- Why do legs feel heavy in summer?
- The view of Chinese medicine
- Our simple, natural tips for light legs all summer long
- Dietary tips
- Limit your intake of
- Calebasse's classic formulas
- The right reflex? Anticipate
In summer, we want to feel light… but sometimes our legs don't follow. A feeling of heaviness, swelling, fatigue or discomfort: many people experience this in hot weather. Why? And above all, what can you do about it? Follow the guide.
Why do legs feel heavy in summer?
When it's hot, our body reacts: the blood vessels dilate to release heat. But this dilation slows the return of blood to the heart, which causes a feeling of heaviness and sometimes swelling.
Other aggravating factors add to this:
- Dehydration: we sweat more and sometimes drink too little.
- Long periods of standing or sitting: the blood stagnates.
- A saltier or sweeter diet on holiday.
- Clothes that are too tight or unsuitable shoes.
The result: at the end of the day, legs are heavy, swollen, even painful.
The view of Chinese medicine
In TCM, it is considered that dampness, a natural excess of poorly transformed fluids, accumulates in the lower body, especially around the legs. This dampness is heavy and sticky and slows down vital energy (Qi) as well as the circulation of fluids, causing a feeling of heavy, swollen legs, sometimes accompanied by pain even without intense physical activity.
The Spleen, which in TCM is the organ responsible for digestion and the distribution of fluids, plays a central role. If the Spleen no longer transforms fluids properly (especially with a diet that is too fatty, sweet, cold or excessive), these fluids accumulate and show up as water retention, a direct cause of heavy legs.
Summer heat adds to the phenomenon: it "attacks" the internal balance. At that point, if the body is already burdened by stagnant fluids or sluggish digestion, the heat will intensify the feeling of heaviness in the legs.
Our simple, natural tips for light legs all summer long
- Move lightly but often: walk, stretch, do a few ankle movements. Movement activates circulation and stops blood from stagnating in the legs.
- Raise your legs: in the evening, rest your legs on a cushion or against a wall for 10 minutes. It brings instant relief.
- Shower them with cool water: at the end of the day, run a jet of cool water over your legs, from bottom to top, to tone them.
- Try self-massage or Gua Sha: a gentle calf massage with a natural oil, or a short cupping session, can revive energy and circulation.
- Drain with hot or lukewarm drinks: very cold drinks weaken digestion. Favour summer herbal teas designed for circulation.
What if the secret to light legs also lay in a new way of moving?
There's no need for back-to-back intense workouts to boost your circulation. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, gentle, regular and mindful movement is a precious key to maintaining vital energy (Qi) and avoiding stagnation.
Discover our approach to movement with "Sport & Balance" Discover our approach to movement
Dietary tips
-
1. Favour hot or lukewarm drinks:
- Avoid iced drinks, which weaken digestion. Choose summer herbal teas designed for circulation instead. 2. Favour these foods:
- To prevent cramps and stock up on potassium : banana, nori seaweed, spinach, taro, coconut water (ideal for rebalancing electrolytes).
- To stimulate blood circulation: ginger, black fungus (auricularia), hawthorn.
- To eliminate dampness and reduce water retention: Job's tears seeds.
Limit your intake of
- Salty foods (such as pickled products or crisps)
- Fried foods (which promote water retention)
Calebasse's classic formulas
The Heavy Legs Formula
Find this effective synergy in the Heavy Legs formula, specially designed to support your circulatory well-being and help you regain comfort and lightness every day.
Heavy Legs and Venous Circulation Herbal Tea
A blend developed to improve blood circulation in order to prevent swelling of the limbs.
The right reflex? Anticipate
As soon as the first hot days arrive, adopt these simple habits to stop heavy legs from setting in. And if in doubt, or if the discomfort persists, consider seeing a professional.
In summer, your legs deserve a little freshness and care too!