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Varicose veins - avoiding them
Any advice on how to avoid varicose veins in later life? The thought of being another year closer to getting them in later life scares me half to death.
One of the most effective natural remedies for damaged veins is made from the seeds of the horse chestnut tree which, as any schoolboy will tell you, are better known as conkers. A herbal extract made from these seeds is commonly given in Europe by doctors, as well as herbalists, to help prevent and to help treat both spider and varicose veins.
In Germany, for instance, researchers who measured how quickly blood could flow through already damaged veins reported that after six weeks of taking horse chestnut extract, the flow in patients with severe varicose veins returned to normal. These patients were taking 900mg of the herb and, as I have said before, if you want the same results, you need to take the same dosage.
The way the herb works is to disable certain enzymes which have been found in higher levels in the blood of varicose vein patients and which researchers believe work to destroy the wall of the vein.
Telltale signs of impending venous problems include a feeling of heaviness in the legs, cramping and water retention that causes a swelling of the ankles. (Leg cramping can also be a sign of a magnesium or potassium imbalance too, so check with your doctor). Horse chestnut is effective against all these symptoms and has now been deemed by doctors to be just as good as the more conventional treatment, which is to make patients wear ugly support stockings. You can use horse chestnut as a preventative step and if your job involves long hours of either standing or sitting, you should think about the risks since both postures put more pressure on the veins in your legs.
*Bioforce make an excellent Aesculus (horse chestnut) tincture, which costs £6.99 for 50ml. For stockists and details of a horse chestnut extract gel that you massage into the legs, call 01294-277344.