Basil is better known on a plate than in a foot bath, but it earns a place here. It is antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and mildly analgesic, and its active compounds — eugenol chief among them — have a genuine numbing quality. Eugenol is the same compound that makes clove oil a traditional toothache remedy.
For feet that combination suits muscle cramp, tired aching arches and the general soreness of overuse. Basil relaxes the spasm and dulls the pain at the same time.
It is also antibacterial, which is a useful side benefit in any foot soak.
