Consider how your daily choices might impact your hardworking veins as well as the rest of your body.
The staff at Vein Specialists of the Carolinas have five healthy choices to consider making for your veins on a daily basis:
Healthy Diet
You’ve probably heard that “you are what you eat,” and that is particularly true when it comes to your veins. Those vessels need the right nutrients to remain strong and flexible so they can move blood through the body as efficiently as possible. Antioxidants, found primarily in fruits and vegetables, are especially beneficial because they protect the veins from free radicals that can lead to damage over time.
Another beneficial addition to make to your daily diet is fiber, typically found in whole-grain foods as well as some fruits. Fiber is an important nutrient to ensure your digestive system functions smoothly. This in turn can benefit your veins, since less straining can mean less stress on the vascular system as well.
Daily Exercise
Daily exercise is a must to keep veins strong and efficient. Walking, cycling and running all work the calf muscles. When the calf muscle flexes, it helps to move blood up the veins in the lower leg, back to the heart. Since these are the veins in the body with the toughest job, giving them a helping hand is a sure way to prevent damage and keep blood flowing in a healthy fashion.
At the same time, if you are concerned about varicose veins, use caution in your strength training regimen. Lifting heavy amounts of weight can actually strain your vessels, increasing your risk for varicose veins or making current swollen vessels worse. Use light weights and more repetitions to sculpt lean muscle without adding stress to your leg veins.
Weight Loss Plan
Weight loss offers a bevy of healthy benefits, including healthier veins. When you shed some of the extra pounds, you take the stress off lower leg veins that have been working against the weight of the body to move blood back to the heart. Plus, the additional exercise you will likely be doing to drop the weight will also provide the support your leg veins need to remain strong.
Leg Elevation
If varicose veins are a concern, start making a habit of elevating your legs for a period of time every evening. The leg veins have to work all day against the force of gravity to move blood back up your body to the heart. You can reduce that strain by elevating the legs above heart level, giving hardworking vessels a much-needed break. Even 30 minutes of elevation each night can give your veins the rest they need and even relieve uncomfortable symptoms you might be experiencing with your swollen vessels.
Compression Therapy
If varicose veins and their symptoms are interfering with your quality of life overall, maybe it’s time to consider compression therapy. Compression stockings can be worn from the time you get up until the time you go to bed to promote healthy blood flow in the legs and relieve uncomfortable vein symptoms. Ask your doctor to prescribe compression socks that will provide you with just the amount of support you need for healthier veins and legs.
While these steps can go far in keeping your veins healthy, none will eliminate varicose veins that have already formed. At Vein Specialists of the Carolinas, we offer a variety of minimally-invasive vein treatments that will completely eradicate unsightly varicose veins and their symptoms. To learn more, contact our office today in Charlotte at 704-861-2072 or 704-544-5245.
“All We Do Is Veins, All Day Every Day.”