Tips for Keeping Your Veins Healthy & Your Legs Feeling Great
Taking care of your veins is a big deal when it comes to your overall health. By following these tips and talking to an experienced vein specialist, you can keep your veins healthy and have a more comfortable, active life.
The health of our veins plays a huge role in keeping our blood flowing smoothly. Good circulation keeps every organ of the body functioning properly. If the tiny valves in our leg veins become weak and can no longer push blood back to the heart, blood pools in the lower extremities (the bottom part of the leg between the knee and the foot), causing pain, swelling, itching, cramping, skin discoloration, discolored skin (often near the ankle), and other leg problems.
Don’t feel as if you did something wrong if you have symptoms of poor circulation and venous disease (high pressure in the veins, also known as vein disease). Vein disease is quite common, with more than 25 million people in the United States having the disorder, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). Factors like age, how we live, and family history can cause chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which is a form of venous disease that happens when veins in your legs are damaged.
The good news is that there are things you can do to take care of our veins to keep them healthy and working as they should. In this article, we'll look at ten important things you can do to help you maintain healthy veins—as well as treatments that can help if you develop CVI.
How to get (a keep!) your legs healthy
Having healthy legs is crucial for overall well-being. Proper leg health ensures efficient blood circulation, lowering the chances of varicose veins and other vascular issues. Strong legs support mobility, reduce the risk of injuries, and improve balance.
The following are tips to take the best possible of your legs and achieve a higher quality of life:
Start Moving and Stay Active
Regular exercise is very important for vein health. Activities such as walking, swimming, or riding a bike help your blood move better, which stops it from pooling and causing vein problems. Try to do at least 30 minutes of exercise most days.
Achieve a Healthy Weight
Weighing more than what the body mass index (BMI) suggests is your ideal weight can be tough on your veins. The Centers for Disease Control says that even modest weight loss can reduce your risk of chronic diseases like CVI. Further, people who lose weight slowly and gradually (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more likely to keep weight off than people who lose weight quickly.
Eating more vein-healthy foods, like fruits, veggies, and lean proteins, and fewer processed foods, such as French fries, chips, and sugary sodas, can help you manage your weight and keep your veins (as well as your heart and joints!) happy.
Avoid Prolonged Sitting or Standing
Sitting or standing too long can contribute to poor blood circulation in the legs, which could lead to CVI. If your job requires long periods of sitting or standing, take regular breaks to stretch, walk around, or perform leg exercises to improve blood flow.
Elevate Your Legs Often
If you do have to stand or sit a lot for work or any other reason, give your veins a break by lifting your legs up above your heart for a little while several times each day. This helps blood flow back to your heart and keeps swelling down.
Quit Smoking NOW
Smoking damages blood vessels and impairs blood circulation, harming vein health. If you smoke, seek support to quit smoking and improve your overall vascular health. For example, The American Lung Association has helped one million people quit for good through their Freedom From Smoking® program.
Wear Compression Stockings
Wearing special stockings that put gentle pressure on your legs can be helpful for varicose veins and spider veins. Ask your CVR vein doctor for advice on which compression socks are best for you.
Understand Your Treatment Options
If you're worried about your veins, have varicose or spider veins, or if your legs are causing you general discomfort, talk to a vein specialist to learn about the different treatment options available today.
At Center for Vein Restoration (CVR), all vein treatment is minimally invasive, performed in a comfortable office setting, and let you get back to you normal routine quickly with few restrictions.
- Varicose vein treatments
Varicose veins can be big and bumpy and might not look or feel good. Luckily CVR offers varicose vein treatments such as laser ablation and sclerotherapy that can help you feel better fast. These treatments are safe, effective, and often covered by insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
- Spider vein treatments
Spider veins are smaller and look like tiny spider webs on your skin. Speak to your CVR physician about a treatment called sclerotherapy that can successfully make them fade away over time.
How to Deal with Chronic Venous Insufficiency
CVI is a bigger problem with your veins, but don't worry; there are things you can do to manage it. Your Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) vein specialist might suggest some changes to your lifestyle (for example, don't smoke, don’t drink too much alcohol, and take care of any other health issues you might such as being overweight), or to have an outpatient vein treatment to help you feel better.
At CVR, your experienced vein doctor will first talk with you about your symptoms and examine your legs for signs of swelling, varicose veins, and leg ulcers. You will then have a duplex ultrasound which is a painless test that uses sound waves to “see” your blood flowing through blood vessels in the legs. Based on the results of your examination and ultrasound, your vein specialist will discuss treatment options to help you stay healthy.
To schedule an appointment at one of CVR’s 100+ vein clinic locations, call 240-965-3915 or SCHEDULE ONLINE HERE. Most insurance covers vein treatment, including Medicare and Medicaid.