Home remedies for swollen feet
Do you know anyone who suffers from swollen feet?
Swollen feet is not a problem itself, but points to a deeper issue. This usually happens
when there’s a build-up of fluid in the tissue, making them swell. This is known as
edema.
As the swelling gets worse, it gets more uncomfortable and it may become hard to walk or stand. It
can also get more painful, and the feet may be red.
Looking for a cure? Here are some things you can try at home to bring the swelling down.
• Contrast Hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy is therapy using water to lessen
pain and discomfort. For this type of hydrotherapy, you will use both warm and cold water. The
warm water will help blood flow, and the cold water will bring down the swelling in your
feet. How do you do this?
• Fill two foot tubs with water- one with cold water and the other with warm.
• Soak your feet first in the warm water for 3- 4 minutes.
• Put your feet straight into the cold water for about 1 minute.
• Continue switching between the two for 15- 20 minutes.
• Do a few times a day until the swelling is down.
• Massage One of the best cures for swollen feet is
a foot massage. This helps aching muscles and gets the blood flowing. It also helps
extra fluid drain to bring down swelling. • Rub some warm mustard oil or olive oil
on the swollen area. • Gently massage the area for five minutes
in an upward direction. Make sure not to massage the area too hard.
• Do this a few times a day. It is best to massage your feet during, or
after taking a bath.
• Epsom Salt Epsom salt can bring down swelling very fast,
while soothing pain too. This is because it has magnesium sulfate which can be soaked
up by the skin to help the blood flow and bring down the swelling. It is also helps
sore, tired muscles, and can kill foot odor. • Fill a foot tub with warm water and mix
in a ½ cup of Epsom salt. • Soak your feet in it for 15- 20 minutes.
• Do up to 3 times a week.
• Ginger Since ginger is a natural diuretic, it brings
down the amount of water in the body, and helps treat swollen feet. This is because
it lessens the sodium in the body which is a big cause of swelling.
• Massage swollen feet with ginger oil a few times a day.
• You can also chew raw ginger slices or drink 2- 3 cups of ginger tea.
• Dandelion Dandelion is a great cure for swollen feet.
It helps the body absorb extra fluids because of its diuretic quality. It also helps keep
track of the sodium level in the body. • Mix one teaspoon of fresh or dried dandelion
leaves with one cup of hot water. Cover it and let it soak for five minutes before straining
it. Drink this tea two or three times a day. • You can also take dandelion tincture or
supplements, but make sure to ask your doctor before you do.
• Exercise Exercising often is important to stop your
feet from swelling. Exercise helps blood flow and stops blood from building up in your lower
limbs. Some good ideas are
• Swimming- Swimming is one of the best exercises you can do to bring down swelling
and soothe the pain. • Walking or jogging for thirty minutes,
at least five days a week. • Leg strengthening and stretching exercises.
• Doing yoga every day to help blood flow.
• Magnesium If your body is missing magnesium, that may
cause swelling in the feet due to edema. Make sure to eat foods that are full of magnesium
to help fight this problem. • Some foods that have magnesium are dark
leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, soybeans, avocado, bananas, and dark chocolate.
• You can take magnesium supplements, but not before asking your doctor.
Here are some other tips to cure swollen feet • Elevate your legs so that they are higher
than the level of your heart. • Limit the amount of salt and caffeine
you have, because they cause feet to swell. • Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, instead
of canned goods, which have added salt for storage.
• Drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated and clean out bad bacteria.
• Avoid sitting for long hours. Instead, take breaks and walk around a bit.
• When taking long trips in a car, bus, train, or plane, think about wearing compression
stockings to stop feet from swelling.