BEAT THAT SUMMER SWELL

The heat of summer is still in full force here in lovely Vancouver. As much as I love the months of Summer and all the festivities that go along with it, one thing I could happily live without is the constant swelling! Rings off, shoes off, hello sausages phalanges!

Here are a few quick tips to get you through the last few weeks of summer heat swells:

Get Moving

Work at a desk all day? Force yourself to get up every half hour, take a stroll to the washroom or the photocopy room, go for walks on your breaks instead of riffling through Pinterest. Regular physical activity will increase circulation in your body and reduces swelling.

If the thought of sweating it out on a hot day makes you want to run for the hills (but not actually run because its to hot), go swimming instead!  Swimming is such a refreshing way to be active, also putting very limited pressure on your joints!

Hydration

Drinking the recommended 8-10 glasses of good old H2O a day can seem laborious. Make sure you always have your water bottle on you. I keep one at my desk and in my car. Pretty soon this will become a habit.  Insufficient water intake may be a cause of water retention and swelling in your body (seems ironic right?). Other forms of hydration could include the oh-so-popular coconut water or your favorite herbal teas on ice. Just make sure sugar content is a low ingredient in your hydration methods.

Gotta love salt but…

Meals high in sodium may be a culprit behind your swollen bodacious bod. To much salt causes your body to hold onto its fluids, which results in a puffy appearance. Read labels when you shop, watch out for these salt containing additives!

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• Baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate)
• Baking powder
• Disodium phosphate
• Sodium alginate
• Sodium citrate
• Sodium nitrite

So, less salt and more fresh produce!

Compression Socks

A lot of people boycott socks in the summer but thanks to the team here at Dr. Segal’s, a new sun inspired, sandal friendly stirrup sock has been launched to help you prevent swelling in a stylish way!