I hardly eat any salt at all - I don't add salt to anything I eat and avoid salty snacks like the plague but my feet and ankle swelling wont go down! I'm also drinking roughly 1/2-1 gal of water - just plain water - per day. Any other suggestions as to what might help? It's about 100 + degrees here today and I'm 2 days shy of 38 weeks so it may just be a lost cause
Re: does anyone have any remedies for swollen feet and ankles?
I read someplace that avoiding all salt can actually worsen swelling because the body actually requires salt in moderation. My midwife tells me to lie down on my left side -- this almost always helps.
There is sodium naturally occurring in all foods, so our bodies don't actually need us to add salt to anything. Assuming you are getting a good fill of veggies, anyway!
DD1, Kathleen 9/15/2007
With the combination of all you have going on, yeah, it kind of is a lost cause, having baby is about all that will help.
You can try a bath in epsom salt, it has helped me, but what swelling I have in my legs is very, very minor, I have all of it in my hands. But it does help. (at the bare minimum you get to relax in the bath for a while)
Getting my feet up and cool water with epson salt has helped me. Also my (awesome) husband has taken to rubbing my feet which I think helps!