Tips for Leg Health with Your Partner

Nutrition is not only important for maintaining a healthy heart, but it’s also essential for healthy legs. A great way to support each other on the path to obtaining lower limbs in peak condition is to make nutritious meals together. Consider incorporating the following food and drink items into your daily meals.

• Broccoli: Do you or your partner get leg cramps at night? The magnesium found in this veggie can help you guys drift peacefully to sleep.
• Fiber-Rich Foods: Items such as whole wheat breads, baked potatoes, beans, brown rice, and oatmeal have been shown to prevent constipation, which ultimately decreases the flow of blood back from your limbs.
• Citrus Fruits: Fruits that are loaded in vitamin C like oranges, grapefruit, and kiwi are great for fighting leg problems as they help make collagen and elastin, which are two connective tissues that our bodies use to repair and maintain veins

There are many exercises that you and your partner can do to strengthen your lower limbs and improve circulation.

• Walking: The most effective exercise is walking. This activity can improve blood flow by stretching and strengthening your calf pump. Lock arms with partner and exercise at least thirty minutes each day.
• Stationary Bike: Grab your partner’s hand after work and head to your nearest gym to ride a stationary bike. As a low impact exercise, this activity will increase the blood flow in your calf muscles without injuring any of your joints or bones.

Did you know that sitting on an aircraft for a long time can increase your risk of developing severe varicose veins? If you and your significant other are a frequent flyer, a plane ride could be potentially dangerous. Here are some ways to prevent the onset of blood clots.

• During your flight, make sure that you regularly nudge your partner to begin contracting you guys calf muscles by periodically rocking both of your feet from heel to toe.
• Get out of you guys’ seat and walk around the plan every thirty minutes.

Whenever our feet are above our heart, the blood is able to flow easier from the legs. At the end of every day, spend some time with your significant other on the sofa with you guys’ feet propped up above heart level. Consider doing the following activities while you are taking care of your legs.

• Watch a romantic movie
• Engage in meaningful conversation
• Read an interesting book

Are you guys experiencing swelling blood vessels, leg cramps, a weak ankle or foot pulse, skin discoloration, and/or body temperature changes? If you have answered “yes” to this question, you and your partner need to see a vein specialist immediately. When you guys’ varicose veins are left untreated, both of you may be at risk for more serious health problems down the road. Stay on top of your guys leg health by

• Taking a personal vein assessment frequently
• Obtaining knowledge about what vein problem signs require immediate attention