Our bodies consist of around 60,000 miles of vasculature – arteries, veins, and small capillaries- which carry blood throughout our entire body. That’s a lot of mileage covered. Despite their importance, many people don’t take notice to care for their veins. In fact, many of us don’t even know how to. Various conditions affect the health of veins such as obesity, diabetes or heart conditions. It’s estimated by the Society for Vascular Medicine that around 30 million Americans have some sort of venous insufficiently, where the vein walls become weak and valves become damaged, but only 10 percent seek proper treatment.
When veins become damaged, they may start to bulge under the skin, with a blue or purplish color. Albeit, not life-threatening but these veins can be painful, not to mention their unappealing look on legs. Even though hereditary genes play a role in determining how healthy your veins are, there are several ways to care for your veins which we’ll share with you now.
Keep moving: Sitting or standing for too long a period is a common cause for weak veins. You need to move your legs for better circulation. People who have desk jobs or stand in one place a lot are especially prone. Get up regularly and walk around. If on a plane or train for a long duration, walk up and down the aisle. While sitting, flex your foot up and down from the ankle joint. Even these slight movements will help the blood flow.
Increase exercise: In general, you need to exercise more. A sedentary lifestyle is often the culprit behind varicose veins and you need to combat it with more exercise and a healthier way of living as well as eating, adding more vegetables and fruits to your diet. Varicose veins are a common problem of the deep veins in the legs. Women are more prone to them than men, especially after pregnancy. Depending on the size of the vein, you can treat the bigger veins through injections or laser. Spider veins, small, red varicose veins, are also common, and can also be treated.
Remain hydrated: When your body is dehydrated, the blood becomes thicker. Drinking ample amounts of water thins the blood, making for easier circulation and blood flow.
Elevate legs: When you’re at home or resting elsewhere, keep your legs elevated as that will reduce the pressure put on your legs. Ideally, your legs should be elevated at the same height of your heart or a bit above that to improve circulation.
Compression stockings: These stockings help by putting pressure on the leg for the veins and muscles to move blood towards the heart. There are different strengths of compression and they are taken off during sleep. A professional can advise which ones are right for you.
Don’t ignore your veins
Bulging, blue veins in the legs can make people feel self-conscious, as well as cause discomfort. If you have severe varicose veins, you might want to seek professional medical help to improve their appearance and lessen their symptoms. You can also help yourself by following the pointers we’ve compiled for you.