Ouch! My heels hurt after walks

I’m finally taking control of my weight and walking around the neighborhood with my friend before work. But now my heels hurt! Is this normal?

So glad to hear you’re taking steps to a healthier you! Walking benefits your heart, lungs, joints and muscles, not to mention your mood! That said, if your feet are screaming after going for a lengthy walk, you may have fat pad atrophy, a common condition where the cushion of fatty tissue protecting the balls and heels of your feet begins to thin with age.

One remedy I use regularly is cold therapy: Keep a single-serving water bottle in the freezer, and after your walk, sit in a comfortable chair and roll your foot over the bottle. It helps reduce painful inflammation—and it feels amazing! You may also want to try a supportive insert, like Superfeet (Amazon.com), which reduces heel soreness by softening the impact of your footfalls. If pain persists even after trying these remedies, see your podiatrist for other options. Thank you for having the courage to talk about cold sores, as 80% of people experience them! Toothpaste and salt happens to be an excellent home remedy for the problem: Salt is one of nature’s best antiviral compounds, and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a common ingredient in toothpaste, also has potent antiviral effects. I suggest applying a paste made from equal parts non-gel toothpaste and salt to help dry the wound and prevent further infection. The mixture is safe to apply at the first sign of a tingle or to a mature sore. Just do a patch test on your arm since some people have an itchy skin reaction to SLS—even if they don’t react while brushing.

To prevent future sores, ask your doctor about supplementing daily with 1 gram of L-lysine (at drugstores). This amino acid stops herpes cells from multiplying.