From The Mailbag: Swollen Feet Solutions and Coffee’s Greatest Perk

  • Discover how getting your heels above your heart can help ease your pain
  • One more reason to enjoy your morning cup of joe. Find out more…

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

[Ed. Note: We’re going to answer your questions as we do every Thursday,  but we also have something very special to share with you. So be sure to read on after we answer your important questions. You won’t want to miss this!]

You’ve got questions…

We’ve got answers!

Today, we’ve got a very important question about swollen feet and coffee’s role in alzheimer’s.

Let’s dive in…

--Swollen Feet Solutions

Hey Natalie,

I’m a type 2 diabetic and I’m wondering if there’s something I can do to help reduce swelling in my feet. Are there certain foods I should eat or home treatments I can use to decrease this painful swelling?

Thank you very much,

Paul

Thanks for your very important question, Paul.

Swelling of the feet, ankles and legs, also called peripheral edema, is a problem that plagues many folks, not just diabetics. Many of us experience this type of uncomfortable and annoying swelling, myself included.

Peripheral edema has many causes — prolonged sitting or standing in one position, medication, genetics, obesity and pregnancy are among the top triggers. Added pressure on the lower limbs makes the tiny blood vessels in your legs, ankles and feet leak fluid into body tissue and make the surrounding areas swell.

These leaky vessels cause higher levels of sodium and water to accumulate in the kidneys, which in turn causes more capillary leakage and more swelling — creating a cycle. This means reducing your sodium intake and increasing your movement (i.e., exercise) is the first line of defense when trying to keep this cycle from perpetuating.

In addition, there are lots of home remedies out there for swollen feet and ankles — anything from tonic water soaks to inversion tables — but I have found only two that work for me.

The first is elevating my feet above my heart. Doing this helps increase circulation and reduce swelling. I sometimes do this by putting my legs against the wall for 10 minutes at a time. If you’re familiar with yoga, this pose is often called “legs up the wall.”

If this position is uncomfortable or unattainable for you, you can prop your feet up using pillows, blankets or a piece of furniture. Before I could do legs up the wall, I used a wedge pillow like this:

Source: Amazon.com

I would prop my feet on this pillow for about 30 minutes and experience a significant decrease in swelling. I could actually feel the circulation increase and my legs seemed less heavy. During especially bad bouts, I would sleep with my feet propped on the pillow. You can purchase a pillow like this here.

If your swelling is chronic or related to a medical condition, ask your doctor to write a prescription for the pillow. In some cases, your insurance company will cover the cost of the pillow with a doctor’s prescription.

The other thing that seems to help with my swelling is drinking plenty of water with a few slices of lemon or lime. Water is vital to proper circulation and kidney function, so the more water you drink, the better these systems will work. And since citrus is a natural diuretic, it seems to help reduce extra water in the body.

If you suddenly start experiencing swelling of the legs, feet and ankles, you should seek medical advice. Edema can be symptomatic of a more serious health condition like heart failure, kidney dysfunction, liver disease and diabetes.

If you have any tips on how to reduce foot swelling, please share them: namoore@lfb.org.

--Coffee and Alzheimer’s

Dear Natalie,

I’ve heard that drinking coffee can protect you from alzheimer’s. Is this true? I’ve been drinking a cappuccino everyday since I heard this a few months ago. Just curious if it’s actually doing anything for my brain.

Thanks!

June

Thanks, June. We get lots of questions about coffee in the mailbag, and its effect on Alzheimer’s is something of interest for several readers.

According to research done on folks over the age of 65 in Florida, drinking coffee daily may delay the onset of or help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

The study found that folks with higher levels of caffeine in their blood dodged the onset of Alzheimer’s during the two–four-year duration of the study.

According to Dr. Chuanhai Cao, a neuroscientist at the University of South Florida, the results suggest that older adults who suffer from mild memory impairment will not end up with Alzheimer’s disease or experience a substantial delay prior to being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s if they are drinking moderate levels of coffee — about three cups a day.

In addition, Cao reported, “The results from this study, along with our earlier studies in Alzheimer’s mice, are very consistent in indicating that moderate daily caffeine/coffee intake throughout adulthood should appreciably protect against Alzheimer’s disease later in life.”

So keep on enjoying those daily cappuccinos, June. Research indicates they’re doing a lot for your brain.

Thanks for your questions! Keep them coming! Send all questions to nmoore@lfb.org.

Live well,

Natalie Moore's Signature

Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily Insider


Sources

[1] Edema: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

[2] Study finds drinking coffee can delay onset of Alzheimer’s

Natalie Moore

Written By Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.

View More Free Articles

Is Your Diet ACTUALLY Healthy? Here’s How to Tell

I’ve probably uttered the phrase “healthy diet” when talking to patients, family, and friends more times than I’ve had cups of coffee—and that’s saying something! But I’ll admit it’s not always entirely clear what a healthy diet looks like. What does healthy eating really mean? Let’s take a look… Good news—healthy eating doesn’t mean you...

Read This

7 Natural Ways to Tackle Pain Without Pills

On Tuesday, we explored a promising new frontier in pain relief: terpenes, natural compounds found in cannabis (and other plants) that may ease pain without the risks of opioids. That research is still developing. But what if you’re looking for help right now? Good news: You don’t have to wait for a pharmaceutical breakthrough to...

Read This

Mailbag: Pinched to Pain Free with Natural Sciatica Solutions

“I have been suffering from sciatic pain in my hip and groin. I try to do exercises to stretch it. But ever since I slipped on the ice and fell on my left hip it seems to be getting worse. Is there any help for this?” -Painfully Pinched Dear Pinched, I understand how frustrating sciatic...

Read This

New Cannabis Discovery Could Ease Pain—Without the High

A few years ago, everywhere you turned, someone was talking about CBD. The cannabis extract had exploded in popularity for everything from anxiety to inflammation to joint pain. And while the CBD conversation continues, another cannabis compound is quietly making headlines. One that could—believe it or not—provide relief from all kinds of pain. Without the...

Read This

"Sinful Trio" SLASHES Metabolic Syndrome Risk

Are you tired of hearing your doctor’s endless “don’t eat this, don’t drink that” lectures? Well, this Easter Sunday, I’ve got news that might just have you hopping happily to your pantry. Turns out, some of life’s tastiest pleasures could help protect you from one of today’s most common health threats—metabolic syndrome. Let’s dig into...

Read This

Microplastics’ Hidden Link to Chronic Disease EXPOSED

By now, you’ve heard about microplastics. These tiny fragments of plastic have invaded virtually every corner of our planet. We’re just beginning to understand the scope of the threat, but we know microplastics pose a serious risk to our health. If you’re like many folks, you’ve shrugged off those dangers, thinking there’s nothing you can...

Read This

Shakespeare’s “Remembrance” Herb Protects Memory

You probably have a jar of rosemary sitting in your spice rack. Perhaps you sprinkle it on potatoes or add it to roast chicken. But what if this humble herb could hold the key to fighting one of the most devastating diseases we can face as we age? It turns out a hidden compound inside...

Read This

Is Your Gut “Good”? How to Check

I always get asked, “How do I know if my digestion is working right?” Well, the answer is pretty simple, but it’s also a little gross. A simple test you can do at home reveals whether your digestion is normal or not. Your digestive system processes everything you eat—extracting nutrients, and eliminating waste. The time...

Read This

Hidden Sugar Trap Fuels Lung Cancer

We’ve long known that smoking is the main villain behind lung cancer. But what if your dinner plate has quietly joined forces with the enemy? A new study from the University of Florida reveals that the typical Western diet could be laying the groundwork for aggressive lung cancer growth by feeding tumors with stored sugar....

Read This

Mailbag: Can A Diabetic Enjoy Desserts? The Surprising Answer

“If you have diabetes, may you eat a very few sweets in a week?” —Sweet Tooth Hi Sweet Tooth, Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition where your body either resists the effects of insulin (a hormone that regulates sugar in your blood) or doesn’t produce enough of it to maintain normal blood sugar levels....

Read This