Swelling feet ???

[crazycruzer68]

For those of you that are like myself and feet swell up as soon as you hit that first ding, any of you ever sail to Alaska? If so, did that happen on that cruise as well? I am not sure if it's the salt in the air, the heat or what causes but I get it bad!

[watermelonqueen99]

This happens to me every time! I'm late 30s, healthy, exercise daily, yet by day 2, my feet and ankles are huge! I figure it's the salt in the air and the food, plus the salty sea water.

[RuthlessBoss]

Why not drink lots of bottled water, though you need to "P" more? Maybe request salt free meals. Remember people who cruise eat far more than at home and foods cooked on board contain salt so your intake is higher.

[Doggielover68]

Never happens to me. I think for others it may be a combination of the sodium in the food and increased alcohol consumption. I don't drink so that's just my theory.

 

 

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[nwcruiselover]

I think it's the salt in the ship's water that does it. It's desalinated sea water. Although some people swear it doesn't taste salty and all the salt is out of the water, I think that's what causes feet to swell. I drink only bottled water and try to limit coffee and tea made with ship water, and now my feet don't swell.

Edited August 3, 2016 by nwcruiselover

[crusinpsychRN]

Plus all the walking you do.

 

Didn't happen on the Alaska cruise.

[abisha]

I think it's the salt in the ship's water that does it. It's desalinated sea water. Although some people swear it doesn't taste salty and all the salt is out of the water, I think that's what causes feet to swell. I drink only bottled water and try to limit coffee and tea made with ship water, and now my feet don't swell.

 

My feet swell every time I cruise and I suspected it was the desalinated water. This last cruise I did a test. I didn't drink it, and my feet didn't swell. Towards end of cruise, I drank it, and my feet swelled! So staying away from it as much as possible. I do like the taste of it though.

[Shih-tzu]

I get cruise feet......and it's not alcohol because I don't drink it. I think know it's a combo of a lot more walking and the desalination of the water....you can't taste it but there's still a higher amount of sodium than you get at home (unless you have a water conditioner that uses salt)

[dna529]

Going to test the theory next week! I'm going to drink bottled water only and see if that helps.

[Clarea]

Going to test the theory next week! I'm going to drink bottled water only and see if that helps.

The bottled water helps my wife immensely. No swelling since she starting drinking the bottled water exclusively.

[Rebeccar8612]

I have gotten puffy on both cruises I've taken. I don't drink the water and don't do a lot of drinking but after a couple hours.... Bam swollen lol. I just assumed it was the salt air but never really knew for sure. It goes away quickly once I get home so no biggie 😉 If that's the price I pay to cruise I'll take it I guess!

[cmukid87]

My first cruise my feet and ankles got HUGE! So much so they started getting red dots and blotchy.

 

Since then I take water pills. My feet still swell but to everyone else, they can't tell.

 

And interesting theory on the water. I'll make sure to drink bottled only.

[cb at sea]

No all ship's water is desalinated sea water....the fill the tanks at ports, so you are getting municipal water, too. And, desalination takes the salt out!

What is more likely the culprit is the heavily salted food, extra alcohol you're not used to..lots of walking you probably don't do at home, the heat and humidity...

Try the bottled water, if you want....let us know what happens!

[Flatbush Flyer]

I think it's the salt in the ship's water that does it. It's desalinated sea water. Although some people swear it doesn't taste salty and all the salt is out of the water, I think that's what causes feet to swell. I drink only bottled water and try to limit coffee and tea made with ship water, and now my feet don't swell.

 

 

There's no salt in desalinated water (on land or sea). It's completely DEsalinated period. Some minerals are added back but, NO SALT. The prepared foods on a mass market cruise ship, however, tend to be a bit heavy on salt, mostly to satisfy the many (not all!!!) unsophisticated passenger palates.

[Clarea]

There's no salt in desalinated water (on land or sea). It's completely DEsalinated period. Some minerals are added back but, NO SALT. The prepared foods on a mass market cruise ship, however, tend to be a bit heavy on salt, mostly to satisfy the many (not all!!!) unsophisticated passenger palates.

Some of the ship's water is created via reverse osmosis.

[chengkp75]

Ship's water comes from 3 sources. Shore water, so this is strictly municipal water from whatever port the ship embarks at. Distilled water made from the ship's evaporators, which will have less than 1ppm of sodium. And desalinated water made by the ship's reverse osmosis watermakers, which will have no more than 20ppm sodium (compared to the 2015 NYC water quality report which had samples ranging from 9-63ppm). The water is typically a mix of all three sources.

 

I have seen reports where chlorine in the water (which cruise ships are required to have at higher concentrations than municipal water supplies) replaces iodine in the thyroid and reduces metabolism resulting in increased water retention.

 

Calcium carbonate (main ingredient in Tums) is added to the water to help maintain the Ph level where chlorine is most effective as a sanitizing agent.

 

I cannot argue with anecdotal evidence of water retention and the cures found. I will only say that the water from dispensers and at dining venues and bars will have the chlorine removed.

 

Most bottled water is made using reverse osmosis filters, just like the ship uses (except the ship uses over 1200 psi to press the water through the membrane, not the 3-400 used to process fresh water into bottled water).

[Flatbush Flyer]

Some of the ship's water is created via reverse osmosis.

 

 

...which is one of several ways to provide potable water that is desalinated.

[Enforcer]

Hi,

 

If you are taking medication that can cause it.

 

Pete

[euphscott]

I drink the tap water exclusively and limit alcohol greatly onboard. I have never had a feet swelling issue.

 

My theory is it is the food...I'm always careful to not overindulge. My first few cruises I ate like a teenager at a training table, but halfway through, I was tired all the time. I've since learned to eat sensible (if not downright healthy) at breakfast and lunch, limit the snacking and then enjoy dinner - it's helped with that.

 

Drink the water - it's good for ya!

[SadieN]

Here's a whole thread about this

 

Swollen legs/ankles/feet - THIS WORKED!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1637335

 

 

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[NurseDave]

Grab the popcorn! Love these threads where there are the facts and then a slew of people claiming they aren't true because of their personal experience.

[Doggielover68]

I drink the tap water exclusively and limit alcohol greatly onboard. I have never had a feet swelling issue.

 

 

 

My theory is it is the food...I'm always careful to not overindulge. My first few cruises I ate like a teenager at a training table, but halfway through, I was tired all the time. I've since learned to eat sensible (if not downright healthy) at breakfast and lunch, limit the snacking and then enjoy dinner - it's helped with that.

 

 

 

Drink the water - it's good for ya!

 

 

Agree 100%

 

 

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[chengkp75]

Other cures for swelling ankles that I've heard work (I don't get the problem, been drinking ship's water 6+ months a year for 40 years), is to raise the foot of the mattress (lifejackets were good for this), or standing in the pool. Neither will reduce water retention, but they will "redistribute" the water elsewhere.

[CapeCodCruiser]

Compression socks are also a good way to for the body to redistribute the fluid - check with your doc before trying.

[zqvol]

For those of you that are like myself and feet swell up as soon as you hit that first ding, any of you ever sail to Alaska? If so, did that happen on that cruise as well? I am not sure if it's the salt in the air, the heat or what causes but I get it bad!

 

It happens because the food is full of salt and because you are getting much more exercise than usual. Muscles tend to swell whenever they get used, you notice it in your feet and hands more than other muscles. You get the same thing is you cook over a hot grill for any length of time, it is the body's response to the changes.