Varicose veins are bulging blue veins on the legs that can cause leg swelling, skin blackening and even open wounds called ulcers. It is commonly seen in people aged 35 and above who have to stand a lot. Here are a few tips to prevent these:

1. Avoid standing for long periods: standing for long periods of time causes blood to pool in your leg veins and they begin to bulge out like a balloon. Avoid standing desks at your work. If you have to stand, take a 5-minute break every hour and walk around or sit down.

2. Keep weight in check: overweight people have a higher incidence of varicose veins. Keeping your weight in check would also prevent varicose veins.

3. Exercise 30 minutes a day: exercise, especially brisk walking or jogging, will get the blood in your leg veins to circulate and thus prevent varicose veins.

4. Take the stairs: this simple exercise activates your calf muscles and gets blood to circulate in your veins.

5. Be vigilant: calf cramps, swelling, change in colour of skin over foot and open wounds over the feet are a few signs that you need to look out for. Seek medical help to prevent worsening of this disease.

Follow these simple steps and you would be able to prevent varicose veins and have healthy feet.


5 Tips To Prevent Varicose Veins and Varicose Ulcers

Varicose Veins is a condition in which an individual s veins become swollen and warped or twisted, which is visible on the skin. This condition most often is prevalent in the legs but can occur in any part of the body. Varicose Veins is a common medical condition with a few symptoms and signs. It affects the skin tone and texture for which some people undergo a treatment.  

These symptoms might not affect the person seriously, but they can get severe depending upon different conditions. Usually, Varicose Veins does not require medical treatment, but if it gets severe, then one needs to see the doctor or undergo surgery, which happens rarely. This condition can be easily diagnosed through physical examinations, but one might need to undergo some medical tests depending upon the severity of the condition.

Problems Related to Varicose Veins:

Some of the most common problems related to Varicose Veins are:

Telangiectasias: In this condition, blood vessels form a cluster, mostly on the upper body and face. They appear red and can be caused by many reasons such as genetic disarray, liver problems, pregnancy, or viral diseases. Although this is not something to worry about, one should consult the doctor if other symptoms accompany it too.

Spider Veins: This condition of Spider Veins is concerned with the smallest blood vessels called Capillaries. They are called spider veins because they develop mostly on legs and face and appear like a spider web. They are a moderate form of telangiectasias and hence does not really need medical treatment.

Varicoceles: Varicoceles appears in the scrotum region of the male body or over the testicle skin. This condition might result in infertility in males. A doctor should be immediately consulted if such a condition is seen.

Symptoms:

The Varicose Veins is not a serious medical problem unless the patient is going through severe pain and significantly manifested symptoms. There are many symptoms to identify the condition.

A visible cluster of blue or purple looking veins.

Frequent leg cramps.

Shrinking of skin of the ankle as a result of Lipodermatosclerosis (hardening of fat under the ankle skin).

Veins become tumefy or swollen and warped or twisted.

Ankles become swollen.

Throbbing legs.

Blood clots.

An unusual amount of bleeding in the affected part with a small injury.

Restless leg syndrome.

Scars like white, irregular patches on the ankle (Atrophie Blanche).

Redness, itchiness, and dryness on the affected area (stasis dermatitis or venous eczema).

Skin Discoloration.

Skin ulcers.

Precautions:

There are some precautions that one can take to relieve the pain caused by Varicose Veins.

Avoid standing for a longer period of time.

Maintain a healthy and balanced weight.

Sitting with legs straight and uncrossed.

Exercising.

Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes.

Elevating legs while relaxing.

Take away:

Varicose Veins is a condition in which blood vessels get clustered in a part of the body under the skin. The veins appear blue or purple and become swollen and twisted. This condition is often not a serious medical problem, but in some cases, it might need surgery to avoid any serious issue. This can be treated by precautions and medications, but one can undergo surgery to get rid of the texture and view of the clustered veins. The recovery of Varicose Veins is quicker.

Varicose Veins - What You Must Be Aware About?

Hypertension or increased blood pressure is one of the modern lifestyle diseases. The changing lifestyles including altered dietary habits and lack of physical activity are the main reasons for the high incidence of hypertension. With this, it brings a host of complications including other chronic diseases like diabetes, kidney failure, risks of stroke and heart attacks.

Alternative medicine proposes quite a number of remedies in addition to just increased physical activity. Read on to know more about how you can eat healthier and control your blood pressure.

Eat walnuts: As most books and media depict, heart disease is directly related to physical reaction towards stress. Regular eating of walnuts helps control this response, thereby controlling blood pressure. It is also a great source of antioxidants and fibre, which adds to its heart-healthy features.

Load up on minerals: Eating a diet rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium is extremely beneficial for the heart. Sweet potatoes, bananas, dry fruits, dairy products, etc., have shown to reduce blood pressure extremely well in various experiments.

Avoid salt: While the natural sea salt is almost out of use, most of us have switched to the processed variety, which is devoid of all minerals. This is one of the major contributors for increased blood pressure. Studies have shown that reducing salt intake helps in a big way in controlling blood pressure. Most of us are also used to adding extra salt so the food tastes better. This should be avoided. With increased consumption of processed food items, everything from bread to cookies to cheese has salt, which also should be reduced, and if possible, avoided.

Have a colourful meal: Load up your plate with peppers, berries, dry fruits, and organic fruits and vegetables. Pomegranate juice is believed to control angiotensin, converting enzyme, which is responsible for controlling hypertension. They are also rich in antioxidants and help control blood pressure by reducing inflammation.

Know your cholesterol: While cholesterol is generally used with a negative connotation, it is not always true. There is good and bad cholesterol and the bad one should be avoided. Watch out for labels, and ensure you are eating less of the bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol is required for the production of hormones and proper functioning of the body.

Watch your medicines: While it is easy to just pop an ibuprofen when there is a headache or a back ache, it is advisable to watch out. These are best avoided in the long run, as they can induce hypertension and induce heart disease.

In addition, meditation, relaxation, green tea, dark chocolate, red wine, music, and quitting smoking are also shown to be helpful in controlling blood pressure.

Successful Tips To Control Blood Pressure

Blood pressure readings above 140/90 are classified as hypertension or high blood pressure. Hypertension causes straining of blood vessels and an interruption in the blood flow. There are no specific symptoms, but prolonged hypertension can lead to a heart stroke.

Listed below are a few ways to reduce high blood pressure:

Limit your salt intake: The sodium content in salt disrupts the balance of fluids in your body, leading to high blood pressure. To avert hypertension, cut down on your daily salt intake to a maximum of one tablespoon.
Indulge in physical exercise: If you are suffering from pre-hypertension (mild hypertension), it can be avoided or controlled by engaging in physical exercise such as brisk walk, swimming or playing a sport. Exercising regularly can lower blood pressure levels by 5 mmHg (millimetres of mercury).
Bask in the sun: Exposure to sunlight alters the nitric oxide levels in your blood which leads to reduction in blood pressure. Thus, soaking up the sun can prove to be a great way to avoid a stroke in future.
Add ginger and cardamom to your diet: The two spices, ginger and cardamom, provide required warmth to your body and help in stabilising the circulation of blood in your body and help in bringing down blood pressure levels.
Add more green vegetables to your diet: Green vegetables, preferably the leafy ones, are rich in nutrients such as magnesium, iron and folate which help in maintaining the blood circulation that is essential for combating high blood pressure.
Switch to decaf coffee: If you can t give up coffee entirely, switch to decaf beverages as caffeine is responsible for tightening your blood vessels which leads to increased stress and blood pressure levels.
Start drinking tea: Herbals teas such as chamomile, ginger, green tea and hibiscus tea contain herbal properties which soothe your blood vessels and nourish the blood flow. Herbal teas also help in hydration and rejuvenation of fluids in your body.
Update your playlist: Music is proven to be therapeutic and updating your playlist with soothing Sufi, Celtic or Instrumental tunes can help you relax your mind and combat stress related blood pressure spikes.

High Blood Pressure - 8 Ways You Can Control it At Home!

The heart may sometimes face excessive fluttering or a throbbing sensation, which may make you feel uncomfortable. Such sudden throbbing sensations resulting in discomfort are called 'palpitations'. Homeopathy has some great remedies depending on the cause of these problems.

Let s have a look at these:

Palpitations caused by anxiety: This is one of the top causes for palpitations which occur before sitting for an exam, interview or before important events of your life. However, they may tend to stay longer and it is advisable that you control them with the use of Aconite or Arsenic Album.
Palpitations caused by Physical exertion: If you have a weakened heart or if you smoke and thus tend to feel a lot of exertion even with the slightest of physical efforts, then Spigelia, Iberis and Digitalis are good medications. Digitalis is especially good for palpitations caused by the slightest of movements, while spigelia is very good with palpitations that cause arm pain as well.
Anemia: Anemia or the lack of red blood cells can be very dangerous for your health as it can damage your vital organs. It can also cause palpitations along with other symptoms such as paleness, lack of strength and drowsiness. Natrum Mur and Ferrum Met are two of the most effective remedies in such cases.
Use of tobacco products: Another reason for palpitations developing is the use of tobacco products, such as cigarettes or chewing tobacco. In such cases, palpitations may occur even with the slightest of exertions or at rest. Medications effective in such situations are Kalmia, Tabacum and Convallaria. These variations may be required depending on the types of symptoms you may show such as a quick heart rate or a slow heart rate.
A palpitation caused by hyperthyroidism: Excessive secretion of thyroid is called hyperthyroidism and can cause a host of problems within the body including palpitation. Iodum and Spongia are two excellent medications in treating variations of palpitations caused by an over active thyroid gland.
Palpitations caused by acidity or gastric problems: This is possibly the most common cause for palpitations and Lycopodium as well as Abies Can are two very effective homeopathic medications, which can easily remedy the situation, depending on the type of problems you are having.

Palpitations - How Homeopathic Remedies Can Help You Manage Them?

High blood pressure, which is often a result of hypertension, is the leading risk factor for a stroke, which in turn leads to severe and long-term disability, including death. Managing your blood-sugar levels is the most critical thing you can do to lessen your risk of a stroke, and you should leave no stone unturned in keeping your blood pressure at optimum levels.

What causes a stroke

A stroke, which is often referred to as a brain attack, takes place when the supply of blood to a particular region of the brain is cut off. The brain cells which are deprived of the oxygen and glucose die, and when the ailment is not caught early, a permanent damage to the brain can follow.

How is high blood pressure related to a stroke

Uncontrolled blood pressure levels can increase the risk of a stroke by about four to six times. With the passage of time, hypertension causes atherosclerosis as well as hardening of major arteries. This often results in blockages of small blood vessels present in the brain. With high blood pressure for a long period of time, the blood vessels of the brain become weak and burst. This way the risk of a stroke is directly related to the high levels of blood pressure.

 What can you do to keep your blood pressure under control

There is a  lot you can do to keep the chance of a stroke at bay. But the first thing you should try doing is keeping your blood pressure level normal. Some simple lifestyle changes can help you to lead a risk-free life and therefore, you should first aim at shedding off those extra pounds along your waistline.

In general, a man with a waistline measuring over 40 inches and a woman with that over 35 inches is at a higher risk of suffering from high blood pressure as well as a stroke. You should exercise regularly for at least half an hour and eat a well-regulated diet loaded with fibre, proteins, potassium and Omega-3 fatty acids. Stay away from junk food and maintain a food diary where you can jot down your honest food habits.

It is very important to lower down your high blood pressure in order to avoid risks of stroke. But if you fail to do so even after following a healthy routine, then it is crucial to consult a doctor who can help you by prescribing medications that are right for your medical condition.

Stroke Due to Hypertension - What Should be done About it?

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