By Dr John Anne
Among the many changes that occur during the pregnancy months of the female is the swelling of feet. The whole feet may swell up, or just some parts like the ankles or the shins may swell.
Swelling of the feet generally starts becoming apparent during the fifth month of the pregnancy, though this time limit can vary from one woman to another. It occurs due to the accumulation of fluids in the feet of the woman. Swelling of the feet can be painful to some women, due to which they may not be able to move about or do their normal work as the months pass on. In some women, the swelling of the feet is very temporary; it subsides when the woman takes rest for a while, or massages the feet.
This article tells some of the home remedies you can use when pregnant to prevent the swelling of feet.
Simple Remedies to Prevent and Treat Swelling of Feet during Pregnancy
- Drink a lot of water when you are pregnant. You must drink at least six to eight glasses of water per day. Water is the most natural therapy to flush out the excess toxins from the body. Thus, the water will expel all the toxic fluids of the body which would otherwise settle in the feet and cause them to swell. Drinking a lot of water could increase the frequency of urination in pregnant women, but that is actually a good sign, as urination is a way to expel the wastes from the body.
- Avoid remaining in a standing position for long periods of time. This gives direct access for the fluids to enter into the lower parts of the body and cause the feet to swell up.
- Hot temperatures are not good during pregnancy. Hot temperatures can reduce the water content of the body, due to which the proportion of the fluids increase proportionately in the body. Therefore, going out when there is a hot climate must be avoided as much as possible.
- It is a misconception that swelling of feet during pregnancy is caused by excessive intake of salty foods. Though over-intake of salt is definitely not good, eliminating salt totally from the diet also does not help. Salt must be taken in moderation. The same idea applies to spicy foods also.
- Keep your diet well-balanced. This is extremely important for a pregnant woman. If the diet is deficient in any kind of food, or if the woman takes the wrong kind of food, then there is more chance of undigested toxic wastes accumulating in the body, and causing the feet to swell.
- Do not wear tight trousers or jeans when you are pregnant, as this would increase the pressure on the legs. Instead, you could wear somewhat loose stockings or pantyhose to give good support to the feet.
- While sleeping, try to change your position frequently. Lying in a single position for a long time will increase the pressure on one side of the body and increase the chances of the feet getting swollen up. You can put some elevated support for the feet, such as propping them up on cushions or pillows, so that the fluid does not accumulate into the feet region.
- Here’s a recipe for preventing the swelling of feet during pregnancy. Take two cups of water and add a teaspoonful of palm sugar in it. Add two teaspoons of fennel seeds to it. Boil this mixture, till the volume reduces to half; i.e. only one cupful of water is left. Drink this mixture thrice in a day. It will help protect the feet from getting swollen.
- Add a few tablespoons of coriander in two cups of water. Boil this mixture till it reduces to half its quantity, i.e. to one cup. Drink this coriander decoction thrice in a day. It will prevent from swelling of feet during pregnancy. In order to improve the taste, you can add sugar and milk to it, so that it becomes like a herbal tea.
- The most important thing to prevent feet from swelling up during pregnancy is to keep them exercised often. Pregnant women tend to reduce their normal activities in the fear that it would harm the fetus. But in fact, the opposite is true. Walking for half an hour per day is ideal. Keep your feet moving about. This is a very sure way of preventing the accumulation of fluids in the feet.
- While sitting, do not press your legs by crossing them. Keep them free and separated so that there is no undue pressure on them.
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