Cold Hands and Feet Remedies

Oh yes! I am so happy that I looked this up on Earth Clinic :)

I bought a large piece of ginger root (about 300g), took it home and cut it into two. Peeled the outer skin off one half and roughly chopped it up. The other half I placed in the cupboard for next time.

I then placed the chopped ginger in a washing up bowl and added enough hot water so that it would cover my feet entirely. Into the water went my permafrost feet and I left them there for fifteen minutes. As the water cooled I asked my wife to bring me some more hot water to top it up. Towards the end of the second fifteen minute bout, I could feel my feet and legs begin to tingle.

After half an hour in total, I dried my feet, put on some clean socks and now - two hours later; my feet and legs are perfectly hot and tingling a bit :) The best they've felt in years.

I'll post another update soon!

I tried Dave's ginger root remedy. It worked. I soaked my feet for 30 minutes. I then took an epsom salt and ginger bath. I chew on ginger 3-5 times a day. I don't have to wear my wool socks to bed for the first time in years. My feet still get cool sometimes but it is winter.

I have one solution that has been a blessing: ginger root. My mother had terrible problems with cold feet. I would solve this problem with ginger. First cut the ginger into smaller pieces, about a quarter inch... 20 pieces or so and put in eight cups of water. Bring to a boil and let rest in larger plastic bowl... Large enough to put feet in. Now place feet in the warm (nearly hot), ginger soaked water. Let soak. In fact, heat up another cup of water and pour into plastic bowl so as to let soak another fifteen minutes. Soak for about thirty minutes. Do this again the next day.

Back to my mother: Also I bought from the health food store, ginger capsules and had her take two of those with food at lunch and two at dinner.

No more cold feet. At the beginning of the cold season every year we'd do that "feet in ginger soaked water" process. It always worked.

Ginger induces enhanced circulation of course. Everyone should take two ginger capsules daily with food to help with heart, general circulation etc.

In Ayurvedic medicine, and American Indian herbal, ginger is a "driver" meaning that it helps circulate the other medicines/ herbs into the whole body.

Oh, and and also after disposing of the water in the plastic bowl, I'd also rub her feet to help with circulation too. (Foot rubbing is a soothing and good thing. Men should always be willing to rub their wives feet! I'm serious. Particularly if she both works and then comes home and does the basic housework. I've talked to many nurses while I'd be rubbing my wife's feet in hospital settings during some of her physical problems, and they'd tell me that their husbands would refuse to rub their feet. Well, get over it, men. Wives deserve a good foot rub every now and then. Show this to your husband and tell them that foot rubbing by strong firm hands is a healthy, loving and caring thing to do. And use some oil. You will make your wife happy.

Oh, one last quick help. Get a towel, put in microwave for 40 seconds. It will be very warm/nearly hot. Wrap around feet. Sometimes, just a quick hit will help. Repeat three or four times if needed. That's a good trick if patient is sick and his/her feet just can't get warm.

David T. - what a loving and thoughtful husband and son you are! Yes, a foot rub is a wonderful treat for everyone. In keeping with the ginger theme, another way to alleviate cold extremities is to put powdered ginger in a stocking and hold it under the running hot water when you take a bath. Then let the knotted stocking soak in the bath with you. This helps, too, if you are coming down with a cold or just have the chills. A hot bath with ginger, then crawl into bed. It's good for what ails you! Thanks David T. Cheers, Bess