Hot Cocoa & Healthy Legs: 8 Tips for the Winter Holidays

There are many reasons why people call the winter holiday season the most wonderful time of the year:  time spent with family, time away from work, festive music, movies and décor, the act of giving and receiving presents. All of this is great for the spirit, as it helps us rest, reflect and reset for the new year, but the prolonged time spent inside thanks to cold weather can have some downsides too, especially with your legs. Here are some easy steps to take to help keep your legs healthy while they enjoy some hard-earned relaxation.

1. Take an indoor walk: Whether it’s at the mall, around your house, or in the office, rising to your feet and moving around for fifteen minutes will increase circulation in the legs.

2. Don’t ignore the exercise gear: Just because you’re spending more time indoors doesn’t mean you have to spend less time working out. Treadmills, stationary bikes and some lunges and squats while watching TV are all great ways to break a sweat without braving the elements.

3. Eat your greens: Maintaining a healthy weight is an important consideration in preventing varicose veins, so try to mix lots of colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet.

4. Steer clear of sodium: Excessive salt intake is bad for your health in many ways. Most processed foods contain large amounts of sodium as well. Read the labels and avoid trans-fat, partially hydrogenated oils, HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), artificial sweeteners, sodium and potassium benzoate, sodium nitrates, and MSG (monosodium glutamate). Go fresh as often as you can.

5. Elevate your legs while you sit: Who doesn’t love something you can do from the couch? While you’re working or enjoying your favorite holiday movie, try resting your legs above your head for 10-15 minutes to improve circulation. Laying down with your “bottom” against the wall and legs up the wall is a great restorative yoga pose that can reset the circulation and lymphatic drainage of the legs too.  

6. Try wearing compression socks: As everyone is bundled up in winter months anyway, now’s the perfect time to wear socks that not only keep you warm, but also improve your circulation. Bombas has a variety of knit compression socks that are far from the compression hose that grandma used to wear.

7. Treat yourself to a massage! It’s been another long year, and you deserve to relax and unwind.  Self-massaging your legs with a scent free/ dye free moisturizer will increase circulation and stimulate lymphatics as well. A foam roller is also an excellent way to stimulate deeper tissues and muscles in the legs. 

8. Hydrate!  Hydrate!  Hydrate! (Sorry, eggnog and wine will not help you stay hydrated.) Water is the best way to achieve hydration. Sip on it all day long and try to finish at least 4 tall glasses before 7 p.m. And minimize caffeine after your morning cup of joe. Circulation works best when we are hydrated. In fact, everything in our body works better and more efficiently when we are hydrated!  

There you have it. Nothing crazy. Nothing too expensive. Just eight steps to a healthy and happy holiday season with healthy and happy legs. We hope you enjoy every second of it, and if you feel that leg discomfort or pain is keeping you from doing the things you love, please reach out to us. We’ve helped thousands of people achieve healthier legs and a more active lifestyle. The first step is a consultation with one of our wonderful providers. Call 866-695-8346 today.