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Swollen Ankles
DEALING WITH Swollen ankles
As you grow older, slightly swollen ankles at the end of the
day become increasingly common. It your ankles become very
puffy and the skin is taut and shiny, check with your doctor
that the problem is not liver, kidneys or heart-related.
According to J.F. Lazartigue's Paris-based Institute des
Jambes, in addition to a sedentary lifestyle, overweight and
pregnancy, some types of the Pill and even electric blankets
can cause swollen ankles by encouraging leg veins to dilate
and become less efficient at draining excess Fluid. Exercise -
especially walking up and down stairs and cycling - is the
obvious antidote. In addition, support tights with graduated
compression from foot to thigh work like a passive massage to
pump blood and lymph back up the legs to minimize swelling
and take the weight off varicose veins.
Reflexology is a gentle means of reducing leg
swelling during and after pregnancy and generally stimulating
lymphatic drainage. Cooling aromatherapy gels and sprays -
especially if they contain peppermint - are a stimulating, on-
the-spot tonic for jet-lagged or land-locked legs. At the end of
the day, reduce swelling last by soaking legs up to the knees
in alternate buckets of cold and lukewarm water, with a little
added sea salt. After the cold, the warm water feels momentarily boiling - and really gets the circulation going.
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