippers, cut off any nails that are too long. Length is a personal preference, but make sure the nail is shorter than the toe. Be careful not to cut the nails too short as this can cause ingrown toenails and can be quite painful. With the emery board, file the nail into a square shape.

5. Use the nail buffer to smooth any roughness or ridges on the surface of the nails.

6. Wet the pumice stone in the dishpan. Rub any areas of dry or flaking skin gently with the pumice stone. Rinse the foot and dry. You may also use skin buffing sponge instead of the pumice stone.

Note: Do not ever use a filing tool that cuts your skin or allow one to be used on your feet. Not only is it unsanitary, but you may cut too deeply, causing pain or even drawing blood.

7. Apply a generous amount of lotion to the foot, massaging it in and taking care to cover all the foot, especially the dry and flaky parts. Massage the lotion up your legs to your knees. Close your eyes and relax for 10 minutes, allowing your skin to soak in the soothing lotion.

8. Saturate a cotton ball with nail polish remover and go back over your toenails, making sure that all lotion residue is removed. This is important, since the polish will not stick to any surface that still has lotion residue on it.

9. Press the toe separators between the toes, so that each toe is not rubbing on the next.

10. Brush 1 coat of the base coat over each nail. Allow it to dry for one minute.

11. Apply 2 coats of the nail color. Allow it to dry for 5 minutes.

12. Apply the top coat. Allow it to dry for 1 minute, then spray your nails with the quick dry spray.

If possible allow a half hour for the nails to dry completely. If you don’t have that much time, carefully remove the toe separators and slip your feet into open toed shoes. Be very careful that the wet nails don’t touch the shoes or other toes. You may want to use the paper “sandals” that are available at beauty supply stores to preserve your polish until it is dry.

Perfect Pedicure

“There are two great reasons to give yourself a pedicure,” says L.A.-based celebrity manicurist Marsha Bialo. “The first is to give your feet a well-deserved, pampering deep cleaning. The second reason is to get your toes looking sexy for your summer sandals.”

Pamper Prep

  Position a chair behind a clean, wide bucket filled with hot water.

  Fold a bath towel into a square and place it at the bottom of the bucket. “This will give your feet a comfortable surface to rest on when you soak them,” says Bialo.

  Add half a cup of Epsom salt, a natural disinfectant. “I also like to throw in a few capfuls of Johnson + Johnson Soothing Vapor Bath for Colds,” says Bialo. “It contains rosemary, eucalyptus and menthol — three therapeutic, cleansing herbs that make the room you’re in smell just like a spa.”

Grooming Guide

  Use a cotton pad soaked with nail-polish remover to take off old polish. “If your cuticles are dry, add a drop of olive oil to the pad before using it on your nails,” suggests Bialo.

  Clip your toenails straight across with clippers.

  Use a nail file to smooth the edges, including the sides. Best shape: square with rounded edges.

Soothe Your Soles

  Soak your feet in the hot water for five minutes, then rest them on the edge of the bucket.

  Dip a foot file, such as Dr. Scholl’s Dual Action Swedish File, in the water, then use it to smooth your heels, the balls of your feet and the outsides of your pinkie toes.

  Pat feet dry with a towel.

  To get cuticles under control: Use the edge of the nail file to push your cuticles back, then a nail brush dipped in an exfoliating scrub, such as Rainforest Stress Therapy Foot Scrub, to clean the area where your nail meets your skin.

  If you feel that you must get rid of your cuticles, have a pro do it in a salon so you don’t end up with painful, ingrown toenails.

  Rinse, then dry feet and apply a generous amount of super-moisturizing foot lotion or cream. Try: Bliss Spa Foot Patrol. Massage it into your feet and calves.

  Wash the moisturizer off your toenails with soap and water and let them dry.

Polish How-To’s

  Create space between toes with a foam toe separator.

  Apply one coat of base coat, two coats of color and one coat of top coat.

  Confused about which color to go for? “For summer, say good-bye to burgundies and browns,” advises Bialo. “The hot shades are bright. Think coral with a sheen to it, hot pink and orangy-red.”

  Use a Q-tip moistened with nail-polish remover to remove any polish that missed the mark.

  Let your polish dry for a few hours before putting on close-toed shoes.

  Apply one coat of top coat three days after your pedicure, then every third day after that to keep polish from chipping.