Many people, especially women, suffer from cold feet, even at mild temperatures. No one likes being struck by icy toes, but sometimes socks just don't seem to do the trick. There has to be a herbal cure! 

There is!  Apart from hot water bottles that comfortably preheat the end of the bed, experts recommend hot foot baths in the evening. Add a few drops of cinnamon oil, the juice of two lemons or 20 grams of mustard. Adding salt, eucalyptus, pine needle, rosemary, mountain pine or chestnut extracts into foot baths also help to stimulate the circulation.

Warm tea is also helpful. For example, pour hot water over a few slices of ginger, infuse and drink. Additionally, eating spicy food before bedtime helps with circulation. If you prefer to avoid eating or drinking before bed, consider using a circulation brush. Use a circular motion to massage the brush over your skin. "Hedgehog balls" or simple foot exercises have also been successfully recommended to warm up the body. Massage a natural skin care cream with a high fat content over your toes afterward to keep them nice and soft.

Another "alternative recipe" for cold feet is something for the bold! Mix a few cloves of chopped garlic with a little lard or Vaseline, let the whole thing sit for a day and then rub it on to your feet and legs before bedtime. The reason the cure is effective is this: garlic improves circulation. Alternatively, you can use castor oil. Just before bedtime, generously rub castor oil into warm (old) socks, let it seep, and then snuggle under the covers. Soon the warmth will rise from your feet up to your whole body. 

Feet that feel like lumps of ice stem from constricted blood vessels. Blood vessels are effected by external cooling. Since your feet are so far away from your heart, they are supplied with less blood than your vital organs, causing them to cool more quickly. Men have it a bit easier. In contrast to the 23% muscle mass that women have on average, men typically have 40 percent muscle mass. Since muscles also generate a lot of heat when working, men's hands and feet tend to be warmer. In addition, women lose more heat because they tend to have more mass than men of the same size. The body protects the brain, heart and vital organs first, leaving a woman's poor feet cold. 

It makes a lot of sense to put away everything that promotes cold feet. Shoes that are too small, too tight, too cold or too wet shoes should be gotten rid of. In winter, you can add insoles or wear heavier socks to keep your body warmer from the soles of your feet up!