Kick off your heels!

Does anyone else have a problem with impractical footwear? It seems like the "amazon woman" trend is getting a bit out of hand lately. From the sky-high platforms Lady Gaga wears in her daily travels to the six-inch pumps that a pregnant Victoria Beckham wore for her Royal Wedding ensemble, ladies all over are rocking really high heels.

Don't get me wrong. I know that a sexy heel can make my legs look great, and capture the attention of the other gender, but c'mon! The pain in my feet after about an hour doesn't really outweigh the importance of comfort to me. Aside from the potential of doing a face plant - which I'm very likely to do in heels - there are significant risks associated with wearing impractical foot gear. Heels can be tough on legs, calves in particular and can put a huge amount of pressure on the ankles, toes and the balls of the feet. A 3 ¼-inch heel increases the amount of pressure placed on the forefoot by 76 percent. The higher the heel, the more out-of-balance your body becomes, placing undo stress on the muscular structure of your body to keep it erect. Over time, your body will "learn" that these tight muscles are the norm, causing all kinds of imbalances and tight muscles in your hips, back and neck. Ladies, is it really worth it?

One way to help reduce the damaging effects of high heels is to try a regular reflexology treatment. The practice of reflexology was imported to us from eastern medicine cultures which treat the body as a whole entity, not just diagnosing a symptom as in western medical practices. The eastern cultures believe that the feet are a map of our organ systems and by massaging the tiny muscles deep in the feet, it stimulates "chi" (energy) around the body, bringing us back into a state of balance (homeostasis).

Our lead therapist and certified reflexologist, Alissa, is phenomenal. The moment she touches my feet, I feel a wave of relaxation flow up my body and over my head. I breathe deeper, sink into the warm massage table, and my stress just melts away. It's an incredible sensation.

If you tend to use footwear as a means of looking and feeling taller, try a session with Alissa, or add the Mint Foot Masque to your next massage session. Your feet will thank you for it.