VARICOSE VEINS
WITH EACH BEAT, your heart sends oxygen-rich blood coursing through your arteries to all parts of your body. Once the oxygen is used up, the blood must return to your lungs for replenishing. It makes the return trip via flexible yet delicate veins, whose surrounding muscles contract to move the blood along.
The veins in your legs must work against gravity to push great volumes of blood back to your heart. A series of valves stops the blood from flowing backwards, but the weight of the blood, along with other factors, can cause the valves to malfunction. When the blood flows backwards, it stretches the veins, especially if they are already weakened by poor circulatory health.
This process is what produces those bulging, blue varicose veins, which appear most often on the legs. You are more likely to develop varicose veins if you sit or stand for long periods. Changing position frequently and exercising helps prevent them.
Varicose veins are very common. They tend to run in families, and they affect women more than men. Haemorrhoids are a specific type of varicose vein; if you have them, you may have the conditions that cause varicose veins to develop in your legs.
The symptoms of varicose veins vary. They can make your legs
feel tired, achy and hot; yet some women don't feel them at all. Small, superficial
varicose veins, called spider veins, rarely produce symptoms. The larger
veins that lie near the surface of the leg are unattractive but pose little
risk.
Varicose veins deep in the leg can cause serious trouble. When the veins
are weak, fluids can leak through the porous vein walls. Eventually, the
vein can burst and create slow-healing ulcers just under the skin. Or blood
clots may form; if a clot breaks loose, it can travel to the lungs and cause
serious, potentially life-threatening problems.
DRUG TREATMENT
Doctors most often recommend surgery to remove the weakest veins. Another
treatment, sclerotherapy, involves injecting a salt solution into the vein.
It makes a clot that pinches off the vein, damaging and destroying it. Compression
bandages are then wrapped around the leg from the toes up to the injection
site and left in place for at least three weeks. There is no known drug therapy
that cures varicose veins.
HERBAL REMEDIES
Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of horse chestnut extract
in reducing varicose veins and relieving the itching and pain such veins
can produce. In one three-month study horse chestnut extract improved the
condition as effectively as the combination of a diuretic medication and
compression stockings. How does the herb work? A compound in horse chestnut
effectively seals off tiny openings in bloodvessel walls. Typical dosage:
30 to 150 milligrams per day of commercial extract; you can also find topical
horse chestnut creams in many health food stores. Caution: don't try to make
your own products; the crude herb can be toxic. Use only manufactured extracts.
Butcher's
Broom (Ruscus aculeatus)
Compounds in this well-known medicinal herb inhibit inflammation and constrict
the blood vessels. The herb is also high in vitamin C and other compounds
that tone vein walls. Typical dosage: 20 to 40 drops of tincture two or three
times per day; or 2 to 3 cups of tea per day (steep 1 teaspoon of dried herb
in 1/4 litre of water for 10 to 15 minutes); or two to three 500milligram
capsules with a little water two or three times per day. You can also purchase
butcher's broom in a formula that combines it with other herbs. Take these
formulas according to the manufacturer's directions.
Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
The leaves, flowers and fruits of this plant
are wonderful for strengthening and protecting the whole cardiovascular system.
Studies show that its combination of antioxidant compounds helps lower blood
pressure and prevent clotting. Hawthorn can be taken as a tea, tincture or
standardised extract; the berries, or the leaves and flowers,
or all three parts are used. Typical dosage: up to nine 500- to 600-milligram
capsules per day; or up to 3 cups of tea per day (steep 1 teaspoon of dried
berries in 1/4 litre of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes); or 10 to 30 drops
of tincture up to three times per day. Caution: if you are taking any digitalis-
or digoxin-based drugs, consult your doctor before using hawthorn or products
that contain it.
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
Traditionally used for memory improvement and stress reduction, gotu kola
strengthens connective tissue and the integrity of the protective sheath
around the veins. Studies show that the herb effectively relieves weak veins
and foot and ankle swelling. Typical dosage: up to eight 400to 500-milligram
capsules per day; or up to 3 cups of tea per day (steep 1 teaspoon of dried
herb in 1/4 litre of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes); or 20 to 40 drops of
tincture up to two times per day.
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Compounds in ginkgo help increase blood flow to the brain, peripheral arteries
and heart. Ginkgo's antioxidant properties make it a fine heart tonic as
well. Numerous clinical trials have been performed with standardised ginkgo
extract since 1985; they show that ginkgo not only improves circulation
but also protects blood vessels, preventing abnormal leaking from tiny
veins. Some research suggests that ginkgo may reduce the risk of abnormal
clotting, a major factor in heart attacks and stroke. Typical dosage: 3
capsules, each containing at least 40 milligrams of standardised extract,
per day. Caution: rarely, people who take ginkgo may experience gastrointestinal
upset, headaches or skin allergies as a result.
TWO VEIN FOODS:
BROMELAIN AND BUCKWHEAT
Bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple, is recommended for many heart
and circulatory conditions. You can simply treat yourself to fresh pineapple
several times a week, or take bromelain as a supplement. Typical dosage:
500 milligrams twice per day between meals.
If you're focusing on the health of your circulatory system, you'll certainly want to eat a balanced diet with lots of fibre-rich beans, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Be sure to give buckwheat a try; it not only has plenty of fibre but also is loaded with the healthy flavonoid rutin, which can strengthen blood-vessel walls. You can find rutin in supplement form, sometimes combined with other bioflavonoids. Aim for a daily dosage of 500 milligrams of total bioflavonoids. If you like green tea, it's another good source of bioflavonoids. Try to drink two to three cups per day.
Another set of nutrients to emphasise is the anthocyanidins. These colourants give bilberries, blueberries, purple grapes and many other fruits and vegetables their deep colouring. Anthocyanidins protect blood-vessel walls and prevent leakage. They strengthen the connective tissue that supports blood vessels. Anthocyanidins are available in pill form. Proanthocyanidins, derived from either grapeseed or pine bark, have similar properties and are available in supplement form. Typical dosage: 150 milligrams of proanthocyanidins per day.
