HEAVY LEG/RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME

For whatever reason, people may find themselves with poor circulation and poor energy in their legs--lower legs, their knees, or upper legs.  The poor circulation could be due to a lack of exercise or movement or prolonged periods of sitting, each of which does not help the condition.  The condition that I am referring to has different names:  Heavy leg syndrome, restless leg syndrome, and there maybe a third or more names for it.  

WHAT CAUSES HEAVY LEG SYNDROME?
Inevitably, doctors and therapists will point to poor circulation.  Okay, but what causes the poor circulation?  Sitting.  A lot.  And when you hear this reason, you feel guilty for not getting up and moving around, working around the house, going for a walk, or more intense exercise like tennis, basketball, running, or swimming.  Any intensely physical exercise will help this condition.  Exercise is a kind of magic bullet.  But you do have options; not substitutes but choices.  A foot massage may help.  But for that you might find yourself at a parlor with dark lights and your least favorite incense.  Still, it may relieve your symptoms.  

FOOD REMEDIES
What does help the circulation and energy of the lower legs is eating fermented foods.  Yep.  Foods like dill pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, and others.  I am not sure, but the reason for this is that certain sectors of the bowels correspond with distal points in the leg.  So if your legs are feeling sluggish or heavy, eat a dill pickle or a serving of sauerkraut or kimchi.  Sauerkraut is really tasty with meat dishes and sandwiches; it's one of the reasons I like a Rubens to just plain corned beef: you get the slightly sweet tangy taste from the sauerkraut.  For standalone, I would go with a a dill pickle or two or a serving of kimchi. 

 TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine asserts that knee problems are related to the kidneys.  So if you've got knee pain, don't rush over to your orthopedic to see if you need surgery.  Instead, conduct a brief review of what you've recently eaten that might affect the kidneys.  If the kidney pain persists, eat a food that helps the kidneys function better or an herb that energizes the kidneys.  If your body is generally depleted from physical exertion or weakened by exposure to toxins or de-energized from a lack of sleep, try ginseng for general revitalization.  It will awaken your organs to varying degrees with the synergistic effect, I believe, being appreciable.  Don't expect miracles.  At the same time, don't dismiss its powers.