Varicose Veins

What are varicose veins?

Symptoms of varicose veins

Causes of varicose veins

Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for varicose veins

References

What are varicose veins?

Varicose veins are bluish, lumpy, distorted, enlarged veins with a knotted look that bulge beneath the skin. They most commonly develop inside the leg, on the back of the calf, or around the ankles. They mostly appear in the legs and feet though any vein can be affected.

Varicose veins are caused by faulty valves in the veins, loss of elasticity in the veins, and weakened vein walls. This lets deoxygenated (blue) blood pool and visibly enlarge the veins.

Standing or sitting upright for long periods puts greater pressure on the circulatory system of the lower body, and the veins in the leg must work against gravity to return blood to the heart.

Varicose veins often occur together with spider veins. Spider veins are sprawling web-like veins just beneath the skin, usually occurring on the thighs, face, neck or upper arms. While being unsightly, they are usually harmless. People want to treat them for cosmetic reasons, and home remedies have results similar to more expensive and invasive doctor's treatments.

Symptoms of varicose veins

• Visible symptoms, described above.
• The ankles can swell (oedema), the legs may feel heavy.
• The skin over the veins can be dry and itchy.
• Varicose veins and spider veins are normally just a cosmetic issue, being unattractive and visible, possibly affecting how you see yourself and the way you dress. However if varicose veins are large and inhibiting blood circulation, they can increase the risk of blood clots forming deep in the leg (deep vein thrombosis or DVT).

Causes of varicose veins

• Lack of daily walking. Walking boosts circulation in the legs and exercises the malfunctioning vein valves. With less effective valves, walking may not return blood to the heart as effectively as it should.
• Standing for long periods. If you cannot avoid standing, such as at work, then flex your calf muscles and wiggle your toes every few minutes.
• Sitting for long periods. Inactivity. Get up every half hour and walk around.
• Crossing your legs. Do not cross your legs when you sit, as it restricts blood flow.
• Lack of fresh vegetables and fruit, replaced by a processed food diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates like bread, cake, jams, breakfast cereal, pastry, sweets etc.
• Constipation and straining in the toilet.
• Pregnancy is also a possible cause of varicose veins as there is an increase in the volume of blood and an increased pressure of the uterus on the lower body.
• Obesity or being overweight.
• Genetic - more common in women and runs in families.

Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for varicose veins

If you use any remedies from Grow Youthful, please come back next week (or whenever you have an outcome) and let us know about your experience. Please leave a comment as many people are interested.

See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.

• Citrus bioflavonoids. Blend a small lemon or lime with a cup of water. Wash it first if there is any chance it was sprayed with chemicals. Blend the whole fruit with a cup or more of water, including the pith, rind and seeds. If suffering from severe haemorrhoids or varicose veins, for example, drink this twice or even three times per day. As the ailment heals, reduce to once per day. In good health, a maintenance dose is once per week. (1, 2, 3, 4)
• Inclined bed therapy. This costs nothing, has no side effects except good ones, and is often miraculously effective. Why wouldn't you try it?
• Walking. At least half an hour of walking every day. Keep moving. Do not stand or sit still for long periods.
• Apple cider vinegar.
• Diet. A no sugar diet with sufficient saturated fats and vegetables. See the Grow Youthful diet.
• Sufficient hydration. If your pee is a dark yellow or brown colour and has a strong smell, you may not be drinking enough water. Ideally, it is a light straw colour. If it has little colour or smell, you are probably drinking too much water.
• Taurine for varicose veins.
• Horse chestnut.

References

1. Huwait E, Mobashir M. Potential and Therapeutic Roles of Diosmin in Human Diseases. Biomedicines. 2022 May 6;10(5):1076. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10051076. PMID: 35625813; PMCID: PMC9138579.

2. Corsale I, Carrieri P, Martellucci J, Piccolomini A, Verre L, Rigutini M, Panicucci S. Flavonoid mixture (diosmin, troxerutin, rutin, hesperidin, quercetin) in the treatment of I-III degree hemorroidal disease: a double-blind multicenter prospective comparative study. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2018 Nov;33(11):1595-1600. doi: 10.1007/s00384-018-3102-y. Epub 2018 Jun 22. PMID: 29934701.

3. Giannini I, Amato A, Basso L, Tricomi N, Marranci M, Pecorella G, Tafuri S, Pennisi D, Altomare DF. Flavonoids mixture (diosmin, troxerutin, hesperidin) in the treatment of acute hemorrhoidal disease: a prospective, randomized, triple-blind, controlled trial. Tech Coloproctol. 2015 Jun;19(6):339-45. doi: 10.1007/s10151-015-1302-9. Epub 2015 Apr 19. Erratum in: Tech Coloproctol. 2015 Oct;19(10):665-6. PMID: 25893991.

4. Li C, Schluesener H. Health-promoting effects of the citrus flavanone hesperidin. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Feb 11;57(3):613-631. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2014.906382. PMID: 25675136.