Blood is circulated in our body by arteries and veins. ‘Varicose veins’ is a condition which affects the veins of the legs and makes them enlarged. This causes overfilling of blood in these veins. These veins appear dark purple and are clearly visible through the skin. They may become swollen and painful. They may also cause heaviness and discomfort.
Various reasons can trigger varicose veins. These include insufficient physical activity, changing lifestyle, excessive body weight, high fat diet, fast foods and lack of adequate fiber in the diet are some of the underlying cause of varicose veins.
Here are some diet modifications that can halt the progress of varicose veins and reduce its symptoms.
Cut down sodium
Sodium present in your diet results in fluid retention in the body. Fluid retention can cause damage to your blood vessels mainly veins. High sodium foods include added salt at the dinner table, canned food items like sauces, noodles, soups, meats. Frozen fast foods also contain a considerable amount of sodium. Lowering the intake of these foods and increasing water intake can help you with varicose veins.
Add Fibre
Maintaining a balanced diet is a key to health. One such essential elements of a balanced meal are dietary fiber. A high fiber diet can keep a check on your weight and reduce the risk of varicose veins. Dietary fiber also helps healthy bowel movements and prevents cholesterol levels from elevating. Fiber-rich foods include whole wheat flour, grains, brown rice, oats, carrots, and apples. An average fiber content of 25 to 35 grams (that is 3 to 5 servings) is recommended per day.
Avoid BPA
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogen-like chemical used to line cans and bottles. It is inevitably present in all canned food. This chemical mainly comes from hard plastic and present in all grocery items. Estrogen-like substances can put you at a risk of developing varicose veins. So if you want to avoid varicose veins, try to avoid canned foodstuffs or go for packaging that specifies BPA free.
Reduce your calorie intake
High-calorie diet can result in excessive weight gain. A drastic improvement is seen in varicose veins patients only by the reduction in 10% of body weight. Body weight can be reduced by increasing physical exercise and reducing the calorie intake. You can maintain a food diary and your doctor can monitor your calorie intake. You can also space your calorie intake in 5-6 meals a day. This will increase your metabolism and prevent weight gain.
Go for flavonoids
Flavonoids, also known as bioflavonoids are compounds present in fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids give vibrant colours like yellow, red, orange or green to fruits and vegetables. Research has shown an improvement in varicose vein patients on long-term intake in the diet. They contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances that help in strengthening the blood vessel walls. Fresh fruits and veggies are excellent sources of bioflavonoids. You can start by including capsicum, sprouts, spinach, and garlic. Fruits like strawberries, citrus fruits, mango, papaya are also rich sources.
Include vitamin C
Another inclusion that can be added to your diet is a lot of vitamin C and vitamin E. vitamin C is required to make collagen and elastin which are important walls of the vessel wall. Vitamin C is also known to improve blood circulation. The benefits of vitamin C are better when consumed with vitamin E. If you are having varicose veins, you should add plenty of lime, melons, lemons, oranges, and cucumbers in your diet.
Drink plenty of water
Water is the most important component of your body. Staying hydrated improves all your body function. It also helps with varicose veins. If you are having a good amount of fiber you should have plenty of water. Start your day with a glass of water. During the day you should have at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water. Fresh fruit juices are also good sources of water.
Diet modification can be supplementary help along with primary treatment suggested by your surgeon/physician. You may also consult your physician prior to making changes in your meals.
If you are looking for a cure for your varicose veins you should consult a vascular surgeon in your town. Dr. Abhilash Sandhyala is one of the best vascular surgeons in Hyderabad. He has successfully treated varicose veins for numerous patients.
You can visit Flow Vascular clinic at H.No: 2-22-298/2/A, Sree Krishna Diagnostic Center Building, 2nd Floor, Beside Kalamandir, KPHB Main Road, Kukatpally, Hyderabad. You can also book an appointment on https://drabhilash.com/book-an-appointment/ or call on (+91) 99896 49498,99590 33037.
Visit https://drabhilash.com/ to know more about the treatment options for varicose veins.