Best Nutritional Tips for Vein Health

Best Nutritional Tips for Vein Health

It’s a no brainer that eating healthy does a body good. And since the venous system is part of the body, veins can truly benefit from the vitamins and nutrients you take in through a good diet. If you want to prevent your body from developing a venous insufficiency, like varicose veins, there are certain diet choices you can make help your veins stay healthy.

By eating a proper diet for your specific needs, you can keep your body at a healthy weight and reduce water retention and bloating, which is essential in preventing the development of varicose veins. When you retain water or when you are overweight, you have excess pressure in the body on the leg veins, which can lead to varicose veins.

Here are the best diet tips to keep your veins healthy.

1. Eat fiber-rich foods.  A diet rich in fiber can relieve constipation in a person’s body. Unfortunately, constipation is common in many people. Not only is this condition uncomfortable, but it’s increasing pressure on veins and can contribute to the formation of varicose veins. Fiber helps make a person’s stool bulkier and softer so it passing through the intestines and colon easily without problems or too much pressure along the way. Some foods high in fiber include: berries, leafy greens, beans, broccoli, bran, oats, flaxseed, apples, and psyllium husk.
2. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Since you are eating a diet rich in fiber, you want to help flush out the body. Because too much fiber can actually cause the body to constipate [ate as well. Hydrating your body, in general, Is also important. When the body gets dehydrated, many parts of the body can start putting pressure on the vein walls as its harder for things to move around. Alcohol and coffee are known to dehydrate the body, so you may want to limit your intake of these to items to make sure your hydration is in check.
3. Eat foods with vitamin C and E. Both of these vitamins are correlated to vein health. Vitamin C helps with overall circulation and it contains connective tissues (collagen and elastin) that keep veins toned and strong. A deficiency in vitamin C has been correlated to varicose veins. Vitamin E helps fortify vein walls and promote healthy blood flow. When vitamin E and vitamin C are consumed together, vitamin E strengthens the effects of vitamin C. Foods rich in these vitamins include: citrus fruits, peppers, spinach, nuts, and sweet potato.
4. Eat Foods that Contain Bioflavonoids.  Bioflavonids (aka flavonoids) are super-antioxidants that are found in fruits and veggies. Bioflavonoids have been shown to reduce the appearance of varicose veins by strengthening vessel walls and preventing stress in the veins from free radicals. High-bioflavonoid foods include: strawberries, garlic, teas, citrus fruits, peppers, figs and buckwheat.

Changing up your diet and adding more of these nutrient-dense foods within it can help your veins stay as healthy as possible. However, your diet cannot solely prevent you from developing varicose veins, and it cannot rid the body of the varicose veins you currently have. It’s best to seek out proper treatment from a vein specialist in order to treat or remove your unhealthy veins. If you’d like more info or advice on how to manage your venous insufficiency, contact Dr. Zuzga of West Florida Vein Center at 727-712-3233 or click here.