Let’s go to varicose veins

I remember when I was young, sitting on a blanket on the beach with my sister, both of us looking at our mother, who was sitting on a towel nearby. We were looking at the varicose veins on her legs and whispering “how did she get them out?” As we waited and prayed silently we would never have them on our legs. I was lucky, I have none! My sister, however, is another story.

Varicose veins can be hereditary, or they can be related to lifestyle, for example, being on your feet at work all day or sitting still for long periods of time. They usually start with a circulatory complication within the calf. The calf muscles cause blood to flow upward in the veins. If the valves are faulty, there may be increased pressure flow, resulting in loss of vein integrity. The veins will then appear knotted under the skin, because they are inflamed, enlarged and swollen.

Women are affected more often than men, probably because pregnancies increase venous pressure in the legs and cause varicose veins. Overweight people are at higher risk, and as we age, the walls of the veins weaken, making us susceptible to varicose veins.

“Okay,” says my sister, “since our mother has varicose veins, and I’ve had three overweight pregnancies in all of them, and I’m over 50 (!) to begin with, what’s a woman to do?”

I told him to stop (uh-oh, that might not be good for varicose veins) that my article wasn’t done yet.

So what do we do to prevent our control of varicose veins?

Nutritional remedies are:

#one. Grapeseed

#two. Horse Chestnut Seed

#3. Vitamin C

#4. Zinc

#5. Asiatic spark

#6. Vitamin E

#7. high fiber diet

#8. Increase intake of berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries) and cherries

#9. Increase the intake of ginger, onion and garlic.

#10. working out

Also wearing knee-high compression stockings that can be purchased at medical stores or pharmacies can protect your veins, especially if you have to be on your feet for a long time.

Another thing is DO NOT CROSS YOUR LEGS!

The most important thing we can do to treat or reduce varicose veins is to exercise. The muscles we need to focus on are the calf muscles because they control the circulatory system in the veins of the legs. Stretching and lengthening exercises will strengthen, support, and improve the pump of your calf muscles. The best exercise to increase circulation in the legs and calves through stretching is the Pilates Reformer. Bingo! You might think that Joseph Pilates designed the Reformer with varicose veins in mind. He didn’t exactly have that in mind, but he does address the problems associated with varicose veins. Except inherited genetic weakness (sorry mom).

Bicycling, jogging, or walking are also beneficial for increasing blood flow and circulation in the leg muscles. Specific upward massage on the calves can also relieve pain and swelling. As for my sister, she bought some compression stockings, started stretching with some Pilates Reformer work, and started a walking program. My sister is very happy. My mother, however, is another story!