About 60 percent of people have varicose veins; they are more common in women. While varicose veins may sometimes cause symptoms such as pain and swelling, they are primarily a cosmetic concern for most.
The blue, gnarled appearance results from blood not being properly pumped back up towards the heart, and pooling in one spot.
If you are interested in natural strategies that may reduce the formation of new varicose veins, treat any symptoms you have, or improve the appearance of existing varicose veins, there are several that may be worth a shot. It is important to remember, however, that like conventional treatments, not every strategy will work for every person; it can also take awhile to see results, so be patient before giving up on a particular treatment.
Massage with Grape Seed Oil to Prevent Varicose Veins
If you do not like the idea of consuming grape seed extract, you can massage with the grape seed oil. OPC is found in grape seed oil too which give this oil its anti-inflammatory properties. Grape seed oil massage will also strengthen and repair damaged capillaries and blood vessels and will improve your blood circulation. Why not make a grapeseed massage oil by mixing certain essential oils too.
Get this:
- Grape seed oil- 3 tsp
- Jojoba oil- 3 tsp
- Lemon/ geranium/peppermint or any other essential oil of your choice- 8 drops
Do this:
- Mix all the oils.
- Take some on your palms and rub to warm it up.
- Now gently massage your legs, ankles or the area with varicose veins.
- Use upward strokes, from feet to the top of your legs.
Garlic oil
In the evening, pour a few drops of this oil on fingers, and with a circular motion gently rub garlic oil on the place where varicose veins appeared, put a plastic bag and wrap the legs with bandage or a warm cloth. In the morning, wash your legs, and put some pants or tights on to keep the legs warm. Repeat every night.Try this remedy for a few months to notice significant results.
How to make garlic oil
Ingredients:
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 3 oranges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Iris-sliced 6 cloves garlic, put them in a clean jar with lid, then add the juice of 3 oranges and 2 tablespoons olive oil
Let stand for 12 hours before you use it.
Shake well before use
Essential Oils Compress for Varicose Veins
One of the natural remedies for varicose veins include applying right ingredients on them so that they get strengthened to perform their vital function of transporting blood to heart. If you combine the right essential oils and apply such a blend of oil, you may be able to improve the blood flow and get rid of varicose veins. Here’s a recipe to prepare an essential oils compress for your varicose veins.
Get this:
- Chamomile oil- 3 drops
- Carrot seed oil- 3 drops
- Lavender oil- 3 drops
- St. John’s wort tincture- 1 tsp
- Water- 1 cup
- A soft cloth
Do this:
- Mix all the ingredients- water, essential oils and tincture.
- Soak the cloth in this mixture. Wring it to drain the excess solution.
- Place this compress on areas affected by varicose veins.
- You may do it daily to get relief from itching and broken varicose veins.
Some of the other essentials oils that can be used for varicose veins include cypress oil, lemon oil, geranium oil, grapefruit oil, juniper berry oil, orange oil, rosemary oil.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can be effectively used to treat varicose veins as it is a natural cleansing product. When applied to the affected veins it will help improve blood flow and circulation thus decreasing the swelling.
Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Varicose Veins
- Mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink this. Repeat 2 times a day.
- Get undiluted apple cider vinegar. Mix ACV and your skin lotion in equal quantities and apply this to your varicose veins and rub gently stroking upwards towards heart. Do this twice a day.
- Soak a cloth or gauze in ACV and place this cloth on your affected area. Let it sit there for about 20-30 minutes. You may also rub gently with this ACV soaked cloth.
Horse Chestnut for Varicose Veins
Horse chestnut seed extract is a popular treatment for varicose veins in Europe, and is one of the more extensively studied supplements for treating this condition. It is used both topically and orally. Research has found a particular compound called escin contributes to vein health by supporting normal functioning of the vessel walls.
How to Take Horse Chestnut for Varicose Veins?
The seed, bark, flowers, and leaves, all are are used to make medicines. However, for varicose veins, the extract from horse chestnut seeds are thought to be most effective. Because horse chestnut herb also contains a poison called esculin, it should not be consumed raw or even unprocessed. Therefore, you cannot make tea or have it raw but can only take horse chestnut extract which is free of any poison that gets removed while processing the herb. For varicose veins and even for CVI, 300 mg of horse chestnut seed extract which contains 50 mg of the active ingredient, aescin, should be taken two times a day.
Compresses
Compresses can be very effective for easing discomfort and reducing the appearance of swelling. One of the most popular for varicose veins is a mixture of witch hazel and yarrow.
These are just a few of the natural treatments that may benefit your varicose veins. It is important to note it may take a bit of trial and error before finding the treatments that work most effectively for you. If you are willing to be patient with the process, you will likely find an effective regimen.
Source of information include:
http://www.rapidhomeremedies.com
http://livinggreenmag.com
http://goodmorningcenter.com
