FOOTNOTE - July 2022
Going on Holiday This Year? - Top Tips to arrive Tip Top
Following 3 years of little or no travel, many of us are looking forward to a trip abroad. This may involve a long flight which could mean sitting in a confined space, along with lots of standing around at airports.
It is common to experience some swelling of the ankles and feet during a flight which can lead to problems with putting shoes on and, in some cases, the development of a deep vein thrombosis.
Why does the swelling, or oedema develop?
The swelling occurs due to lack of muscle action (inactivity), which is what pumps fluid up our legs.?In addition, sitting for any long period of time compresses the veins behind the knees which further reduces the movement of fluid.
How can it be prevented?
?We hope you have a happy holiday!
?Elizabeth’s Cycling Challenge in Sri Lanka
￡3,000 raised for the Hospice!
It was my late husband, Lyndon, who introduced me to the joys of cycling.?We spent many happy hours together on our bikes and I cherish the memories.
Salisbury Hospice is a marvellous charity that relies on funds raised by the community.?I was very keen to get involved and 2 years ago I signed up to do a walking challenge to fundraise for Salisbury Hospice.?Unfortunately, due to COVID, the challenge was cancelled twice.
As I was taking on the challenge in memory of Lyndon, I decided that I would do a cycling challenge instead. I committed myself to cycling throughout the English winter on my mountain bike and had great fun on the byways around Salisbury and the New Forest - getting very muddy in the process!
Feeling fitter than I had for some time, I set off for Heathrow Airport with 7 other keen cyclists to?catch our flight to Sir Lanka. Here we spent the next 48 hours at the lovely Heathrow Holiday Inn whilst they mended the plane.?Despite the initial disappointment, this ended up being a very good way to get to know each another and learn how to play Boggle and Monopoly cards.
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When we eventually arrived on the beautiful but troubled teardrop island, we received a very enthusiastic welcome form the local travel guides who took us to the hotel where we started to acclimatise to the humidity. The following day was a bit of a shock - cycling along the busy roads out of Negombo with the tuk tuks and scooters tooting while they overtook us at speed and in close proximity. However, we soon realised that the locals were only trying to say hello to us, and most waved cheerily as they passed. Salisbury roads seemed VERY quiet by comparison!
Cycling along the quiet country roads surrounded by lush, tropical vegetation and the most beautiful birds was a truly wonderful way to see Sri-Lanka. The local people, especially the children, were exceptionally friendly and would always greet us as we cycled by. If we stopped to look at anything, like the tree, black with sleeping fruit bats, or the cashew nut tree, people would always come out to see us.
Some of the cycling was very challenging when we got to the mountains, but as we left the highlands we had a wonderful day with 20 miles of downhill roads. Our longest and hottest day was 70 kilometres, with temperatures between 30 and 35 degrees and 70% humidity! We went through sugar cane plantations and saw the plants being harvested by people wearing flip flops and brandishing machetes.?When we stopped to watch they came over and offered us cane to chew.?Curiosity got the better of one?local lady who, along with her children, left their mud hut to get?closer to the strange white people in lycra! We were all amazed to see her school children dressed in white, pristine school uniforms.
The disregard for suitable footwear was not limited to the agricultural community and I was amazed (and shocked) to witness many motorcyclists opting to ride barefoot.?It took a lot of effort to not offer them my professional advice!
The trip was like no other I have?ever been on.?We were invited to join demonstrations and respected the curfews imposed. In many ways, this made travelling around easier, but limited the staff in the hotels (where we were often the only guests). It was the people in particular who made me feel very humble. They had very little and we did not see a single child?with a toy, yet they appeared to be very happy, smiling at us wherever we went.
Thank you to everyone who supported me
?Elizabeth??
Product of the Month - Hell Balm
With the warmer weather many of us are wearing sandals, but do you suffer with hard skin and cracked heels? If so, you may be embarrassed to wear sandals with an open heel. Help is at hand??
At Total foot Health we stock heel balm-our product of the month- a specialist cream which is designed to hydrate the skin. This cream will cure the cracks, along with removal of the worst of the hard skin. You will have a visible effect with 3 days!
How does it work? Urea is the active ingredient, this works by attracting moisture, taking it into the skin and holding it there. Urea occurs naturally in the skin and its function is to help it to retain moisture. Because of this there are few, if any reactions to this product and can safely be used on most people, including those with Diabetes.
How do you apply it? It should be applied sparingly, usually a pea sized amount will suffice, and rubbed well into the skin every day. If you would like a very fast acting cream, use the 30%, otherwise the 25% is great for everyday use.
For more information call us on 01722 340057