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Varicose Veins: How Diet can Shape Your Recovery

Reviewed by Dr.Vijaykumar Kamat & written by Dr. Gauri Mane.

What would it be like to regain your normal smooth skin? To restore the health you once had? Imagine how free that would make you feel. Did you know that varicose veins the disorder that causes the appearance of unsightly bulging veins through your skin affects about 50 percent of all people in the U.S. over age 50. In fact, statistics also estimate that about 55 percent of women and 45 percent of men in the U.S. suffer from some sort of vein problem.

Varicose veins develop when blood flow slows down in the veins or begins to pool in the extremities and is almost always an indication of an underlying venous insufficiency disorder. However, the good news is that this condition can be pretty well managed by making certain lifestyle modifications, so that your condition doesn’t aggravate to a point where you would need invasive procedures or nasty medications to get relief.

How Does Your Diet Influence Varicose Veins?

Since varicose veins is primarily a result of poor circulation and high levels of inflammation, caused by factors such as a nutrient deficient diet, lack of physical activity, injuries to the limbs, hormonal imbalances, and high amounts of stress; doctors unanimously agree that imbibing a healthy, balanced diet, reducing weight, and being moderately active may greatly help decrease sluggish blood flow or pooling in your veins, along with other potential benefits like increased energy, better skin, improved heart health, and digestion.

Consuming anti-inflammatory foods rich in fibers, Vitamin C and bioflavonoids like rutin, and avoiding foods with high calories may actually help you improve your vein health without having to resort to bothersome prescription creams or expensive laser surgeries that could end up doing more harm than good.

However, the truth is that most foods today don’t supply adequate nutrition because a lot has changed in the seeding, harvesting and refining techniques and so, you’d be better off to supplement your diet with other natural ingredients that could offset any nutritional deficiency and also potentially correct any imbalance in your body.

In fact, certain herbs and homeopathic ingredients have clinically shown to improve vein health, enhance circulation and alleviate oxidative stress that leads to inflammation. Herbs such as Terminalia arjuna, Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha), Boerhaavia diffusa (Punarnava), Curcuma (turmeric longa), and Piper longum (Pippali) have been clinically studied for their beneficial effects on the heart and blood vessels. Important homeopathic attenuations have potentially helped improve the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, enhance blood-flow to the veins, and strengthen the valves in the veins as well advanced nutritional ingredients like NADH and coenzyme Q10 have numerous research studies behind them advocating their role in boosting circulation, improving arterial and vein health, and maintaining general wellbeing. Keeping this in mind our doctors at Biogetica have formulated our Deliverance Kit with OM 5 Formula for optimum vein health. This kit has been meticulously formulated with evidence based herbs, vein nutrients and homeopathic constituents. Each ingredient is included to play a specified role in the protocol. We’re confident that this protocol along with dietary modifications detailed below will go a long way in helping you restore the freedom and confidence you seek. Please feel free to discuss the benefits of this protocol with our Doctors for free at any time by clicking here. They can also help customize a Diet plan for you based on your exact case, constitution, eating habits and present condition.

VARICOSE VEINS DIET RECOMMENDATIONS

Hippocrates famously declared that “All disease begins in the gut.” and his wisdom has been corroborated to a certain extent by modern research, which does affirm the fact that we do end up diseased on account of what we put in our stomach.

Since Inflammation is a chief proponent in varicose formation, foods that naturally fight inflammation will help a great deal in this condition.

Certain foods have components that have shown to reverse inflammation and improve blood circulation, which means they could prove valuable in healing varicose veins. Some of the best foods teeming with anti-inflammatory properties include:

Anti-oxidant rich foods: Bioflavonoids naturally found in plants, fruits and vegetables not only impart characteristic colors to these food items but also possess properties that protect these edible items as well as humans. Bioflavonoids potentially strengthen blood vessel walls and prevent free radical formation inside the vessels. These flavonoids have also been studied to show improvements in the appearance of varicose veins. Berries such as strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, and grapes, citrus fruit, mango, papaya, pineapple, kale, Brussels sprouts, buckwheat, parsley, red cabbage, garlic, beets, onion, spinach, and many spices are rich anti-oxidant sources.
Vitamin rich foods: Vitamins are extremely important micronutrients essential for the proper functioning of your body. You need the following essential vitamins for optimum vein health.

Vitamin C: Found abundantly in berries, broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, and lemons, this vitamin is said to help the body manufacture connective tissues- collagen and elastin, both of which repair, strengthen, and maintain veins keeping them supple and flexible. Vitamin C also potentially promotes healing and inhibits free-radical formation.
Vitamin E: Present in green veggies and citrus fruits; this vitamin potentially boosts vein strength, fights inflammation and improves circulation. It is also known to desist platelet aggregation thus acting like a natural blood thinner and preventing blood clots from forming and sticking to the side of the blood vessel walls.
B group Vitamins: All the vitamins belonging to the B complex group and found in brown rice, wheat and barley, liver, turkey, and tuna, potatoes, bananas, lentils, chili peppers, beans, and molasses have shown to potentially benefit vein health by primarily strengthening the walls.

Fiber rich foods: Including fiber in your diet helps ease bowel evacuation, which means you don’t remain constipated because constipation increases pressure on the veins and this, over time, could contribute to the development of varicose veins. Fiber also potentially improves heart health. High-fiber foods that you can include in your diet are vegetables, fresh fruit, grains, and legumes (sprouted/soaked). Chia seeds and flaxseeds are also healthy options to include in your diet because they not only assist bowel evacuation, but also provide omega-3, which are important anti-inflammatory compounds.
Magnesium-rich foods: This is the fourth abundant mineral found in our body but is surprisingly the leading nutrient deficiency found in adults with approximately 80 percent being deficient in this vital mineral. Magnesium potentially helps create energy, improve muscle movement, regulate neurotransmitters, fight inflammation, lower blood pressure, maintain balance, boost immune levels, and assert a general state of good health. Magnesium deficiency will manifest as blood pooling, blood pressure problems and leg cramps, which further contribute to varicose veins. So, including things like leafy greens, avocado, bananas, cruciferous veggies and sweet potatoes can help you improve magnesium levels in your body.
Natural diuretics: Your body retains water to compensate excess sodium or deficient potassium consumption and the volume of blood circulating in the body is impacted. This fluid increase creates extra pressure on the veins and their valves, contributing to their weakness and increasing the chances of developing varicose. Doctors sometimes use water pills to help reduce water retention or swelling and increase urination. However diuretics have several unwanted side effects and are not suitable for daily consumption. However, you can achieve the same effect by consuming fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, and basil, fennel, dandelion greens, cucumber, asparagus, oats, Brussel sprouts, and celery.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV): ACV is said to provide numerous benefits to the body. It potentially improves circulation and is an effective anti-inflammatory. You can either drink ACV or combine it with witch hazel and apply it on your varicose veins to potentially alleviate swelling and improve skin appearance.

Foods for Moderate Consumption

If you consume moderate amounts of ginger, garlic and onions on a daily basis, you will help your body to break down a substance called fibrin that tends to surround varicose veins and cause blood clots.
The omega-3 fatty acids found in soybeans, walnuts, raisins, canola oil, chia seeds, and flaxseeds really make a difference when it comes to blood flow and circulation. It improves both the tone and elasticity of the vessels.
Make sure to include fish in your diet. Choices like wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and tuna are important sources of omega 3.

Foods to Avoid

Food with high content of salt is very bad as salt hardens the blood vessels and causes water retention. This includes most canned soups, pizza, hot dogs, and ham. Other foods that are usually high in sodium include salad dressings, many types of cheese and macaroni, soy sauce, and pickles. Ketchups, mayonnaise, french fries, salted potato chips are also considered dangerous in varicose veins.
Sugar and simple carbohydrates can also cause water retention because foods with a lot of sugar or simple carbohydrates cause the body to release massive amounts of insulin in response to the sugar spike. Released insulin impairs your body’s ability to excrete sodium, resulting in water retention. Therefore it is best to stay away from alcohol and fruit juices that are high in sugar to keep varicose veins at bay.

Home Remedies

Massage Therapy

If you are able to have a professional massage periodically, you will find that a trained masseuse will start at your feet and work his or her way up to your waist to promote circulation. If you can massage yourself it should be done on a daily basis, starting at your ankle and working your way up to the thigh for about 5 minutes per day and remember to never massage the varicose vein itself. Essential oils such as cypress oil is said to increase circulation and can be added to your massage oil for added benefit.

Thus, to summarize, varicose veins is a manageable condition and incorporating exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, adopting an anti-inflammatory diet, and including natural herbs and advanced nutraceuticals can help you maintain healthy veins.

Biogetica doctors are available round to clock to address your concerns, assess your situation, and provide customized recommendation based on your prevailing condition. Consult them for free at www.biogetica.com now!

About The Author

Dr. Gauri Mane Homeopathic Consultant

Dr. Gauri has a B.H.M.S degree from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Mumbai. She topped her class and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She is a licensed Homeopath, with over 4 years of clinical experience in Homeopathy, as well as Allopathy. She has also worked as a Research Coordinator for several clinical trials. Besides this, she posseses a Post Graduate Diploma in Hospital and Healthcare management (PGDHHM) from Symbiosis institute, Pune. She is also a certified Nutritionist and Dietician. Dr Gauri can assist you on Home remedies, Diet, Alternative Medicine and Homeopathy. She is thoroughly versed with Biogetica's ground breaking line of full spectrum products. Being a reservoir of information on natural health, she can be of immense help to you in your journey towards health and freedom!