Causes of Cracked feet (Padadari) an Ayurvedic perspective

Paada – means feet and heels
Dari/Darana – means cracking

Have you looked at your feet recently and thought your heels have had better times?

The Vayu located in the foot soles gets aggravated when one is frequently exposed to causative factors, causing roughness of the skin resulting in cracking. This is known as Padadari.

The Causative factors of Padadari, as mentioned in the Ancient Ayurvedic texts are:

• Intake of Vata aggravating diet
• Dry, rough, sharp, hot and spicy food such as junk food, oily food, deep fried, excess spices and high intake of raw food
• Certain activities like excessive walking, bare foot walking, walking with hard improper footwear, exposure to cold water, standing for a longer duration
• In summer, rainy, autumn and winter seasons
• Obesity
• Middle-aged women
• Diabetes
• Lack of a daily routine (Dinacharya)

Ayurvedic treatment principles:

1. Snehana/Oleation: application of medicated oil. Mix oils such as sesame oil, castor oil, Jatyadi taila mixed with equal part of Ashwagandha taila.
2. Daily foot massage (pada abhyanga): Use Kasa bowl (bronze bowl specifically for foot massage) or Kansa wand.
3. Svedana/Sudation: Soak and wash your feet with warm salt water.
4. Lepana/Paste application: Use herbs such as Manjistha, Neem, Yasthimadhu, Sandalwood and Haritaki. Apply daily for 20 minutes.
5. Moisturize: Use Beeswax (Madhucchistha), honey and Shatadhauta ghrita.
• Shatadhauta ghrita is amazing! This is ghee washed with water 100 times. This makes the ghee silky smooth and more butter like in consistency.
• Shatadhauta ghrita is wonderful to apply on cracked heels. Best mixed with herbs such as turmeric, licorice , neem and sandalwood powder.
• 1 cup of Shatadhauta ghrita with 3 tsp of turmeric is an effective combination.

If you are looking for more information about Padadari you are always welcome to email us on info@lakshmiayurveda.com.au

Have a beautiful day and don’t forget to look after your feet

The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.
Buddha

* 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘎𝘈. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘺𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯. 𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺, 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴.