Article: Why Air Travel Makes Your Legs & Feet Puffy

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Nov 8, 2023Lymph

Why Air Travel Makes Your Legs & Feet Puffy

If you get heavy legs- air travel and standing on your feet all day or sitting are other triggers- you’ll know all about the misery of this predicament; the lightness, the discomfort and desire to just lie down until it all goes back down again. And you’ll know how long this can take. If you’re in a hot country- perhaps on holiday- it can bother you for the entire break, especially if you’ve taken a long-haul flight to get to your destination.

So why does the body react in this way for many of us and what role do higher temperatures play in heavy legs?

When swelling occurs like this it’s known as oedema, and it’s a build-up of fluid in the tissues. It can develop anywhere in your body, but your lower legs are more prone to the problem because of simple logistics- these extremities are furthest from your heart, and they’re also the lowest point of your body, which means gravity plays a role. It’s all a bit stacked against your poor old ankles, feet, and lower legs.

When heavy legs happen in hot weather the syndrome is called heat oedema and it occurs when your blood vessels dilate due to the heat, which allows fluid to build up. Heat oedema can also be caused by having too much salt (or not enough salt loss) in your body. While heat oedema is more common among older people and pregnant women, it often affects people who are not too used to the heat and can happen at any time in life.

The good news is that, while the puff may not completely go down for some time, heavy legs are a temporary condition (unless they’re a symptom of lipoedema, a chronic form of fluid retention in the limbs) and heat oedema often resolves itself fairly quickly if you take steps to hydrate yourself properly, reduce your sodium levels, use the right products and elevate your legs somewhere cool.

Cue Air-Lite. This aerated, fluffy leg cream/gel hybrid was developed to be that product that you can depend on when your lower legs are feeling the heat or you want to reduce puffy legs after a flight. It contains a unique Lymphology Complex, specially developed by us with a powerful combination of properties to take down the puffiness, cool legs- properly for hours- and relieve fatigue, aches and pains. The key to Air-Lite’s effectiveness is in Legology’s unique Lymphology Complex and a property called LegActif. This is a complex of active plant ingredients, including goldenrod, lemon and butcher’s broom, which was specifically created to relieve tiredness and heaviness in the legs. It’s activity results from the combined actions of its active principles: rutin, naringin and hesperidin- all of which have anti-oedema qualities- and ruscogenin, which stimulates blood circulation.

legology air-lite contouring cream

Important to counteract the draggy, tired feeling that heavy legs bring, is the fragrance of Air-Lite. We scented it with a fragrance that evokes summer holidays- the ‘holiday bubble’ smell- with Amalfi Lemon, bergamot and rose. The product delivers an uplifting experience, one that immediately helps you feel better, more energised and positive- no matter how depleted heavy legs are dragging you down. A smell so heavenly it’ll give you the kind of lift you might have after a day on a beach in the Mediterranean.

Kate’s 5 top tips on applying Air-Lite:

In hot weather, keep Air-Lite in the fridge- it quadruples the cool factor when you apply it to your legs.
Whip your body brush over your legs, upwards from feet to knees, knees to thighs. If you have time, grab the handheld shower and switch it to cold, spray your legs with it then switch it to warm and do the same; repeat this a few times to encourage the lymph and circulation.
Apply in an upward direction from feet to knees and knees over thighs to hips. You apply it upwards towards the heart (as with body brushing) and towards lymph stations, where the nodes drain fluid from nearby organs or areas of the body. Lymph nodes are located throughout the body, including neck, armpits, groin, around the gut, and between the lungs.
Use your thumbs to push the cream around your ankle bones and up your legs- over the sides, backs and fronts of your calves, and gently massage behind your knees to activate the lymph. Then use your thumbs to apply the product further up the thigh.
Now lie flat on your back for at least 10 minutes with your legs up against the wall to encourage fluid to drain back up your legs towards your pelvis.

Written by Kate Shapland

Why Air Travel Makes Your Legs & Feet Puffy

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