Say goodbye to tights and stockings. After the coldest winter in the UK for more than 30 years, it'll soon be time to tuck your trousers and tights at the back of the wardrobe and start to show off your legs. Get to work now, so they're looking their best when the hot weather gets here.There are four essentials if you want pins to be proud of: take care of circulation, keep cellulite at bay, remove hair and keep your skin soft and silky.
Try these tips to put a spring in your step:
Say yes to:
• Exercise.
We aren't talking about running the marathon; walking is the simplest, cheapest and easiest way to get your circulation going.
• Herbal supplements.
There are plenty of herbal teas, tablets and pills made from plants that strengthen vein walls, which is just what you need when you have poor circulation. Herbal supplements to look out for include grape-seed, butcher's broom, gotu kola, horse chestnut, bilberry, ginkgo biloba and witch hazel. These are used to produce compounds rich in flavonoids, which are also found in creams for tired legs.
• Support hosiery.
Maybe this doesn't appeal much in summer, but in winter, support tights can be your legs' best friend.
• Massages.
Acupressure and lymphatic drainage are the best treatments to alleviate circulation problems, especially during pregnancy.
Avoid:
• Inactivity.
You're at particular risk if your job keeps you on your feet and in one place.
• Tight clothing.
Anything that hampers movement is a potential problem.
• Heels.
High heels look good, but they prevent foot and calf muscles from working properly.
• Excess weight.
Don't forget that any extra kilos put added strain on your legs.
• Bad posture.
Don't cross your legs - and don't sit on them! - so that the blood can circulate freely.
• Tobacco.
Smoking affects every part of your circulatory system, thickening the blood and making it harder for well-oxygenated blood to reach cells.