It’s no secret that a healthy diet is the foundation for a healthy life. When you fuel your body properly, it responds by looking and feeling better. There’s a lot of good information out there about helping you choose better foods - more fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and an appropriate amount of calories. But it’s admittedly hard...especially when there are so many great-tasting unhealthy foods to enjoy. How big of a deal is it, really? What exactly is the connection between what you eat and your vein health and why should you care?
But I Love My Carbs!
Carbs are an American dietary mainstay. We love our white flour, white bread, white rice, pastries, sodas, snacks, pasta, sweets, breakfast cereals...and sweet tea! There are two types of carbs to know about: sugar and refined grain. Refined grains (bread, pasta, baked goods, cereals) are processed and stripped of their basic nutritional value, so eating them offers your body almost zero health benefit. They are then broken down in your stomach very quickly and the result is a spike in blood sugar and insulin. In a few hours, your blood sugar drops back off and you end up feeling hungry again. This up-and-down cycle causes overeating with almost no nutritional value to show for it. Your body responds by feeling tired.
Obesity is the Real Enemy of Your Veins
An increasing percentage of the population suffers from both obesity and a lower leg vein condition. The added pressure of abdominal weight on a person’s veins stresses vein valves, causing blood to pool in the legs. The extra weight will also make an existing vein condition worse. Additionally, varicose veins and spider veins can be hidden behind a layer of excess fat, making people think they don’t have a vein condition when they really do.
The Catch-22
It’s a vicious cycle. Because of a vein condition, you’re tired and uncomfortable and don’t feel like exercising. Your diet isn’t giving you the energy you need and is, in fact, causing more fatigue. The lack of calorie-burning exercise causes you to gain weight, while the weight gain makes the vein condition worse.
So what can you do?
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Rule out an underlying vein condition.
A free screening will reveal the hidden problem and a treatment plan will provide a solution. It is possible to have a vein condition and never have any of the more common visible signs like varicose veins or spider veins. Many people have a vein condition and don't realize it.
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Get serious about your diet.
Stay away from fad diets, diet pills, and get-thin-overnight schemes. Cut out the carbs and fuel your body with a healthy amount of the right foods. Stay away from refined sugar and processed foods. Choose a healthy balance of fruit, vegetables, dairy, and protein.
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Stay hydrated with water.
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day has numerous health benefits according to the Centers for Disease Control. Perhaps the most important one regarding vein health is that water encourages the proper digestion of food. This can help you avoid gaining excess weight that puts too much pressure on your veins. -
Stay active.
A sedentary lifestyle will undermine all your efforts to stay healthy. Make it a point to be as active as possible by choosing activities that will get you up and moving around.
Be Patient with Yourself as You Make Dietary Changes
To promote vein health, it's important to eat a balanced diet that is rich in whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and foods that are high in sodium and unhealthy fats. Additionally, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water and staying active can also help promote healthy veins.
If reading the above suggestions feels overwhelming because implementing them would be a huge change to your diet, take heart. Change typically doesn’t happen overnight. Set goals daily and try to be healthier one day at a time. Always remember that any change is better than doing nothing.
