When discussing ways to reduce the appearance of varicose veins, it’s important to remember what the functions of veins are. As HealWithFood.org explains, “veins transport blood from the rest of the body to the heart, and they contain one-way valves that prevent blood from flowing back to the rest of the body. Varicose veins develop when the valves weaken in the veins, allowing blood to pool in the veins instead of being pumped back to the heart.”
While it is true that genetics can play a factor in whether or not a person develops varicose veins in his/her legs, there are various other factors at play as well. Increased pressure on the leg veins can force them to swell and become a lot more visible. Naturally, one’s weight can contribute to the amount of pressure on the legs. So, it stands to reason that diet can play a big role in whether or not varicose veins appear.
The healthier your food, the better your legs will look.
Improving your diet will go a long way in reducing the pressure placed on your legs and reducing the appearance of unsightly varicose veins. Start with foods that are high in fibre and try to avoid white flour, white rice and sugar. Replace white bread with 100% whole wheat bread. Do the same thing with pasta and rice.
White rice can be replaced with brown rice and wild rice. People who switch to brown rice from white generally see many health improvements. They include lower blood pressure and lower risk of diabetes. Finally, do your best to eliminate or significantly reduce your intake of sugar. Eat fruit when your sweet tooth is acting up!
Fruits and veggies are the key.
Fruits and vegetables are highly recommended food sources for those trying to eliminate the appearance of varicose veins in their legs. Branching off of that last point about sugar, blueberries are widely praised for their combination of natural sweetness and high nutritional content. Substituting white sugar for blueberries, when possible, is a wise choice.
“Blueberries are one of the greatest health foods of all time, and they’re a boon to anyone prone to varicose veins,” says HealWithFood.org, “Due to their high concentration of anthocyanins (flavonoid pigments), blueberries contribute to the health of the collagen matrix by neutralizing enzymes that destroy connective tissue and by scavenging free radicals. They also repair damaged proteins in the blood vessel walls and promote the overall health of the vascular system.”
When all else fails, it’s sclerotherapy to the rescue!
Making changes to your diet is a very important step in your fight against varicose veins. However, if you find that it’s not doing enough to reduce the appearance of those unsightly veins, you may want to consider sclerotherapy. It’s known as the “gold standard” treatment for eliminating varicose and spider veins.
Sclerotherapy is a safe and very effective treatment available for eliminating or reducing spider and varicose veins. It is both a cosmetic treatment, which is to rid you of small, surface spider veins but also a medical treatment to help remove deep, large veins known as Varicose veins. For more information, please don’t hesitate to call us at 403-358-5818. You may also email us.