Cold feet during the day, outside, at home, at night, even with socks? Here are the solutions to quickly warm them up with the advice of our general practitioner and naturopath.
How unpleasant it is to have cold feet ! “The cold causes vasoconstriction (decreased blood vessel diameter) and the blood is returned to the center of the body in order to protect the noble organs so that the majority of the body is maintained at 37 degrees. The ends are then left” explains Dr. Daniel Caroff. There are very effective tips and advice to warm them up quickly, whether you’re outside, at home, in bed or at the office.
- Wear silk or 100% wool socks because they are thermoregulatory.
- Take a hot foot bath to promote vasodilation. You can diluteThujanol thyme essential oilwhich heats, in a solvent (bath preparation, powdered milk, liquid soap, bath salt or Epsom salt, etc.) and pour it into the water of the foot bath.
- Put a hot water bottle under your feet.
- Massage your feet with an anti-cold cream (or even rub them to activate circulation).
- Wear slippers at home to prevent the feet from being in direct contact with the ground. You can also put a rug under your feet if you telecommute.
Having cold feet when it is rather warm inside the house (between 19 and 23°C) can be directly linked to housing. For example, if the floors are cold, then the temperature felt is lower than that displayed on the thermometer. Too much humidity can also be the cause of a weaker feeling. Finally, make sure there is no air infiltration inside your home.
► The effects of the hot water bottle : Daniel Caroff advises placing a hot water bottle under the feet and another at the liver level. The liver being the hottest organ in the body, helping it to warm up will allow heat to be gained throughout the body. You can also try the France Guillain method: the derivative bath. This consists of refresh the crotch using cold packs to restart blood and lymphatic circulation.
► Massage your feet : an anti-cold and humidity cream with vitamin A is ideal for a foot massage before leaving the house.
How to warm your feet at night, in bed?
The night, body temperature decreases by approximately 1.5°C. And priority to vital organs where the heat is concentrated. THE ends are therefore, here too, neglected.
- Elevate your legs slightly to facilitate the return of blood to the heart and thus stimulate blood circulation.
- Sleep without socks to avoid foot sweating, responsible for the feeling of cold. If you really want to wear socks, prefer cotton, wool or silk socks (thermo-regulatory) and ample.
- Before sleeping: take a foot bath in water at 37-39°C, with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil, for 15 minutes.
- Warm your bed beforehand using a hot water bottle or a pebble to heat in the microwave.
What solutions to warm your feet outside?
- Of the adapted soles : if your shoes and socks are not enough to insulate you from the cold, you can try insulating felt insoles. On the other hand, avoid heated removable insoles which promote poor venous return.
- Avoid shoes that are too tight and compress your toes and prevent them from moving.
- Managing sweating : the water freezes because of the cold. If you sweat from this area, it will be difficult for your feet to warm up properly. A podiatrist or dermatologist can advise you on existing treatments.
- Limit stress and smoking : because its two factors are aggravating regarding the chilliness
- Cover your head because that’s not where 30% of body heat escapes!
Do acupuncture?
In naturopathy, it is not normal to have cold feet and hands even when it is cold. “We then consider that these people have a liver function disorder. It is the hottest organ and when it is too intoxicated, it functions less well and therefore does not produce enough heat.” Even if the feeling of cold is in the feet, we will then treat the liver as a priority. Chinese medicinesomeone who has cold feet”doesn’t have enough yang (yin and yang). In this case we treat it by making acupuncture or using a moxa stick placed on top of a slice of ginger which is a hot ingredient at the navel level. This warms the center and therefore the yang will be able to warm the body“. Finally, be aware that some people are more sensitive to the cold because of the overexpression of a protein called TRPM-8. This is located at the level of sensory neurons which act as a receptor, and is directly involved in cold sensations. They will therefore have regularly have cold feet.
Thanks to Dr Daniel Caroff, general practitioner and naturopath. Source: The derivative bath method of France Guillain