Proper care of your legs can help reduce the symptoms of problem veins. Proper care can also slow the development of new vein problems. Self-care is the key to your comfort during pregnancy, and it is part of your aftercare for any type of treatment. Remember that any self-care you do can help. But the more you do, the better your results are likely to be. The following are some methods to help the prevention of vein disorders.
Weight Control
Being overweight increases our risk for a variety of health problems, from heart disease to cancer. While the specific links between obesity and vein diseases are not understood, some studies have shown a correlation between excessive weight and higher risk for vein diseases and their associated health problems.
One theory holds that the increasing body weight, characterized by increased amounts of body fat, exerts extra pressure on the circulatory system. This may be especially true in the pelvic area, where the veins from our legs re-enter the main body cavity. When these veins are compressed by extra body fat, it can increase the pressure on the valves within the upper veins of the leg, helping to lead to the failure of those valves and resulting in circulatory problems in our legs.
While weight loss is difficult for most of us to achieve, it is a goal worth working toward because of the many health benefits and decreased health risks that come with maintaining a proper weight.
Leg Elevation
Raising your legs allows gravity to help blood flow back to the heart. For the greatest benefit, raise your feet a few inches above your heart, two to three times a day for 15 minutes. If this is not practical, do as much as you can. Remember that any elevation can help.
Exercise
Staying active appears to be one of the best things that anyone can do to prevent or minimize vein disease. While the valves within the veins in our legs are one important element that helps prevent varicose veins and other vein problems in our legs, the muscles that surround our veins also play an important role.
As we walk or move our legs, the expanding and contracting of those muscles helps compress our veins and push the blood up our veins and back toward our hearts. When we sit or stand with little or no movement for extended periods of time, we are making our heart do almost all the work of returning our blood — against the pressure of gravity — from our legs to our upper bodies.
But when we are walking and moving our legs, the contractions of our muscles help in pushing the blood out of our legs. And having tight, fit leg muscles also helps to apply constant pressure to the veins in our legs, making it more difficult for them to become stretched and distended, which is what happens when we suffer from vein disease.
For anyone over the age of fifty or with existing health problems, it is almost always essential to discuss with your doctor the start of any new exercise program. In most cases, however, you will find that your physician will be very supportive of an increase in exercise, not only for the help it can provide in fighting vein disease but for the numerous other health benefits that come with being more active and staying physically fit.
Being active does not have to mean heading for the gym and pumping iron. For most of us, simply getting even small amounts of increase in physical activity in our lives will provide considerable benefits. Walking is one of the easiest and best things we all can do.
Health experts recommend, for maximum health benefit, about thirty minutes of physical activity most days of the week. A half-hour walk can actually be a pleasant activity and one that most of us can fit into our lives. But if you find you are too busy to do it all at once, there is just as much benefit in breaking it up into sections. Find three ten-minute periods to take a walk, and you’ll gain almost the same benefit as doing it all at once.
Clothing & Shoes
Try to avoid constrictive clothing and shoes with high heels as these could lead to vein disorders. Do not wear girdles, garters or socks that have tight elastic bands, or other tight clothing that restricts your circulation.
Smoking
Tobacco smoking narrows the blood vessels, further restricting blood supply to the skin. Therefore, avoid smoking.
Compression Hosiery
Quality compression hosiery can help in the prevention of vein problems by providing the support that assists the veins in the legs and helps keep them from becoming stretched and distended. While most people associate compression hosiery with seniors or those recovering from various medical procedures, the truth is that compression hosiery can be an important preventive in relation to vein diseases for virtually anyone.
Modern compression hosiery is now made out of materials and in styles that make it fashionable and attractive for anyone to wear. It can be especially important for someone who spends long hours either on his or her feet or sitting behind a desk. Modern jobs that keep us relatively stationary during the day tend to provide insufficient exercise for the muscles in our legs. The result is that the veins in our legs are under higher pressure all day, not having the benefit of the constant muscle contractions that come with large amounts of walking to help move the spent blood out of our legs. Top quality compression hosiery provides pressure to protect the veins in our legs and help overcome the problems that come with being forced to be inactive for most of the day.
While the exact causes of most forms of vein disease may still be a medical mystery, weight control, proper diet, sufficient exercise, and the assistance of compression hosiery can certainly help to minimize the risk of vein disease in your life.
