Twelve leg-friendly foods and nutrients for hot summer days

there is plenty you can do to keep legs in top form in the heat of the summer: many foods and nutrients can help keep legs feel light and healthy

One summer heatwave is already behind us but weather forecasters predict that the next two “months will bring a succession of major heat blasts”.

Sunny weather is always welcome in a country plagued by perennial cloud cover. Be that as it may, summer heatwaves also bring with them heavy, puffy legs and water retention which can make life difficult for many women. Sitting down for long hours in the office, standing up at work or when shopping / sightseeing and taking mid or long haul flights can make the situation even worse.

However, there is plenty you can do to keep legs in top form in the heat of the summer: many foods and nutrients can help keep legs feel light and healthy and offer valuable relief for heavy, puffy legs

Georgios Tzenichristos, nutritionist and formulator of the Celluence® leg wellness and cellulite creams, reveals the 12 best foods and nutrients for healthy legs in the summer.

• Oily fish and fish oil, these days also available in vegan varieties, help keep blood vessels in top form and red blood cells elastic, and also fight inflammation, thereby helping keep circulation going and leg healthy in the heat of the summer.

• Turmeric and curcumin, its active ingredient, are known for their anti-inflammatory action and are an ideal companion to oily fish / fish oil. Turmeric can be added in smoothies, soups and almost all food recipes and curcumin is available as a supplement.

• Horse chestnut and escin, its active ingredient, have a long history of use against water retention and as circulation enhancers. Available as supplement in all good health food stores.

• Berry fruit contain polyphenols which are known to protect vein function and support microcirculation. Blueberries and blackberries are the best, but literally all berry fruit are the perfect summer snack, both for leg health and as a yummy refreshment on a hot summer day.

• Rutin and hesperidin, contained in citrus fruit and in supplement form, also have a long history of use as circulation enhancers and hesperidin is even contained in medication for heavy legs in Europe

• Vitamin C is crucial for blood vessel health and is found in tomatoes, citrus fruit and several other fruit and vegetables, as well as supplements

• Protein is normally not associated with leg health and wellness, but considering that skin and blood vessels are made of protein, it make sense to get enough in order to be able to repair your skin and blood vessels. Most women do not have enough protein, due to their avoidance of meat, but with the huge choice of quality and tasty vegan and whey protein powders available these days, there is no excuse being deficient in protein.

• One tablespoonful of ground chia or flax seeds, always taken with two large glasses of water once or twice a day, is guaranteed to eliminate most cases of constipation - no laxatives, herbs, colonic irrigation or “detox” retreats needed - and it’s much cheaper too. Constipation is a leading cause of water retention and poor circulation on legs and leads to the accumulation of toxins in the body. Unforgivable, especially in the heat of the summer.

• Water is not a food per se, but plays an important role in keeping the lymphatic system healthy and functioning well and helps prevent constipation. Two litres of water a day are essential in the summer.

• Red pine bark and gotu kola extracts are both very well researched for their circulation boosting properties and are available as supplement on the internet or in health food stores.

• There are plenty of studies on the circulation enhancing properties of cocoa flavanols, so it makes sense to invest in a quality ‘high flavanol cocoa powder’ (available at health food stores or on the internet), which makes a wonderfully refreshing shake when mixed with a quality whey protein powder, some vanilla and some stevia, for taste. And by the way, avoid indulging in 70% chocolate, thinking that “it’s healthy”: 30% of it is pure sugar, which is your legs’ worst enemy.

So there you have it: 12 great nutrients and foods on how to help keep your legs light, fresh and healthy in the summer. Combine this with the usual advice for heavy legs (keep legs elevated at night; have a hot and cold shower on legs; swim regularly; exercise on the vibration plate; have regular massages) and perhaps use a quality leg wellness cream (the Celluence® creams contain most of the nutrients mentioned here) and you will be all prepared to face the next heatwave this summer.

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• The Celluence® creams are the ultimate leg wellness creams, featuring 40x leg wellness natural actives, and provide instant freshness and relief from heaviness within 15' minutes.

• The creams are exclusively available for worldwide delivery at lipotherapeia.com/store.

• Samples are available for journalists, please enquire at lipotherapeia.com/contact or on 0207 118 2014. If any of these 12 leg wellness nutrients are of more interest to you and you would like to publish a more detailed article on any of them, Georgios can also provide further background information, expert quotes, peer-reviewed studies etc.