Preparing the Feet for Reflexology

Video Transcript

"So we'll start by soaking your feet in a warm water soak. You'll want a bowl big enough for both feet. And before getting anyone's feet wet, you'll want to ask your client if there are any open cuts on her feet or his feet just to make sure you are not going to infect or agitate anything. So, do you have any cuts or bruises on your feet I should know about? (No.) Great, so into this bowl of warm water, we are going to add about a quarter of a cup of Epsom salts. These help draw out the toxins from your feet and help soften up your feet. Epsom salts are also really good general muscle relaxer. Less than a quarter of a cup usually isn't enough to really be effective. And more than a quarter of a cup tends to cloud up the water and about a handful is all you'll need. Too much really is difficult for your body to start to absorb. And then we'll also add about a quarter of a cup of apple cider vinegar. And the acidity of the vinegar is also going to promote blood flow to your feet. So we'll get our feet nicely softened up. Apple cider vinegar also has a great smell and it's not too acidic like using a regular white distilled vinegar or like a rice vinegar. It's one of the more mellow vinegars you can use. At this point you can also put in your aromatherapy oils if you want to include any. For the feet, if you are looking for a more energetic and energizing massage, you'll want to use a peppermint or spearmint. If you are looking for something to be more relaxing and calming, chamomile and lavender and geranium are all great to put in there. And if you are dealing with someone who's got specific injury soreness, juniper is a great aromatherapy oil to throw in. And we'll let the feet soak for about five to ten minutes, and then dry them off and start our massage. "