Happy 2014, Jacksonville! Hopefully, you’re off to a great start on choosing and keeping your New Year resolutions. If you’re like the tens of thousands of other Americans, you’ve got some pretty familiar goals on your list. And chances are these resolutions will help keep your legs healthy and smooth.
Healthier Choices Lead to Healthier Lives:
Invariably resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier and get clear complexions top annual lists. Keep them and you’ll enjoy a slimmer figure and gorgeous gams, says Dr. James St. George, vein specialist and founder of Jacksonville’s St. Johns Vein Center.
“Varicose veins and spider veins are not always preventable,” Dr. St. George says. “But you can significantly reduce your chances of developing them, or improve the appearance and alleviate discomfort of the ones you already have with a few simple lifestyle and nutritional changes. The New Year is a great time to make that commitment.”
Tips to Prevent a Trip to the Vein Clinic:
- Lose the extra pounds:
Excessive weight puts a real strain on your legs, which weakens the walls of your veins. As a result, the veins lose their elasticity, widen and cause the valves responsible for preventing the backflow of blood to separate. Blood continues to enter your veins, but with nowhere to go, it pools backward, causing veins to bulge. - Get moving:
Daily exercise that strengthens our legs and veins will help keep the blood pumping. So long as it’s on the move, blood won’t pool backwards and cause those tell-tale bulging veins. Walk, run, dance, swim or climb for increased strength and improved blood circulation. - Eat up:
But skip the fattening foods. Instead, load up on low-sodium, high-fiber choices that will help keep you maintain a healthy weight and avoid constipation, which can contribute to varicose and spider veins. Foods containing vitamins C, E, B6 and B12, or copper, fiber and bioflavonoids help keep the vein walls strong and keep blood pumping efficiently through the body. - Slather it on:
Never leave home without a good dousing of your skin with a high-SPF sunscreen. The sun’s powerful rays can weaken your skin’s upper layers, sapping moisture and diminishing elasticity. As a result, skin and veins just below the skin’s surface are unable to flex and move properly, and thus, unable to keep blood flowing. Plus, frequent exposure to high temperatures can cause blood vessels to expand, increasing stress on vein valves and causing blood to pool.
If you already have varicose veins or spider veins, Jacksonville’s St. Johns Vein Center can help restore your legs’ smooth, healthy look. Call 877-640-VEIN (8346) or use our convenient online form to schedule a consultation.
Read more about Vein Disease prevention in USCFHealth.org
