Painful soles?

[islesgirl]

Hi everyone. I am feeling so wonderful after two weeks on this raw food but I have just one small problem which actually began way before this. When I take my shoes off and get up from my chair to walk around, the bottoms of my feet are quite painful, as if there were no "cushioning" to protect the bone. Anyone know anything about this? It is not something that is there all the time either - just when I get up to walk barefoot for a few minutes after sitting for a while. and I never have the problem with my shoes on. Thanks for any input you may have to offer. Have a good night too!

[sport]

I think that you have us all stumped with this one.
I have not heard of it happening before.

[samiam23302]

It might be possible that you have plantar fasciitis. I'm not very good at explaining things but here is an explination from the Mayo website:

Do your first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in your heel? Or does your heel hurt after jogging or playing tennis?

Most commonly, heel pain is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia — the tissue along the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes. The condition is called plantar fasciitis (PLAN-tur fas-e-I-tis).

Plantar fasciitis causes stabbing or burning pain that's usually worse in the morning because the fascia tightens (contracts) overnight. Once your foot limbers up, the pain of plantar fasciitis normally decreases, but it may return after long periods of standing or after getting up from a seated position.

In most cases, you can overcome the pain of plantar fasciitis without surgery or other invasive treatments. And you can take steps to prevent plantar fasciitis from recurring.

[islesgirl]

Thank you so much samiam for your response. No, my pain is usually toward the afternoon -evening after I take off my sneakers and get up out of my chair to walk somewhere. Then the whole bottoms of my feet hurt - not just a part. But I am going to ask my doctor - maybe in January when I go to get my blood pressure checked again.

[gardengal]

when i first went raw, about a month into it, i had awful cramps and pained feet for several days. it freaked me out, i had no idea what i could be. i ended up going to see a massage therapist, who suggested that it might be my body clearing toxins. she massaged my feet and lymph systems and sure enough, within a few days, i was feeling right as rain.

[Marin Mom]

FWIW- I had that foot pain when arising from bed for the first minute or 2 for the last couple of years, after a couple of months raw I noticed the pain was GONE! :D

[Stina]

I pretty much suffered from pain fitting that description that acupuncture helped immensely.

[Bechtel]

You have plantar fasciatis indeed. It took me over a year to get rid off....still not gone completely. Do not walk barefooted. Place cushions in your shoes. Exercise your feet before getting up. Read about it.

[Raw Mom]

Could also be fallen arches. I have this. Happened later in life.
Over 40....Sometimes better than others. Barefeet isn't good for me. I need to always wear something with a good arch support. Any doctor or physical therapist can tell you if you do. Stretch the bottoms and tops of your feet. massage the arch and right under the ball of the foot..:cool:

[islesgirl]

Thanks Raw Mom - I have had fallen arches all my life. I will ltry to include this kind of massage with the rest of the exercises I should be doing.:) And I do wear shoes all the time - sneakers in the house. Did you happen to see the Oprah show about Fashion No -Nos in which the guest said sneakers were definitely OUT except for anywhere but the gym! Sorry, I have to wear them. They are the best fitting shoe I own and the most comfortable. Hope you are having a happy, successful day.:)

[Raw Mom]

Thanks for the wishes! I don't wear sneakers in the winter. I live in Vermont!
I have inserts I used to wear in all my shoes, you can buy them at any sports store...called Super Feet, I think. They've been feeling better. Fallen arches will screw up the rest of your body too. hips, tops of the feet. I do a lot of
YOGA!!! Take care....warm wishes....:D

[Steeny]

Sounds like Plantar Fascitis.
What kind of shoes are you wearing?
This happened to me when I moved to Wisconsin and bought 3 pairs of 12 dollar hiking boots and wore them all the time.
I switched back to some high quality, more expensive shoes and the problem went away completely, although it took about a year.
You get what you pay for. Steeny

[EZ rider]

There is a science of the study of the feet called REFLEXOLOGY. Here is a link to a Wikipedia article about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflexology

[islesgirl]

Sounds like Plantar Fascitis.
What kind of shoes are you wearing?
This happened to me when I moved to Wisconsin and bought 3 pairs of 12 dollar hiking boots and wore them all the time.
I switched back to some high quality, more expensive shoes and the problem went away completely, although it took about a year.
You get what you pay for. Steeny

How true. I pay a lot for these Saucony Grids sneakers (over $100) but they are so comfortable. I wear them all the time. I have 3 pair - one for the gym, one for inside and one for outdoors. My feet never hurt in them - just when I walk barefoot or wear any other kind of shoe. I am hoping that the RAW food will help and more exercise. I am glad for you that the problem went away! Thank you for responding Steeny! Do you think the RAW food had anything to do with your recovery too?:)

[islesgirl]

There is a science of the study of the feet called REFLEXOLOGY. Here is a link to a Wikipedia article about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflexology

EZ rider - thank you so much for your interest in my footies. My sister is a massage therapist and I believe, a reflexologist also, but she lives on Vancouver Island - far away. But I should write her to ask what she knows on the subject. And I will look up the link. Thank you so much. I remember that about 10 years ago I was flat on my back with a herniated disc and a friend massaged my feet. Well, I almost went through the roof - my feet were so sensitive! I couldn't stand the pressure from her massage. But then I went to another person and paid for the treatment and he actually got me up on my feet again and when he was through with me each time I wished I could just stay there on his table and relax forever - I felt soooooooo.... good and I would go back to him except that it is $50 an hour. He also used "Moxi bustion". Amazing. Maybe I will be able to afford it in the spring as I will have a bit more money. First, I must pay off my dehydrator, vita-mix and juicer. Then I have car insurance coming up. It never ends eh?:D

[KatK]

I had something like that...heel pain that seemed to be linked to hormone levels. It went away after I stopped eating Atkins-style :eek:

[islesgirl]

I had something like that...heel pain that seemed to be linked to hormone levels. It went away after I stopped eating Atkins-style :eek:

KatK - when I was doing Atkins all pain in my joints disappeared. In fact, when I went Raw for 3 weeks I had pain everywhere and lots in my feet but I figured maybe it was detox. I am in Ketosis but trying to stay mostly RAW and have been using Green Smoothies with fruit too in my vitamix hoping that I can get away with them. Any comments? Are you still doing Atkins at all and what was your experience with it? Maybe I'm not allowed to speak about this here. Sorry, if that is the case. RAW gives me so much energy whereas when I was strictly Atkins I was quite lethargic.

[islesgirl]

You've perked my interest and I am just starting your Blog! And I want to get back to reading about Zaphirah too. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.:D

[Morn]

You have plantar fasciatis indeed. It took me over a year to get rid off....still not gone completely. Do not walk barefooted. Place cushions in your shoes. Exercise your feet before getting up. Read about it.

I think Bechtel is right about plantar fasciatis. I had it really bad and my husband has it. It is like you are describing.

I think mine went away after I went to a raw diet and I lost that extra weight I was carrying around. I also have a heal spur that when I was on my feet for several hours at work I could barely walk at the end of the evening. I still probably have the spur but the pain of that went away too after I lost my weight.

[KatK]

No, I haven't done atkins in a long time. I started having chest pains on it, so I stopped. I never had any energy on atkins either, but I do with raw food :)

[Steeny]

No, The raw food didn't have anything to do with curing my foot problems. That was 11 years ago.
I am just a little seed at the raw food thing.
What I hope raw food cures is my high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
I also want that glow you all have.

:rolleyes:

[islesgirl]

I just reread the experiences in Alissa's book and found that Rachel on page 234 was experiencing the same thing with her feet. Eating RAW food helped her. I can identify with most of the people in this book. I wish I had taken it more seriously when I first read it. Somehow, reading it for a second time has encouraged me so much more! I am absolutely determined to do this right. If anyone out there is discouraged, thinking they have "failed" which is not true, of course, PLEASE, reread Alissa's book - at least the experiences.
Lots of love to all who are in this with me.
Sue:)

[bfllover]

I have been blessed with genetically horrible feet.I have had great luck with new balance and saucony shoes. I also love the as seen on tv insoles which are 19.99 at drugstores.I also have some custom insoles but like the as seen on tv ones better.I have a friend at work who swears by new balance memory foam insoles.My heels used to hurt also.I have horribly bony feet---it is like walking on bones when I go barefoot.I think also on qvc or hsn they had a custom insole where they mailed you the form to step on and then you mailed it back to get the custom insoles done.

[islesgirl]

bfllover, that is a perfect description of the pain. Has RAW food helped you at all or just the good shoes and insoles?

[bfllover]

so do not have comps re raw helping ---so for me just the inserts have helped.I just started the master cleanse and including the dry brushing as well as rebounding.BUT i am so convinced raw is the way to go.Ihave been reading these forums and trying to get educated.I have bought some raw cookbooks from Amazon.I bought a ticket to raw spirit in Sedona in September so I better stay commited. - Terri

[Avacado7]

I had pain like that. You couldn't even touch my feet! But I also had pain in my knees, shins, quads, back and eventually hips. I tried Chiro, Specialists, Physio, etc. Then I came across some info on muscle alignment. Went to their clinic, threw away my orthotics, and have been steadily getting better. Had a muscle imbalance! Now I do stretches everyday and am gaining back my flexability!!! My knees are starting to work again!! I am hoping that going RAW will speed my recovery and get rid of any junk that has accumulated in my system over the years. Oh...also to get rid of 30 pounds that has not been helping the situation!!
By the way....I massage my feet everymorning before I put my shoes on. I really twist them and give them a thorough workout! Seems to help.

[islesgirl]

Thanks Avacado7 for sharing your experience with this. How great that you were able to get the right kind of help for your footies. Couldn't sleep tonight and as I got up to come to the computer, I noticed with delight that my feet didn't hurt. And not much else is hurting tonight either - just my heart and that is emotional detox (I guess, as I am new to all this). I LOVE RAW - just love it!

[SparklePlenty]

I too think it's plantar faciitis. I had it and got rid of it in a few months time.


I switched routines and rode my bike instead of walking for exercise.
I wore good sneakers ALL the time, with good cushion insoles I got at CVS (I got the 3/4 length ones).
I stretched my feet before getting out of bed in the morning (flexing toes pretty strongly to feel the pull in my heel) and before I got up from sitting for a while.
I also stretched my heels by leaning against a wall or tree any chance I got.
I also swabbed my heels with decolorized iodine a few times a day. (Ask for it at CVS or whatever, it's very inexpensive, get a few bottles)
And I ate a very raw diet to minimize the inflamation.


You'll be amazed how quickly you can heal this heel thing. :) And don't let anybody tell you different!!
My FIL has had it for over a year and it's not getting better--cuz he won't do any of these things. He just wears an expensive contraption he got from his doctor on his foot to bed every night. Oh well....

[islesgirl]

I am going to check to see when I really started to eat raw in earnest - I think it must be about 1 1/2 months now - and I have noticed that the past 3 days the pain everywhere in my body has just about gone! I am just waiting to see what this week will bring. I have been doing very well with raw (I think) and I do the stretching of my feet upon waking up in the a.m. I also had tons of pain for quite a few weeks several days each week (if my memory serves me right). I figured it was detox. I had a lot of pineapple last week and I know it relieves pain. And I had serious elimination over the past few days - felt like I got rid of everything possible? Yuk. Sorry people, but this may be significant as it may well be a good sign that I have done some serious detoxing. Oh, and I also drank as much water as my tiny bladder could possibly handle last week. And my face is very radiant (to me anyway!) Not saying that to brag, but to give encouragement to others! This is the only way I want to eat from now on.:D