Swelling of the legs is a fairly common problem that worries both men and the fair sex. Heaviness in the legs, pain, fatigue, swelling - all these are symptoms, the causes of which lie much deeper.
Swelling of the legs: causes
The most common cause of swelling is, of course, fatigue, which is especially true for people who spend the whole day on their feet. In addition, the legs begin to swell more in the heat. Quite often, athletes and people with heavy physical labor complain of pain and heaviness in their legs. Swelling can be caused by taking a number of hormonal drugs. This problem is not alien to pregnant women. Another risk group is overweight people.
The severity and accumulation of fluid in the legs can also appear with a variety of diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract, as well as the liver, cardiovascular system, lymph nodes, thyroid gland. More often, problems with puffiness are diagnosed among the elderly. In some cases, heavy leg syndrome occurs when there is a deficiency in protein in the body, which is often found among fans of a variety of strict diets.
Why does fluid begin to accumulate in body tissues? This is primarily due to a violation of the circulation of lymph and blood in the body. In addition, there is a change in the balance of minerals, in particular potassium and sodium. For normal life in the body, the balance between these two elements must always be maintained. In the event that the level of sodium rises, intracellular fluids exit into the space between the cells, resulting in swelling of the legs.
If your legs are constantly swelling, you feel heaviness, fatigue and pain, then you should first seek medical advice, as this may be a harbinger of varicose veins and a number of other, more serious diseases.
Swelling of the legs: diet treatment
As already mentioned, edema is the result of an increase in the amount of sodium in the body and a decrease in potassium. If swelling is your problem, then you should slightly adjust your diet.
First, you need to reduce the amount of sodium. Its main source is salt. If you are a lover of salty, spicy and spicy dishes, then you should be careful. Try to keep the amount of salt to a minimum.
In addition, you need to replenish the amount of potassium. It is found in foods such as parsley, radishes, cabbage, peas, carrots, currants, zucchini, figs, honey, apple cider vinegar, plums, grapes, pumpkin, grapefruits and dried apricots.
It is recommended to drink only clean water. Refuse carbonated drinks and beer, limit the amount of coffee and tea.
How to relieve leg swelling at home: express methods
What to do if in the evening you could barely get home and can’t even put on slippers because your legs are too big? In this case, you can use some simple and quick methods.
To begin, lie down and place several pillows under your feet so that they are above the level of your head. Now rest a bit in such a position that the fluid has the ability to evenly spread throughout the body. You can use a moisturizer.
Remember that swelling of the legs is a problem that needs to be addressed, since otherwise undesirable consequences are possible.
Now prepare yourself a special foot bath. Water should be slightly warm, almost cool. Dilute in it a few tablespoons of sea salt (for lack of it you can use ordinary table salt). Dip your feet in the water and keep it for at least 20 minutes.
After the bath, massage the feet and ankles - this finally normalizes blood circulation and normalizes lymph outflow from tissues.