6. Healthy Habits and Diet
Sometimes all that is needed to heal swelling, whether it be swelling in the ankle area or anywhere else, is a change in diet. Smoking is known to have the side effect of increasing the likelihood of swelling. Quitting smoking may reduce swollen ankles and will prove rather beneficial to your health in general. Another cause of swelling is dehydration thus it is important to increase your liquid intake and stay hydrated to eliminate the swelling and heal quicker.
Eating more fruits and vegetables will also prove beneficial to your overall health and may help you battle any pain and inflammation. Food that is rich in magnesium is essential for your diet as magnesium is known to reduce swelling and speed up the healing process. A lack of magnesium may also cause the accumulation of fluid in tissues (edema). Edema could be a reason for ankle swelling and pain. A magnesium supplement may need to be taken twice daily to increase the magnesium in the body.