Eat Your Way to Healthier Veins

How Eating Healthy Can Help Varicose Vein Health

Varicose veins can vary from being a simple cosmetic issue to something very painful and uncomfortable. Though there are several different options for treatment available, here are some healthy food suggestions that you can incorporate into your diet to help prevent the worsening or spreading of varicose veins.

Foods You Should Eat

• Fruits and vegetables
  • When it comes to fruit and veggies, think “colorful”
    • Colorful fruits and vegetables contain bioflavonoids, which mean they’re full of antioxidants, reduce inflammation, stimulate blood flow throughout the body, and strengthen connective tissue.
    • Here are some of the top contenders:
      • Blueberries, cranberries, plums, cherries, tangerines, and grapes
      • Spinach, kale, broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, and Brussel sprouts
    • Fiber-rich foods
      • Several studies have suggested there is a correlation between low intakes of fiber and the increase of varicose veins
      • Fibrous foods include:
        • Whole wheat grains, brown rice, oatmeal, and lentils, all of which aid digestion and reduce vein stress.
        • Fiber helps to relieve pressure from the blood vessels in your legs by keeping your bowel movements regular.
      • Magnesium-rich foods
        • When valves in the vein stop working, blood begins to pool (which is a cause of varicose veins and restless leg syndrome), magnesium helps prevent that from happening.
        • Foods high in magnesium include:
          • Dark chocolate, avocados, nuts, legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas, and soybeans), seeds, and fish

Foods You Should Avoid

• Salty, high-sodium foods
  • Salty foods put excessive pressure on your veins because they encourage water retention.
• Red meat, milk chocolate, starches, and dairy
  • These foods lead to constipation which places pressure on the veins throughout your body, which can encourage varicose veins.
• Alcohol
  • Try to limit alcoholic drinks to one a day. Drinking alcohol regularly has been shown to cause veins to dilate, which can result in varicose veins.

It may not be as simple as changing your diet or taking more vitamins to ease the pain and discomfort you feel from your varicose veins. If you’d like to discuss your options or see what other treatments or procedures are available, call our office today at 817.235.0769.