BarcelonaWhy do leg veins swell? Varicose veins appear when the veins lose their original wall structure and dilate. Depending on whether the veins are more superficial or less, varicose veins are noticeable, palpable, and can even change color. Doctor Jordi Mestres, member of the Catalan Society of Family and Community Medicine (CAMFiC), explains to the ARA some exercises and habits to have an active and healthy lifestyle and effectively prevent the appearance of varicose veins.
What are varicose veins and how can they be prevented?
Veins are the blood vessels that return blood from all parts of the body to the heart and have less rigid walls than arteries, which travel the opposite way, so it is more likely that, given some factors of risk, lose structure and expand. This is how varicose veins originate. The factors that predispose the appearance of these “bags on the skin” are “sedentary activity, heat, overweight and tobacco”, explains Mestres. And, “for biological reasons”, women are more predisposed than men to have them, explains the doctor. To prevent them, it is recommended to maintain a healthy lifestyle, that is to say, be physically active, shower with cold water, watch out for direct heat on the legs, avoid tight clothes and shoes and don’t smoke.
Recommended exercises to avoid varicose veins
“When the varicocele is formed, there is no going back,” says Mestres. To avoid them, it is important to go places on foot, since the contraction of the muscles helps to return the blood upwards. People who sit for a long time should stretch regularly, and even pretend to walk on air to move their legs from the chair. Also those who work rights, such as security guards or workers facing the public at fairs and congresses, should move whenever they can.
People who are more prone to varicose veins should elevate their legs when they are at home so that gravity helps the blood return. You can also gently massage the area where you have varicose veins, always from the bottom up and with any body cream, which Mestres recommends keeping in the fridge before applying.
Food and natural remedies to prevent varicose veins
Nutrition is essential in all aspects of health. That is why it is recommended to follow a healthy diet. Specifically, Mestres suggests following a Mediterranean diet, as well as avoiding foods rich in fat, ultra-processed, sugar and salt, as they “do not allow us to have good cardiovascular health”. Compression stockings sold in pharmacies are also effective, although they can be uncomfortable. Good hydration can help prevent varicose veins, so you need to drink water regularly. Of course, Mestres insists that the most important thing is to walk and be active.
How to improve circulation to avoid varicose veins
It should be borne in mind that varicose veins cannot be reversed, but you can “prevent them from progressing and dilating further”. Therefore, blood circulation should be taken care of. When they are not formed, you must keep a hydrated skin and watch the heating of the legs. In the summer, if you are in the habit of sunbathing, you must make sure that your legs do not get hot and, in the winter, avoid being close to the heat, as it dilates the veins. When varicose veins have already formed, it is important to exercise regularly.
You should also avoid blows and injuries to the area where the varicose veins have appeared, because they can develop into a wound, a hematoma or even rupture. When this happens, it causes pain and, in some cases, complications can appear, such as thrombosis, although Mestres explains that they occur in very specific cases.
