Just, Uh, Check The Oil, And Then Tighten That Compression Hose...

Compression hose: sounds like something under the hood of a car, right?

Not if you suffer chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, lymphedema, post phlebitic syndrome or blood clots in the leg, it doesn't. In that case, you know that compression hose are a simple and effective way to relieve the legs of some pretty serious pain.

Compression hose are very special, sometimes prescription strength (but not always) long socks, which are worn from the foot to the knee or thigh. The pressure is tighter in the foot and loosens toward the knee. The idea is to reduce the swelling in the feet and also decrease the chance of blood clot formation in the legs.

Quick note: compression hose don't eliminate varicose veins--we wish!--but they do help tremendously to reduce swelling, aching and a feeling of heaviness.

As for how they help you save on gas? Well, hey, when you're more comfortable walking, suddenly a stroll to the corner store sounds better than a drive.

Curing Varicose Veins Stockings: Sorting the Myths from Realities

You've got varicose veins. It can't be denied. You'd like to avoid surgery, but how do you discern which advice to take to cure or slow what's already begun?

Do varicose veins stockings really work?

How about applying apple cider vinegar? (Apple cider vinegar cures pimples, cleans toilets and helps you lose weight, is it some kind of miracle liquid? The nectar of the gods? Why, then, is it so cheap?)

Or eating foods rich in anti-oxidants?

Taking ginkgo supplements?

Vitamin E? Coconut oil? Rubbed before or after you put on your varicose veins stockings?

Verdict: Go ahead and experiment with natural remedies, and keep us posted when things work! All the while, communicate with your doctor.

Most importantly, don't neglect to exercise regularly and keep an eye on your food habits, and to comfort your aching legs, wear varicose veins stockings. Take it from us, they help.

"Back to Normal" Maternity Support Girdle Does What It Claims To

It's funny. I made it through all three trimesters of my pregnancy without a maternity support girdle. I just didn't know about them, actually! My back ached, sure, but it wasn't chief on my mind. I was about to have my first child, and this fact was rocking my world enough that the rest of it all just seemed part and parcel. You should have seen the arrangement of pillows I slept on to be remotely comfortable. I had it down to a science.

Then my son was born. And after the glow of giving birth, finally getting to meet him, my back started to hurt all the time. All the time. I couldn't pick him up without wincing. I was so nervous it was something quite serious that would require surgery. Pinched nerve? I talked to my doctor, and was so relieved when he recommended I try a "Back to Normal" maternity support girdle.

Yes, I thought I was done with maternity clothes, and was so excited to get back into regular clothes again. Ask my husband: my mantra was "waistlines and wedges" for the fall. But this "Back to Normal" maternity support girdle made my life a million times better than a new pair of wedge heels. As in, I was actually comfortable, holding my little baby. I like to think of it as a transitional garment, doing real work helping my tissues heal.

Wedge heels this winter, maybe. But the support I need for as long as it takes.