Maintaining healthy veins is a part of your lifestyle that you should not overlook. From the foods you eat to the habits you keep, vein health depends on what you do daily. Learn tips from the Vein Centre in Nashville – Belle Meade, Franklin and Mt. Juliet, about how you can keep your veins in good shape.
6 Healthy Vein Tips
Do Drink Plenty of Water
Hydration is essential for a healthy body, but it is especially beneficial to veins already prone to insufficiency. When you drink enough water, your blood thins out and flows more freely. Thick blood is usually a symptom that the body is dehydrated, and it puts veins at greater risk of clotting and insufficiency.
Water also helps strengthen the muscles that surround and support your veins. Muscles at peak performance are able to push blood along more effectively.
Bloating and swelling, which are common symptoms of dehydration, are typically signs of an inefficient blood flow, lead to more severe complications. To keep your body and heart-healthy, we recommend drinking at least eight 8-oz cups of water every day — this will benefit more than just your veins!
Do Wear Compression Stockings
If you’re predisposed to venous insufficiency due to genetics, pregnancy, or the nature of your job, compression stockings help. Compression and elevation are your best bet for avoiding or maintaining your health once you’ve sought treatment. Compression stockings help drive blood flow back into the heart by contracting muscles around the veins throughout the day. We recommend compression stockings be worn if you spend a lot of time sitting or standing or if you have excess pressure on your legs due to pregnancy or obesity.
Do Elevate
It’s also beneficial to elevate your legs throughout the day to improve circulation. Starting and ending your day with your legs on the wall for five minutes will help return blood flow to the heart, lower swelling, and relieve pressure on your legs. Elevating your feet above your hips for a few minutes during the day is a terrific method to ease the pressure for a few minutes and get your circulation going again.
Do Plenty of Walking
Weight lifting may not be advantageous to your vein health, but that does not imply you should stop exercising altogether. Walking is one of the most efficient strategies to keep your veins in good shape. This low-impact workout, similar to compression stockings, increases the tightening of muscles around the veins. When combined with a good diet, daily walking can substantially enhance your overall health and lead to weight loss.
Do Eat Well
Speaking of a good diet… fruits and veggies are the best things you can provide your veins! This fact may not come as a surprise to you. Vein diameter is improved by foods high in vitamin C, such as melons, papaya, and oranges, while dark, leafy greens and similar meals high in vitamin K help to the health of your vein walls and improve circulation. There’s a reason kale is a superfood!
- Increase your fiber consumption. Fiber not only aids in the digestion of meals but also prevents the absorption of harmful fats.
- Increase your vitamin C intake. Vitamin C increases collagen and elastin production in your body, which is necessary for your veins to contract and dilate properly.
- Drink a lot of water. Water is essential for flushing your system and maintaining overall wellness. We’re willing to wager you’re not drinking nearly as much as you should be!
- Increase your rutin consumption. “Rutin?” you might ask. “What exactly is it?” Rutin is an antioxidant and flavonoid that aids in the reduction of inflammation caused by damaged veins. It also aids in the prevention of blood clots.
- Reduce your salt intake. Too much salt in your diet can promote fluid retention, which puts pressure on your veins, and perhaps harm them.
Do Talk to a Vein Doctor
The most important thing to remember about your venous disease is that it is treatable when detected. A simple diagnostic ultrasonography at The Vein Centre can determine the kind and severity of venous insufficiency. Our vascular doctors will work with you one-on-one to discover the best treatment options.
6 Don’ts for Healthy Veins
Don’t Assume Your Vein Issues will Just Disappear
You should see a vein specialist as soon as you suspect something is wrong with your veins. The longer you wait to treat your vein problems, the more likely they will develop into major health concerns. If you wait too long to treat your veins, you may get deep vein thrombosis. And believe us when we say this is not something you want to risk.
One of the scariest aspects of DVT is the other complications it can cause, such as potentially fatal pulmonary embolisms. Instead of stressing about it, contact a vein specialist near you if you notice something is wrong with your veins.
Don’t Smoke
Smoking, once again, puts your entire body in danger of a variety of health issues. The hazards of smoking extend to your veins as well. Cigarette smoke contains chemicals that cause your blood to thicken and lose oxygen, slowing your blood flow. When you combine this with the fact that nicotine in cigarettes hardens your arteries, you’re looking at a high risk of major blood clots. So, hurl the cigarette out the window, and your veins will thank you.
Don’t Eat or Drink a Lot of Sugar
Sugar has several negative effects on your body, one of which is the health of your veins. The more sugar you consume, the more lipoprotein your body creates, which can cling to the insides of your blood vessels. And this is a severe issue for your veins.
Plaque buildup on your blood vessel walls causes vein troubles as well as a variety of other concerns (including high cholesterol). You should avoid eating or drinking too much sugar and drink plenty of water to maintain healthy, blood clot-free blood vessels.
Don’t Sit for Long Periods of Time
We will conduct a quick refresher in case you missed our post about the dangers of sitting. Sitting or standing for lengthy periods can be detrimental to your overall health, particularly your veins.
Here are some of the issues that a sedentary lifestyle might cause:
- One hour of exercise will not be enough to reverse the effects of sitting. Regardless of how strenuous your workout is, you should get up and move around at least every 90 minutes. One hour on the treadmill will not compensate for the 12 hours you’ve spent sitting.
- Sitting increases your chance of developing ailments like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. People who sit for long periods without adjusting their caloric intake are at significant risk of developing insulin resistance.
- Sitting causes premature death. The majority of people who spend a lot of time sitting are more likely to die young.
- Sitting burns fewer calories. Low-energy activities such as sitting or lying down do not require much energy, and as a result, keep your daily calorie burn to a minimum.
- Habitual sitting means greater chances of weight gain. The more you sit, the less you are mobile, which means you’re at a higher risk of becoming overweight and possibly even obese.
Don’t Over-Expose Yourself to Heat
We all know that nothing beats basking in the Nashville sun in the summer, yet these activities do not support healthy veins. Heat, especially from a bath or a hot tub, can cause vein enlargement and blood pooling over time. Heat can lead to venous insufficiency and blood clots if over-exposed frequently.
Don’t Be Embarrassed to Seek Help
30% of people develop vein issues, and here at The Vein Centre we have helped thousands of people. We can help answer questions and seek any solutions to what you need or want. Learn more about how The Vein Centre in Belle Meade and Mt. Juliet, TN.
