Are you quite bothered by the blood vessels that show on your legs and feet? The formation of those varicose veins is a tell-tale sign of poor blood circulation that may be caused by lack of movement, irregular exercise, constricting veins, as well as obesity.
How Varicose Veins Form
The human heart pumps blood to our entire body system. And good blood circulation means having the heart pump fresh clean blood to every single blood vessel as another batch of blood which has circulated through our body returns. However, blood that has been pumped right down our feet – the limbs farthest from our heart – may find it difficult to return as it contends with gravity and low blood pressure, among several other factors; thus, the formation of varicose veins.
Causes of Varicose Veins
Sitting for long periods of time, for example, can cause varicose veins. The lack of movement and immobility of your legs and feet when you sit for long periods of time prevent muscles from providing sufficient pressure to the blood vessels, and thus, not allowing to facilitate better blood flow. This causes the blood vessels in the legs and feet to expand as blood accumulates.
The same is also true for those who work as sales clerks or are involved in professions that require them to stand up all day. Aside from gravity helping our heart pump blood to our lower extremities, it is also our body’s natural tendency to pump more blood to parts of the body that are most used and tired. But the same blood that has been pumped down to our feet with ease now does not have gravity on its side when making its way back to our heart. This is the reason why those who stand up the entire day tend to develop varicose veins.
How to Prevent Formation of Varicose Veins
Exercise and movement is necessary in avoiding the formation of varicose veins. Those who sit all day in the office should take time out to stand and walk around once in a while to help blood circulation in the feet.
At the end of the day, relax tired feet by putting them up at a level higher than the heart. This will help blood to flow back and reduce the blood pressure being exerted to the vessels in our feet and legs. It also helps to massage our feet regularly as this encourages good blood flow.
Women who tend to develop varicose veins easily should avoid wearing heels that are more than two and a half to three inches high.
