How to beat smelly feet

It's not just athletes that are prone to foot odour - it can happen to the best of us. Here's how to prevent the problem occurring and curing it if it does.

Paul Burns-Diigital Vision-Getty Images

A South Korean clothing company has created a pair of trainers with Xylitol - the same ingredient used in chewing gum to freshen your breath - woven into the fabric. The bad news? The shoes in question cost over £200. Fighting foot odour shouldn't cost the earth, so we've spoken to the experts to get their top tips for fresh feet.

What is foot odour?
First, the basics. If your feet smell like a fine French cheese that's been left out in the sun, the root cause is likely to be an excess of moisture.

"Foot odour is generally caused by excessive moisture which then leads to increased bacteria levels," explains expert podiatrist Margaret Dabbs.

"Factors such as shoe and sock material, activity levels, climate and the person's propensity to sweat can all affect odour levels. Hygiene levels can also affect foot odour but ultimately every individual is different."

The science of sweat
Don't think you're safe just because your feet don't smell, either - the sweat that can eventually cause foot odour doesn't actually have an odour.

"The sweat itself is actually odourless but it creates a perfect environment for bacteria and fungal spores to grow and produce bad-smelling substances," says Andrew Mawhinney, Lloyds Pharmacy pharmacist. "If men have hairy feet, this can increase the likelihood of problems with foot odour as the bad-smelling bacteria have more surface area on which they can grow."

Grandma Vine Foot Balm

The powder problem
So what are the solutions? Foot powders are popular choices when it comes to fighting foot odour, but Margaret Dabbs suggests steering clear.

"We generally don't recommend foot powders as in the presence of excess moisture the powder itself can become wet and turn into a paste-like substance," warns Margaret. "Powders can also mask the presence of various skin infections and can lead to an increased tendency to soft corns known as heloma molle."

To spray or not to spray
While the right foot or shoe spray can help, many sprays work by simply covering up the smell - great if you're hoping to quickly mask the odour of your stinky shoes moments before a hot date, but not so great in the long term.

"If the foot spray doesn't contain an antiperspirant it will simply mask the odour and not address the underlying cause of excess moisture," warns Margaret Dabbs.

Oil me up
Margaret Dabbs suggests slathering on a natural oil - such as Australian organic emu oil - which will avoid irritating skin and provide long lasting hydration while fighting bacteria.

"This type of oil is easily absorbed into the skin's dermal layers, has low irritability (as low as water) and anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, which will leave skin feeling hydrated, smooth and illuminated," explains Margaret.

Go natural
When it comes to socks, try to avoid synthetic materials which will trap sweat and prevent air circulating around the foot.

"We recommend wearing socks made from natural fibres in order to absorb excess moisture," says Margaret Dabbs. "Additionally, anyone suffering from foot odour should be washing their feet twice daily and changing their socks twice a day."

Swap your shoes
While it's normal to change your socks once a day (we hope), many people underestimate the importance of swapping our shoes. "We recommend alternating shoes daily so that they have the opportunity to air out and won't become moist," says Margaret Dabbs.

Age, exercise and odour
As you get older, foot odour should become less of a problem, although if you're a fitness fanatic, you're generally more at risk from conditions such as athlete's foot, which can lead to an increase in odour-producing bacteria.

"Generally teenage boys are more prone to foot odour due to varying hormone levels and also increased activity levels and the associated footwear requirements," says Margaret Dabbs. "People who have higher levels of perspiration are more prone to bacterial and fungal infections such as tinea pedis or athlete's foot - a fungal infection which can make foot odour worse."

Patch-It Detox - removing toxins from your body

Foot fetish
Finding the perfect shoe isn't just about style - shoes that are too small or made from the wrong material can all contribute to foot odour.

"Wearing the wrong shoes can make your feet smell worse so it's important that you choose shoes which allow your feet to breathe," says Andrew Mawhinney. "Shoes which are made from man-made materials like plastic are particularly bad at increasing the amount of sweat produced as they don't allow them to breathe, so for this reason leather shoes are ideal."

Don't scrap the socks
Finally, wearing shoes without socks is never a good look, but when it comes to preventing food odour, it's an absolute no-no. "Wearing shoes without socks can also make your feet sweat more and make foot odour worse, so you should always wear socks with your shoes," says Andrew Mawhinney.

Keep your cool
Studies have shown that higher stress levels can lead to foot odour, due to increased sweat production. It's also thought that a diet high in refined carbohydrates can contribute to foot odour, as refined carbohydrates can feed the bacteria which can cause foot odour. Try to pack plenty of protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates into your diet.

So there you have it - foot odour can be a problem, but if you follow this advice, it needn't be.

Article from MSN Him

 Inco Silk Medicare Serum

Dogs are a woman's best friend too! Female pet owners more likely to meet recommended activity levels during pregnancy

Researchers have proved that dogs are an unlikely ally for pregnant women - showing that expecting mothers who own one are more physically active than those who don't. 

Joint research found that the pet commonly known as 'man's best friend' can be significant in keeping pregnant women fit and healthy.

Through brisk walking, an obvious side-effect of owning a dog, pregnant women were around 50 per cent more likely to achieve the recommended 30 minutes activity per day.

Pregnant paws: An international research team has found that dog walking is an effective way for pregnant women to achieve 30min of exercise a day

 

There is growing concern about the health risks connected to gaining excess weight during pregnancy, for both mother and child. Some studies have linked maternal obesity to childhood obesity.

The research studied the health and lifestyles of more than 11,000 pregnant women in the UK - using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

By helping pregnant women stay active, dog walking could form part of an effective strategy for managing weight gain during pregnancy.

Vested interest: Dr Sandra McCune, of the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, with her own best friend Winston

 

Dr Sandra McCune, research programme manager at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, said: 'We are increasingly seeing that exercising with a dog can lead to improved motivation and effectiveness.

'As a low-risk exercise, dog walking can help women who may otherwise find it hard to meet their exercise targets, keep active and fit during pregnancy. 

'Together with a balanced diet, it could therefore help towards ensuring a healthy pregnancy.'

The research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Liverpool, University of Bristol and University of South Carolina and theWaltham Centre.

Article and photos from the Daily Mail Online

Ethical Beauty

Animal Testing

The cosmetic industry uses thirteen types of tests which may potentially use animals. These are:

• eye irritancy
• skin irritancy
• skin penetration
• skin sensitisation
• phototoxicity and photosensitisation - skin reactions to chemicals brought on by exposure to the light
• mutagenicity - the chemical capacity to cause permanent alteration of the genetic material within living cells
• acute and chronic toxicity
• carcinogenicity
• reproductive toxicity
• teratogenicity - the capability of producing foetal malformation
• finished product safety evaluation
• 
  

Many of these tests have been conducted upon guinea pigs and rabbits and often the responses to the tests have been quantitatively and qualitatively different than in humans. For example, in the Draize eye test, chemicals are dropped into the eyes of immobilised albino rabbits. Although it has been in use for over four decades, the predictions of the Draize test do not correlate well with human experience. This is shown by the fact that out of 281 cases of accidental splashing of household products into people's eyes that were compared with Draize rabbit eye test predictions for the same products, there were differences between human and rabbit responses of up to 250-fold. The Draize test exaggerates irritant effects, and accurately predicts human responses less than 50% of the time.


Alternative Methods
The UK banned animal testing for cosmetics in 1998 and in November 2002 the European Union voted on a ban animal testing for cosmetics which will come into practice around 2009. Countries such as the USA and Japan are still a long way from ending animal testing for cosmetics.

Cruelty-Free Cosmetics

It is not always easy to distinguish which brands are cruelty-free and which are not because many companies do not clearly label their products, and some companies make ambiguous statements when referring to theirs. For example, a bottle of shampoo claiming "this product has not been tested on animals," may not be telling the full story. While the finished product may not have been tested on animals, some of the ingredient may have been.

Fair Trade

Another justifiable concern that you may have about your green personal care products is where they have been produced and that the producers and suppliers, particularly if they are in developing countries, have not been exploited. The Fairtrade Foundation has developed certification to ensure that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are protected.

Producers that supply Fairtrade products are inspected and certified by the international certification body Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). They receive a minimum price that covers the cost of sustainable production and also an extra premium that is invested in social or economic development projects. Fairtrade Labelling was created in the Netherlands in the late 1980s. Today the FLO co-ordinates Fairtrade Labelling in 20 counties including the UK.

You will recognise certified products because they carry the FAIRTRADE mark. This is their consumer label which guarantees that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal.

Article from Safe Cosmetics.  

Shop with peace of mind knowing that Natural Figure does everything to ensure that our products are part of ethical trading.  

Shop now at Natural Figure!  

Living outside the hearing world

For several years cochlear implants have offered some deaf people the chance to have a "sensation of sound". So why would some deaf teenagers choose not to have the implant even if they had the option?

The issue of cochlear implants and efforts to "cure" deafness is a very sensitive subject among the 19,600 deaf teenagers in the UK.

Indeed, many young deaf people are proud of deaf culture.

"I never hear anything, I'm fully deaf. With hearing aids all I could hear was beeps and I thought what's that? So I took them off. I never use them. What's the point?" says 19-year-old Sara Kendall.

Sara and her boyfriend Asher Woodman-Worrell live with Sara's mother and brother in Nottingham. Everyone in the family is profoundly deaf. As Sara and Asher cannot hear or speak, they live in a totally silent world.
"I'm very strongly in the deaf world," says Sara. "I'm passionate about it. I can't imagine myself outside of that world. No thanks. I'm happy where I am, because my parents brought me up deaf."

Even though it might improve her hearing, no one in Sara's family has ever considered being fitted with a cochlear implant - a surgically implanted electronic device that can improve hearing by stimulating the auditory nerve. Although an implant cannot restore hearing to normal it does give the sensation of sounds.
In the operation, a surgeon creates a small space on the surface of the skull where the electronics are placed. From here an electrode carries signals down into the inner ear.

Cochlear implants are not suitable for all deaf people and those considering the surgery have to undertake in-depth hearing, speech and language, educational and psychological assessments. Around 500 adults, aged between 15 and 59, receive cochlear implants in the UK each year.

But some deaf families do not agree with the procedure and are defiant about remaining in the deaf world. Sara and her family consider themselves to be very much part of the deaf community and proud of their deaf culture.

"I don't like to see children suffer because it's not right. I think cochlear implants look awful attached to the side of your head… I'd rather they look normal," says Julie Kendall, Sara's mother.

For Sara, however, it is not just a case of what the implant looks like, but how it would impact on her sense of identity.

"Personally [I] thank God I don't have a cochlear implant because I wouldn't know where I belong, in the deaf world or the hearing world," says Sara. "I know I'm in the deaf world, that's it, but with a cochlear I'd feel in between."

"It's offensive to think you can fix it," she suggests. "You can't fix it. If you're born deaf, you're deaf, that's it."
Asher also finds any suggestion that a cochlear implant might help intrusive.

"We find it offensive when people come in and say, 'oh we can change you into a hearing person', that's why cochlear implants are a really sensitive issue for us."

The term "big D-deaf" is sometimes used to refer to those who identify themselves as culturally deaf, and have a very strong deaf identity. Tyron Woolfe, deputy director of children and young people at the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) says deaf culture is extremely varied.

"Deaf teenagers are just like other young people, with diverse interests and social lives. Each deaf young person's experience of deaf culture is different," says Woolfe, "but we do know that being able to meet other deaf young people is very important to many of the deaf teenagers and children we work with."

The decision to not explore the option of a cochlear implant is a matter of personal choice says Woolfe.
"Every deaf child is different and it is important that there is a range of provision to meet the diverse needs and preferences of deaf children.

Photo: SPL

"A cochlear implant is just one option - it would not benefit all deaf children and young people. Suitability can depend on a child's level and type of deafness.


"Cochlear implants, whether unilateral or bilateral, don't make deaf children hearing children. They improve access to sound, but they don't replace hearing."

Nineteen-year-old Meghan Durno would like to hear more and maintain a connection with both the hearing and deaf world.

She has been profoundly deaf all her life and had her first hearing aid when she was three months old. She grew up in a deaf family and her mother as well as her sister and grandparents all inherited their deafness.

Meghan decided to have a cochlear implant fitted, but the operation was not without risk as the procedure is most successful when performed on the ear with the best hearing. After surgery, a patient waits four weeks before the implant can be switched on as the area needs to be given time to heal.

During this time Meghan started studying for a veterinary nursing degree at Edinburgh Napier University and had to rely purely on lip reading, which made it difficult for her to understand exactly what her lecturers were saying.

"When I went into the lecture theatre, I just switched off because the lady that was standing there started pacing up and down and talking and I couldn't understand what was being said, so I just looked at the notes," says Meghan.

"I do feel sad sometimes, not so much that I can't hear right now, but knowing that I'll never be able to hear what hearing people hear, but I don't get down about it, I know no different."

After her cochlear implant operation Meghan could identify different noises

Once the implant was switched on, Meghan's brain took time to recognise new sounds, but she very quickly discovered noises that she has never heard before, like the piercing sound of a baby crying and the sound of birds singing.

"With the implant, I'm able to hear little things I never knew existed," says Meghan. "Like when you rub your hands together, I never knew that made a sound."

"I was lying down one time and I heard a noise and I was like what's that and I realised it was my own breathing… I've amazed myself with what I can hear, and amazed a piece of machinery can help you hear."

Life as a deaf teenager

• Research conducted in 2009 found many deaf children and young people view their deafness positively and see it as central to their identity
• Many deaf teens attend SenCity, a multi-sensory club night which has a vibrating dance floor and taste sensations, while aroma jockeys mix scents to match the music
• Ninety percent of deaf young people are born to hearing parents

By Lucy Wallis for BBC News