Minerals & Vitamins Help Heal or Thwart Varicose Veins

http://www.stjohnsvein.com/minerals-vitamins-help-heal-or-thwart-varicose-veins/

As with most any medical condition, nutrition can assist your body in healing or even avoiding varicose veins, St. Johns Vein Center says.

“A basic healthy diet, plus certain vitamin and mineral supplements can help strengthen the walls of your veins,” says Dr. James St. George. “And vein wall strength is a major factor in whether and to what extent varicose veins form.”

Varicose and spider veins form when weak or damaged blood vein valves fail, causing blood that should be pumping upwards to the heart to fall backwards into the lower leg. Blood pools inside the veins, causing them to stretch, bulge and show through the skin’s surface.

1) Be sure to get your minerals & vitamins in your diet
To help strengthen your vein walls and keep blood pumping effectively, adopt a healthy diet rich in vitamins C, E, B6 and B12, plus copper, fiber and bioflavonoids.

2) Vitamin C helps to repair and maintain veins
Vitamin C helps the body manufacture connective tissues collagen and elastin, both of which the body uses to repair and maintain veins, keeping them strong and flexible. Vitamin E helps prevent blood clots by keeping platelets from sticking together and adhering to the sides of blood vessel walls. Vitamins B6 and B12 also help clear the blood of homocysteine, which has been linked to recurring blood clots.

3) Copper helps protect blood vessels
Copper, a trace mineral found in shellfish, lean red meat, whole grains, nuts and seeds, is essential in building and repairing endothelial cells, the smooth protective cells that line the insides of blood vessels. It’s used in the body to knit together collagen and elastin and appears to help protect blood vessels against microscopic tears and rough spots that can lead to blood clots and plaque-filled veins. Bioflavonoids are found in deep-colored berries like blueberries, blackberries and cherries and may help keep capillaries from breaking down and forming spider veins.

4) Fiber can reduce stress in your veins
A fiber-rich diet will help you avoid constipation, which can create pressure in your abdomen and block the flow of blood back to your legs, weakening vein walls over time. Cutting out salt helps, too. Too much salt will cause your legs to swell, placing added stress on your veins.

If you have varicose veins, spider veins or other vein issues, St. Johns Vein Center can help.

Visit our website at stjohnsvein.com to learn more, schedule a consultation or take an online personal vein assessment.
http://www.stjohnsvein.com/personal-vein-health-assessment/

Source: Minerals & Vitamins Help Heal or Thwart Varicose Veins