The average woman walks more than 118,600 kilometres in a lifetime. Every walking step you take exerts pressure up to three times your body weight on your feet. Running exerts up to ten times your body weight.

We cram our feet into tight fitting, stiff shoes, subject them to the unnatural angles of high heels, pound them on pavement and asphalt, smother them in airless socks and shoes, or simply stand on them for hours on end.

Sometimes the skin, 26 bones, and intricate webbing of muscles and ligaments in each of our feet can’t stand up to the pressure.

Is it any wonder that your feet hurt?

Many common foot ailments are related to choice of shoes. Footwear that is too tight, too loose, excessively airtight, or shaped in unnatural ways can cause or aggravate problems.

Buying Shoes

High heels and pointy-toed fashion shoes are natural adversaries to your feet. Although the angle of high heels may make your legs look long and graceful, it also increases pressure on the toes and upsets your balance. Keep your use of high heels to a minimum, and opt for flats instead.

Sport-specific shoes

One good pair of cross trainers will suffice for every sport you participate in. Sports shoes can be worn every day for cushy comfort. However, they lose their cushioning effect over time and should be replaced if the lining no longer bounces back when you press on it. Remember to check shoes for air flow—do they have porous fabric or air holes so that your feet won’t swelter inside?

Do your shoes fit?

When did you last have your feet measured? Your feet may well have increased in size, as commonly happens as women grow older. Be sure to shop for shoes at the end of the day, when your feet are 5%-8% larger than in the morning. Measure both feet, since they are often different sizes, and always fit to the larger size.

Allow 1/2″ of room between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Feel along the sides of the shoe while it’s on your foot to check that the widest part of your foot corresponds with the widest part of the shoe.

Take a test stroll across the store to verify that the shoe flexes when you walk, and that your heel doesn’t slip in and out. Wear the hosiery or socks you expect to wear with the shoes.

The most important test of all is completely subjective. Are they comfortable? A particular pair of shoes may look great, but if they’re going to leave you sore or limping, leave them in the store.

Be kind to your feet—they’ve got to carry you a long way.

Got a headache? Here are the four most common.

I haven’t listed migraine headaches – if you get migraines you know exactly what they are.

Tension Headache
Feels like: A general tightness all over the scalp or a tight band around the head.
What causes it? These are caused by tension in the back and neck, brought on by stress or injury, causing muscles to spasm.
Get rid of it: The best thing is gentle neck and shoulder exercise, or a hot wheat bag.

Eye Strain Headache
Feels like: A frontal headache, usually behind the eyes. It can be difficult to differentiate from a tension headache.

1. What causes it? Straining your eyes by trying to focus.

2. Get rid of it: Get your eyes checked at the optician. If you’re lucky, the cause of an eye strain headache will be obvious because you’ll only get it when you’re doing close-up work, but if you’re getting a regular headache and you’re not sure of the cause, it’s always worth getting your eyes checked to rule out this possibility.

Sinus Headache
Feels like: Pressure across the cheekbones and under the eyes, which gets worse when you lean forward. Sufferers also describe feeling like their front teeth are loose.

1. What causes it? Blocked sinuses brought on by allergies or a cold.

2. Get rid of it: By inhaling steam or taking an over-the-counter decongestant

And here’s one you may not know about ..

Painkiller Headache
Feels like: A moderate to severe headache all over your head when you stop taking painkillers, after taking them for a few days.

1. What causes it? It’s a withdrawal headache as soon as the levels of painkillers start dropping in your body. (If you’ve been having to take painkillers continuously for more than a couple of days, go to the doctor and get checked out). Ironically, the headache you get from painkiller withdrawal is often much worse than the one you had originally.

Hair loss and unwanted facial hair are common complaints. Roughly half of all women experience some hair loss during their menopausal years. Two-thirds of post-menopausal women deal with thinning hair or bald spots. Does that make me feel any better?

When you know that hair loss is a widespread problem which you share with many other women, is it any easier to handle? Will we all go down with psychological distress and “impaired social functioning”?

Some hair loss is actually self-induced: The use of harsh chemicals in bleaches, straighteners etc or too-tight hair braiding.

Lovera Wolf Miller, MD, of the North American Menopause Society suggests drinking green tea, getting enough vitamin B6, losing weight, and using hyaluronic acid shampoo. All may be helpful in restoring some hair growth in about three to four months, she says. “Fortunately, the upsides outweigh the downsides of these treatments. There is little to be lost and much to gain”.

My Suggestions

• Cut your hair in short layers. Shorter, layered hair adds fullness and body
• Don’t use combs, but soft brushes and try to avoid things like hair spray. Using a god mousse or soft gel after washing can give your hair additional body without harming the hair.
• Always alternate shampoos – at least once a month.

It takes at least three months to see any difference. I don’t care – I’m starting today.