Last week I received a couple of requests regarding advice on how to stop your feet from sweating. Foot hygiene is very important, especially when it comes to preventing and treating fungal infections, therefore I’ll reiterate a couple of simple tips to help you keep your feet healthy.
Although you’d be tempted to believe that your feet can sweat only in the warmer seasons, it can happen in the winter, too.
Here are the factors that usually lead to it:
– Wearing socks that are not made of cotton;
– Having shoes on most of the time and not allowing the skin to breathe;
– A current fungal infection;
– Hyperhidrosis (the body’s tendency to sweat profusely).
In order to prevent feet perspiration, tackle each of the above separately. Try as much as possible to wear cotton socks only, as the material absorbs the sweat. This allows the skin to remain cleaner, as opposed to nylon, elastane or polyester, which keep the perspiration trapped between the skin and the sock.
Moreover, most people usually wear boots or shoes inside the house, too. I strongly recommend you to keep your feet free inside the house and only wear slippers that allow the skin to breathe properly. Wash them gently every evening, regardless whether you stayed at home the entire day or if you had many errands to do. It’s about creating a healthy environment that doesn’t allow bacteria or fungi to thrive.
You can even resort to a feet antiperspirant, but pay attention to the quality of the product you’re buying. I will always recommend trying an over-the-counter solution, as they do not harm the body as much as those found in stores, and are just as effective. Describe your problem to the vendor in a detailed manner, and ask him for a product that is not alcohol-based (dries the skin excessively) and which has a medium Aluminum Chloride composition (10 to 15%).
In case you are currently dealing with a fungal infection, please remain patient until the fungus is completely out of your system. Only then should you consider taking care of the second issue, provided it didn’t disappear with the fungus itself. Maintain the same hygiene habits I mentioned above, as well as the remedies presented in the book, and arm yourself with patience.
Last, but not least, if your entire body has the tendency to perspire, you should consider its toxicity levels. Have you been eating more processed foods lately? Have you been stressed out? Stress releases adrenaline and cortisol, and both of them increase the activity of the sweat glands. Have you consumed more dairy products than the usual?
Have a quick check on your eating habits, and see if your pH level is acidic, normal, or alkaline. Afterwards, work your way around normalizing it and easing the stress.