Exercises For Plantar Fasciitis

Photo: Avita Health System

Plantar Fasciitis is heel pain in the plantar fascia, the connective tissue located on the bottom of your foot that connects your heel to your toes. With high arches, a person underpronates (underrolls her foot inward) when walking, so her arches and knees take a pounding on concrete. In doing this research, I learned people with flat feet (who overpronate) can also suffer from plantar fasciitis. How about that? 

According to another source, the condition means there are microscopic tears in the plantar fascia which are slow to heal.

In my 30s I wisely started selecting shoes with arch support and stable heels, as well as, putting insoles with arch support inside my shoes. Years ago a podiatrist also made custom orthotics for my high arches, but they don't fit most of my shoes including my Nike sneakers! They are so wide they only fit my Ugg boots and Croc ballet flats. His answer was I had to buy very big shoes! {Ridiculous! ... clown shoes!?!} I've read this is the wrong solution as custom orthotics can and should be made to fit most of a wearer's shoes, and one shouldn't have to go up more than 1/2 shoe size. Alas, I gave up on the podiatrist several years ago.:) 

Well, luckily I averted heel pain until this November 2023 when suddenly I developed worrisome pain in my right heel. Now I'm on a quest to find an effective drugstore pair of orthotics to fit my other shoes. Recommendations are welcome!

Meanwhile, daily stretching of the foot and calf can help ease pain by helping to decrease the amount of tension in the plantar fascia. Pain is caused by the inflammation of this connective tissue. If you've ever experienced it, you know you can barely walk when you rise from bed, or sit for a while, but moving makes walking and the extreme pain better.

Podiatrists recommend 3 exercises that stretch the plantar fascia: 

Wall Stretch

Photo: The Healing Sole

1) Face and put palms against the wall. Extend one leg forward about 12 inches apart, one leg bent in front with the rear knee straight.

2) Keeping both feet on the ground, lean towards the wall and bend the front knee until you feel a stretch in the back leg. 

3) Stop if you feel pain.

4) Hold for 20 - 30 seconds and repeat with the opposite leg.

Towel Stretch

Photo: Versus Arthritis

1) Sit with your butt on the floor and both legs stretched out in front of you.

2) Loop a towel over the ball of one foot at a time while keeping your leg straight. Pull it towards you until you feel a stretch in your calf and hold for 20 - 30 seconds.

3) Repeat with your other leg.

👠👟👣

UVM Health org

Stair Stretch

1) While holding onto the stair rail, stand with your heels hanging off a step. 

2) Slowly lower the heels until you feel a stretch. 

3) Hold for 20 - 30 seconds.

Other actions to ease the pain include:

The Tennis Ball Roll

I'm also rolling my arches and heels over a tennis ball which brings relief. It's advice I read years ago. Btw tennis balls are multi-taskers. Toss them into the dryer in place of fabric sofer. They work!

Other exercises to gently stretch the foot help too like flexing and pointing your toes up to the sky. 

It's a pity no matter what we do to slow it down, the years inevitably take their toll. We are all destined to fall apart. Teeth, feet, ligaments, and bones, wear out. Aim to slow "it" -- i.e. your state of disrepair down with sensible strategies. :)

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Shoes For Paws

Photo: Rover - which is linked - gives you 15 best dog boots to buy.

In winter the local news in Manhattan sometimes airs stories warning the public of the harm salt used to melt snow on sidewalks can do to their dog's paws, so it is not unusual to see a few dogs wearing boots. But now I see it also in August and September. Shoes on dogs have definitely caught on with pet owners this summer, and it's understandable.

Photo: Rover

As great as New York City is, the sidewalks and subways can be very, very dirty. In response, I'm one of those annoying people who ask guests to remove their shoes in my apartment. I buy extra houseshoes to offer visitors who'd prefer not to walk around in their socks, but few folks let on that they mind the "sockhop." when entering my place. My guests who accept my houseshoes get to take them home as a gift after their visit. I think if you're forward enough to ask people to remove their shoes in your home, giving them footwear is a thoughtful gesture. You won't catch them off-guard with holes in their socks, plus you want your guests to feel taken care of and comfortable in your house. You can buy inexpensive hospital booties at the dollar stores to have a supply on hand.

Photo: here

It turns out that people who study germs think removing our shoes inside our homes is ideal! Studies have found shoes bring an astonishing amount of poop bacteria into New York City buildings, so I don't think we who live here are defacto germophobes. We just have common sense.

If [still] a pet owner, I suppose I'd extend these findings to my dog's paws in cold and warm weather. More and more, it seems like a good idea in a high-traffic city for several reasons! 

Photo: Amazon

Think of it this way: When popcorn drops on your rug while watching a movie, you don't have to worry about picking it up to eat it! Moreover, Fido is in the habit of licking his paws. Yes, it's true he also licks his own butt -- but IMHO spreading germs is a numbers game, so let's limit him right there to spreading his own bacteria throughout your home! For sure, think about keeping the other bacteria from God-knows-where-and-God-knows-what out of your living space. The idea is not to avoid common household germs but all the foreign germs we don't want to know about!😳

Sidewalks also get hot and at times there's broken glass or sharp objects to potentially cut paws. 

In a pinch, I've read ... you can outfit your dog's paws with 4 rubber balloons. but more permanent shoes made for dogs are relatively affordable. Some are for dryness and others for warmth. Here are tips on training your dog to wear them.

Please weigh in: If you bring your dog to a major city with lots of foot traffic, the sources of germs, would you adorn him with cute little shoes?

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Is Ice Cream the Ambrosia Of the Gods?

Photo: Braum

In Homer's epic poems, the Illiad and the Odyssey, the gods are always eating Ambrosia and drinking The Nectar of the Gods although in early editions they may be one and the same, so indistinguishable. In Homer's work, the divine food is consumed on top of Mount Olympus and thereby tied to immortality, magical powers, and godliness. 

Photo: ultraboardgames

I can't be the only person on earth ever to wonder what precisely Ambrosia and The Nectar of the Gods are. Scholars think both could be honey ... or if one is a drink, Nectar is likely mead while only Ambrosia is honey. Like the brains who study these questions in depth, I also guessed they are honey and an alcoholic beverage. (Hey academics, perhaps my blog can save you years of research. Read on.😊)

As I have another guess for Ambrosia if we accept it is separate from the Nectar of the Gods. I think ambrosia is likely ice cream since once you let yourself eat ice cream you can't get enough. In your mouth, it has magical powers!

Because in my family we have no desire to weigh 300 pounds, I don't buy ice cream for the freezer until the end of June. The weather in early June can still be nippy, so we try to hold off until the real summer with steamy hot weather arrives. We buy ice cream throughout July and August, then try to stop once fall is upon us. I also buy wafer cones because it slows us down and we tend to eat less ice cream if we lick it on a cone. You have no idea how much ice cream you can scoop out to fit into a bowl in our house! It's our magical power.😛

Photo: freepik

So, readers, we ate our last ice cream cone on Thursday, August 31st and the question is, will I buy one more carton of ice cream (or 2, or 3) as summer is not officially over this year until Saturday, September 23rd? Also, we have 2 rows of wafer cones left in a box. They shouldn't go to waste, right?

I decided yes, buy another carton if temperatures soar again and no, we've eaten plenty already if they don't.

Ice cream is a dessert I buy readymade since I can't make it better, healthier, easier, or cheaper at home.

By the way, we do eat ice cream throughout the year to celebrate birthdays and as dessert if we host a dinner or are invited to dinner, or if we treat ourselves with a trip to an ice cream shop. I just don't keep it in the freezer outside of the summer months. Unlike the ancient Greek gods (image ↖credit) we must leave home to eat it during the fall, winter, or spring seasons in the interest of health and not adding another 50 pounds to our frames! We don't have the discipline to skip ice cream if it's in the house because ice cream really is the Ambrosia of the gods! It's soooo good you can't stop eating it!!

Do you love ice cream?🍦

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Naomi Watts' Stripes Hydrating Serum

Photo: Oprah Daily

The talented and beautiful actress Naomi Watts has developed a skin and hair care line of products called Stripes which for now is exclusively sold at Sephora. Her hydrating serum is getting a lot of media buzz and customers with dry skin give it positive reviews for its effectiveness. But at $80 a pop, I'll spotlight 3 worthy alternatives for less moola. I always say it doesn't matter how good a product is if you go broke using it daily. 

So let's examine what ingredients are in the Stripes serum to
treat dry skin that also has some anti-aging benefits:

💥Ectoine - protects and moisturizes the skin sometimes it's an ingredient in sunscreen.

💥 Mushroom extract - a skin hydrator, it mimics hyaluronic acid, and the antioxidants in mushrooms (selenium and vitamin C) fight free radicals giving it anti-aging properties.

 💥 Hyaluronic acid - reduces the look of fine lines by locking in moisture.

When you are trying to substitute less pricey beauty products for expensive skincare, you may not be able to find the exact ingredient for ingredient matches and yet sometimes you can either come darn close or find products with ingredients that do much the same thing, i.e., give you similar benefits of the ingredients in the expensive product. 

Start by asking what is the main function of the expensive serum? In the case of the Stripe serum, it tells us in its name. The primary purpose isn't anti-aging, it's to hydrate the skin. {In fact, the holy grail of an anti-aging serum is retin-A or its non-prescription derivative retinol. Stripe has a retinol serum that also sells for $80. On THE SAVVY SHOPPER you'll find a ton of effective retinol serums for less with a search.}

Excellent Substitutes For Less include:

1) e.l.f. Superhydrate Gel Moisturizer  - is a moisturizing gel with mushroom extract, squalane, vitamins B3 and E, and cica (an herb rich in fatty acids, vitamins, and amino acids that is used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines). It's the closest match if you're intent on using a cheaper beauty serum with mushroom extract. 

If you focus on only Stripe's main function to hydrate the skin other worthy substitutes are:

2) The Ordinary Natural Moisturer Factors + HA - Contains Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Sodium PCA, PCA, Lactates, Lactic Acid, and Minerals. The Ordinary has an entire category of different hydrating serums and I'll name this one product but link you to the entire line so you can compare and contrast what's too numerous to list!

3) CeraVe face moisturizers - Developed by dermatologists and sold in drugstores. Frankly, all the CeraVe formulas for face and body are so mild and moisturizing that in winter I use both to hydrate my face without issues. CeraVe makes facial moisturizers for AM or PM, with the AM formula containing the addition of sunscreen, so you won't have to buy or apply sun protection separately. All contain hyaluronic acid and ceramides (lipids naturally found in the skin) and MEV (multivesicular emulsion) technology, a delivery system to make ingredients more hydrating and lasting. The CVS and Walmart store brands are identical. We are beyond fortunate to have skin doctor-created moisturizers in drugstore aisles!

Creating and marketing a skincare line isn't easy. It takes research, finding backers with deep pockets, and a ton of hard work to get it on the market, so I have nothing but respect for Naomi Watts for achieving it. Nonetheless, not everyone can afford $160 for 2 serums: a hydrator and retinol, the barebones of what you need for daytime and nighttime skincare.

With knowledge of anti-aging ingredients that really work and skincare brands, you can save $130 - $145 per purchase simply by selecting the right substitutions. My gosh ... inadvertently this entire week has become a skincare trilogy as I couldn't stop writing about it!😆 Linked below are the other 2 blogs if you wish to read all 3 blogs = the week of a skincare trilogy.🤣🤣🤣

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Smelling Like Roses

I've attended several galas and fundraisers in my life that give attendees parting gifts. From more than one event, the gift bag included a trendy (nonetheless synthetic) perfume. For me, getting an expensive perfume is always a disappointment because I don't value or wear it. As I've said in past blogs, I'm an essential oil kind of gal. 

During a discussion with a friend who's trying to cut back on her discretionary spending, I realized that my aversion to perfume has saved me a ton of money over the years ... and perhaps there's a budget-friendly tip here worth sharing!

If you love an expensive perfume, research it and try to determine what floral oils, essential oils, etc. give it its amazing scent. Without paying for the brand name, you can buy the floral oil, a purer ingredient, or a combination of ingredients in the perfume that pleases your nose for a lot less!

Using my current favorite fragrance, rose as an example, for $10 - $15 I get my rose oil, not from Diptyque, Tom Ford, or Miss Dior, but from botanical companies in the form of moisturizing oil, soap, or shampoo. I find my products either at T.J. Maxx or on Amazon for the lowest prices. 

Also, I like how Amazon gives small businesses and small butch personal care manufacturers a platform to sell their products. You can find top quality for less moola while discovering new retailers who aren't mass-produced -- not that mass production is bad, in fact, SheaMoisture is one of my favorite merchants.

It's fine if the product has a carrier oil because pure floral or essential oils are usually too strong to use undiluted on your skin daily, but make sure the rose oil, etc is one of chief ingredients. The FDA requires a product label to list the ingredients in "order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the greatest amount first, followed in descending order by ingredients in smaller amounts."

Also, do a bit of research on your favorite ingredient(s) to learn which methods of production make it top quality so when you read the labels of products you'll know which ones to choose.

The more you know, the more chances you'll have to find value. Lately, I've been smelling like roses without compromise; doing without; or going broke! You can too. 😍😛🌹🌹🌹

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Ground Beef Stroganoff

Photo: Betty Crocker, the recipe is not Betty Croker.

I love one-skillet dinners. What's not to love? A mishmash of flavors and textures, and all your food groups tossed into one pan to cook a balanced meal. You can add a salad, grainy bread, and a glass of wine if you wish. After eating your meal, the breezy cleanup consists of a single pan and a few plates and utensils. Here is the recipe:

Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 stalk celery including leaves, diced

1/4 cup red pepper, diced

1 - 1 1/2 lb ground beef

1/4 cup wine - red or white

4 cups water

2 large any flavor bouillon cubes, or 4 small cubes

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon each of dried chives, garlic, and parsley

A dash of Worcestershire sauce

8 ounces of curly noodles

1 cup of sour cream (which I never have so use plain Greek yogurt.)

Directions:

1) Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a 12'' chef skillet or a dutch oven and bring to a simmer to tenderize and brown the sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle in some salt. Set aside in a separate dish.

2) Use the same skillet to add another tablespoon of olive oil and tenderize the diced onion, garlic, celery, and red pepper (takes 3 - 5 minutes).

3) Toss in and brown the ground beef. A dash of salt and

pepper. It cooks for about 5 minutes.

4) Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour to coat the ground beef and cook for another 3 minutes so the flour won't taste raw.

5) Pour in the wine and 4 cups of water and dissolve the bouillon cubes. Use a wooden spoon to stir and mash up the bouillon into the liquid.

6) Add the dried spices and Worcestershire sauce.

7) Next toss the dried uncooked curly (egg or any) noodles into the dish and cook until al dente.

8) Return the mushrooms to the pan and stir. Turn off the heat.

9) Finish off with sour cream (or substitute Greek yogurt). If using Greek yogurt be mindful of curdling. Temper the yogurt with a small amount of stroganoff sauce before dumping it all into the dish.

A simple one-pan meal that sticks to your ribs. Delish!

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Vivienne Westwood Three Row Pearl Bas Relief Choker

The Vivienne Westword Three Row Pearl Bas Relief Choker which first appeared in 1990 has made a HUGE comeback. Inspired by royalty and selling for $610 on the designer's website, it's what every fashionista wanted for Christmas this year ... unless she already had one!

For sure, it's a beautiful piece of costume jewelry with silver-tone or gold-tone plating over brass with 3 rows of hand-knotted Swarovski synthetic pearls that come together at a beaded clasp in the back.

As longtime readers know well, I don't think costume jewelry is where you want to spend $610, but if you apply yourself, you'll find the coveted necklace for much less by searching the internet. Due to buyer regret, I see the real thing listed for $66, $129, and $143 on various resale websites ... and a quality Esty dupe for $45 here. I'm not linking the pre-loved offerings since by the time you read this blog the necklaces will likely be gone. Just do a Google search to see what's currently available

This is a lovely chocker selling for too much money. You can get fine jewelry with real 14k gold and freshwater pearls for the price of this costume piece. But a 2nd-hand, dupe, or inspired chocker is easy to find for much less! IMHO $45 + tax isn't cheap either for costume jewelry -- but it is less money. Yep, sometimes designer costume jewelry makes no logical sense, and many of us have been there fancying a look.

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Skincare Holiday Gifts Everybody Will Love

Ho, ho, ho! Hard to believe the holiday season is here, isn't it? Let's consider the beauty mavens on your shopping list. A good skincare gift can be either an introduction to a stellar new brand or something extra for a friend who already has the knowledge and skincare basics. If your giftees use Retin-A or
its non-prescription derivative retinol (for nighttime), and perhaps vitamin C (in the mornings), they have an excellent anti-aging skincare routine even if they do nothing else. Other products may do good things for the skin, but they are less essential. Dermatologists call Retin-A or retinol the gold standard in anti-aging skincare. THE SAVVY SHOPPER has written a number of blogs explaining and recommending good retinol and you can use the search box to pull them up to read if you wish.

Today I'll feature skincare extras to give as holiday gifts that go beyond the basics. Sometimes it takes a friend's holiday gift to either introduce you to an unfamiliar brand or spoil you with ingredients you're not using -- the skincare extras - that provide additional skin benefits. They include:

1) The Ordinary Hyaluronic acid 2% + Vitamin B5 (see top image👆) - Hyaluronic acid moisturizes dry skin and Vitamin B5 helps the skin attract and maintain moisture. As we age our skin gets drier so keeping skin moist and dewy instantly makes us look younger ... and it feels better too.

2) The Ordinary Niacinamide (B3) 10% + Zinc 1% - Reinforces and balances the skin's protective barrier. Also treats acne by unclogging pores and drying oils and pimple-causing components.

3) The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution - Promotes mild exfoliation to correct dullness, uneven skin tone, or textual irregularities. Also contains skin-loving ingredients, such as Tasmanian pepperberry, aloe vera, and ginseng root to soothe, balance, and hydrate the skin. Amino acids are added to support the skin barrier. I'm surprised at how often YouTube dermatologists recommend glycolic acid + exfoliating the skin, a practice I rarely do. It speeds up skin turnover to promote new skin cells to rise to the surface.

The Ordinary is offering a 23% discount on their entire skincare line through December 23, 2022, on top of their already high quality and low prices.

The last two gift ideas are Korean skin barrier-protecting face creams. The Korean market excels at making beauty serums and creams. The following skin moisturizers will check Old Man Winter:⛄

4) Etude House Soon Jung Hydro Barrier Cream - Is packed with lipids and fatty acids to strengthen and protect your skin barrier, including “Panthensoside”: Panthenol (Protection of skin barrier & maintenance of hydration) + Madecassoside (Soothing effect for irritated skin).

5) Pyunkang Yul Intensive Repair Cream - Contains ceramides, shea butter, macadamia seed oil, and antioxidants to protect the skin barrier and smooth the skin.

Extra find: Bakuchiol (a phytoretinol). A good one is IMGN Beyond Retinol🎄🎄🎄 

This year make your beauty gifts count! Think quality, not quantity! Frequently beauty sets come with items nobody uses like bubble baths. Instead consider giving a skin elixir backed by science that really works, or an introduction to a fabulous beauty brand your friend or family member doesn't know about. A new discovery is exciting ... and how thoughtful of you to share your tips in the form of a gift!

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Fine Jewelry Under $125 As Gifts

Over the next 3 weeks, I'll write a few holiday gift idea blogs. Today I'll focus on reasonably priced fine jewelry under $125 (and that is before applying promotional codes for further reductions). It means sterling silver (a precious metal) with lab-grown white sapphires. It also makes excellent travel jewelry that dazzles and looks expensive.

I'm featuring Italo jewelry since I'm happy with my own Italo purchase  (shown here) -- the sapphires sparkle like mad! Read my review on Italo jewelry to know the good and what to avoid, namely having to return the jewelry. Try to forgo the hassle of returns if possible. Italo Jewelry is an online-only Italian manufacturer whose plant is located in China. The retailer is legitimate and does stand behind its jewelry, but customers must pay for return shipping on jewelry they don't like. So take a beat so you don't order mistakes!

What I like about Italo is its enormous selection of beautiful designs from classic to unique, huge enough to suit every possible taste. I wear my Italo jewelry often and it's durable. Of the offerings, the earrings are super affordable for lovely glittering pieces, and I think they're safer than giving rings as gifts. The necklaces will have more metal and stones and therefore cost more too. Throughout the blog are several of my favorite Italo earrings, which I'd be happy to receive!

Italo Jewelry seems to have a bigger collection ... more styles than its competitors who sell similar jewelry. My only experience is with Italo, so you'll have to research their competition for legitimacy and good customer service.

I don't gift rings simply because people work with their hands and if a stone falls out, there is no brick-and-mortar Italo shop to fix it, so it's likely cheaper to rebuy the jewelry than have it repaired. Earrings are less likely to sustain mishaps as they don't get banged around.

Italo jewelry comes nicely presented in boxes and ribbons. Inside is a silver polishing cloth, policy information, cleaning tips, and a travel pouch.

With Italo Jewelry, you're not paying an arm and a leg for what is real sterling silver and lab-grown white sapphires that (if taken care of) last so why buy fashion jewelry?

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