Cold feet are not only annoying, but can also be a sign of illness. You can find out here how you can use home remedies to warm them up again and what they can indicate.
Especially in the cold winter months, many people, especially women, suffer from constantly cold feet. Because as soon as the thermometer drops, the human organism first concentrates on warming the middle of the body and vital organs. The result: cold feet, ears or hands.
Those who use public transport or the car to get to work, or who work from home, get their bodies going less – which can also lead to a feeling of cold. Therefore, some solutions follow:
Effective home remedies for cold feet
If your feet are icy again, the following home remedies can help:
- First of all: Pay attention to the right clothing in winter. Put on thick socks made from organic cotton or mulesing-free wool and appropriate footwear.
- Wear slippers at home too. Your feet are better insulated from the cold ground.
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Movement gets the blood flow going: Sport or just light jogging or a walk during the lunch break warms up the feet again. Try to integrate more movements into your everyday life: when you open the window to air the room, stretch and walk up and down a few times. Stand and pull your knees up while you wait for the kettle. If you are already lying on the couch or in bed, bend your feet several times and straighten them again.
- Run a hot foot bath and soak your feet in it for 15 minutes. Tip: Arnica as an additive stimulates blood circulation. Especially when you just got home from the cold outside, a hot shower or bath will also help.
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Spicy food warms you from the inside: Dishes with chilli, black pepper, curry or cinnamon help against freezing feet.
- Drink between one and a half and two liters per day (water is best). If you regularly replenish your fluid balance, you strengthen your blood circulation.
- You can also thaw your ice feet with a gentle massage. Small massage balls with nubs or wooden rollers are ideal for this. More about this here: Foot massage: Instructions for a relaxing massage.
These tips help with acute cold feet. If you have them chronically, we recommend that you seek medical advice.
Cold feet and their causes
Usually there are very simple reasons for cold feet:
- Feet cool down faster if you wear thin shoes or socks in winter.
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Wet feet tend to get cold because heat is released when the moisture evaporates through the skin (evaporative cooling).
- Sometimes even tight shoes are the reason for freezing feet. These constrict the blood vessels and prevent undisturbed blood flow.
Chronic cold feet: signs of illness?
In most cases, simple reasons for cold feet can be found, but they can still indicate illnesses. You should seek medical advice, especially if your feet are almost constantly freezing.
The main reason for chronically cold feet is a disturbance in the blood circulation in the body. If the blood no longer circulates well and the blood supply to the feet is poor, they freeze. This can be caused by various clinical pictures:
- Low blood pressure can lead to a lack of blood supply to the feet. Most people with low blood pressure are also affected by cold hands.
- Smoking increases arterial disease in the legs. When blood vessels become blocked, the blood no longer flows as it should – your feet freeze.
- Furthermore, cold feet can be a side effect of chronic vascular diseases such as vascular calcification. In addition, they can indicate inflammation or occlusion of the vessels.
- Diabetes can also lead to poor circulation in the feet and lower extremities.
- Furthermore, hormonal fluctuations, for example in the case of restricted thyroid function, can cause cold feet and hands.
A healthy lifestyle is important for good blood circulation: a balanced diet and plenty of exercise prevent calcification and blockage of the arteries and thus contribute to healthy blood circulation.
Read more on Techzle.com:
- Beautiful feet: tips for natural care
- Tingling in the hands: causes and what helps against it
- Walking barefoot: That’s why we should do without shoes more often