Diet for varicose veins

2 December 2023

People suffering from varicose veins must adhere to certain nutritional principles, which are auxiliary means to alleviate the condition of patients. You can learn more about what a diet for varicose veins is in our article.

The essence of the diet for varicose veins

The main essence of the diet for varicose veins is to regulate nutrition, which will allow you to normalize weight (which will reduce the load on blood vessels) and reduce blood thickness - one of the main dangers of varicose veins.

It has been proven that with varicose veins the blood can thicken, which can lead to thrombosis. In addition, viscous blood is more difficult to pump, so the load on the heart also increases.

How to make blood thinner? This will be helped, first of all, by the diet, as well as maintaining a drinking regime. According to statistics, most vascular problems occur in people who do not drink enough fluids. As a result, the body loses its own fluid, the blood becomes viscous and blood clots form in capillaries and other vessels.

From this we can conclude that to replenish fluid losses and ensure normal metabolic processes, you should drink at least 2 liters of clean water every day - this is a natural and affordable remedy for reducing blood viscosity. Replacement of water with unsweetened herbal or green tea, or natural fruit or vegetable juices is permitted. The most preferred juices are grape, citrus, tomato or berry.

Alcoholic drinks, including beer, will have to be excluded, as they do not contribute to the saturation of the body with moisture.

Before you start creating a nutritional menu for varicose veins, you need to remember that the greatest benefits come from natural products that thin and renew the blood. Most foods containing preservatives, stabilizers, dyes and other chemicals contribute to blood thickening - they need to be removed from the daily diet.

It is recommended that patients with varicose veins always have two lists of foods on hand - those that are permitted and those that are not recommended and can harm the body. We will talk about these products a little later.

In addition to affecting blood circulation, foods should also help facilitate liver function. The fact is that the liver is responsible for many reactions and metabolic processes that occur in our tissues. In particular, this organ produces special components that prevent an increase in blood viscosity. It goes without saying that dietary deficiencies, bad habits, unfavorable environmental conditions, frequent and uncontrolled use of medications have a negative effect on liver function. Hence the following conclusion: food should be done in such a way as not to overload the liver, but rather to facilitate its work. In other words, you need to limit fatty, smoked, canned, heavy foods - all those products that require additional resources for processing.

To alleviate the manifestations of varicose veins and prevent the disease from worsening, it is recommended to reconsider your attitude towards bad habits, pay attention to the medications you are taking and evaluate the advisability of taking them (especially hormonal and diuretic medications) - all these factors They greatly influence the increase in blood coagulability.

What substances are most necessary in the treatment of varicose veins?

Vitamin E (tocopherol) ensures the elasticity of blood vessels. It can be found in sufficient quantities in sprouted grains, egg yolks and vegetable oils.
Ascorbic acid thins the blood and eliminates inflammation in blood vessels. Berries, tomatoes, citrus fruits and kiwi are rich in vitamins.
Rutin is considered an essential vitamin for blood vessel health. It can be found in citrus fruits (mainly in the peel), black currants, walnuts and green tea.
Bioflavonoids are beneficial substances that facilitate venous circulation. The substances are mainly found in dark varieties of cherries.
Copper is necessary to produce sufficient amounts of elastin in tissues, which serves to prevent the appearance of venous "nodules". A lot of copper is found in seafood.
Fiber forces the digestive system to work, preventing constipation - one of the factors that cause varicose veins. Fiber is found in plant foods, bran and cereals.
Water thins the blood, facilitating blood flow and reducing the load on vascular walls.

Diet for varicose veins of the lower extremities

The lower extremities are perhaps the most susceptible to varicose veins. Basically, this can be explained by the increased load on the legs: the person walks a lot during the day, stands, sits with their legs crossed, etc. This is especially noticeable if you are overweight or have an unfavorable heredity (one of your relatives suffers from chronic varicose veins).

If your varicose veins are associated with a genetic predisposition, you should focus all your efforts on maintaining normal vascular permeability and tone: do not strain your lower limbs too much, wear special underwear and socks, eat well and maintain a healthy lifestyle. healthy life, drink plenty of water. It's good if your work activity does not involve prolonged stress on your legs.

If you are overweight, the first task is to reduce it - preferably not by fasting, but by following a proper diet, with sufficient protein foods and limiting simple sugars.

Seafood should not be denied: sea fish, shrimp, algae, squid are rich in minerals, which our boats really need. Thanks to seafood, blood vessels become elastic, their fragility and permeability decrease.

In addition, food must provide the body with sufficient vitamins. Rutin (vitamin P) and ascorbic acid are especially useful for the vascular system.

These vitamins are found in large quantities in tea leaves, rose hips, citrus fruits, rowan berries, etc. In fact, for a healthy person, the daily routine norm is 25 to 50 mg, and in the case of vascular diseases, this amount increases to 150 mg per day.

Vitamins C and P tend to stimulate the production of collagen, considered one of the main components of the skin and vascular walls. If there is no deficiency of the listed vitamins, the walls of the capillaries are generally strong, elastic, durable and allow good blood flow. Normally functioning vessels mean no problems with pressure, swelling and varicose veins.

Dietary changes, taking into account the enrichment of the diet with vitamins P and C, should be started with the following symptoms:

rapid leg fatigue;
the appearance of causeless bruises and spider veins;
pain in the joints of the lower extremities.

Diet for varicose veins and thrombophlebitis

With thrombophlebitis, as in no other disease, measures to thin the blood are relevant. Nutrition is of no small importance: the food consumed must contain all the necessary substances to prevent the veins from clogging with blood clots and the development of the inflammatory process.

The diet for thrombophlebitis involves the predominant consumption of plant foods. Dishes with pineapple, watermelon, melon, ginger, all types of onions, as well as cinnamon are especially welcome. It is not recommended to eat bananas, legumes, meat products and soy in large quantities.

It is important to reduce the proportion of foods rich in vitamin K in the daily diet, which enhances the coagulation process - blood clotting. This vitamin is present in all green plant foods - lettuce, parsley and coriander, any type of cabbage. There is also a lot of vitamin in nuts, eggs, whole milk, meat, liver, fish. If you like to drink herbal teas, you should exclude plants such as nettle, raspberry leaves, linden and rosehip from your teas.

In addition, it is necessary to limit the consumption of fatty foods. The fact is that fat promotes better absorption of vitamin K, as it is fat-soluble.

What foods should you eat for varicose veins and thrombophlebitis? Give preference to colorful vegetables, fruits, berries, dairy products and cereals. You can cook casseroles, stews, steam, etc. Also, do not overeat or drink alcoholic beverages.

Diet for pelvic varicose veins

Pelvic varicose veins are a disease that predominantly occurs in women. It is associated, in most cases, with pregnancy and childbirth, a sedentary lifestyle and the internal use of contraceptives. The disease mainly affects those who already have varicose veins in the extremities and hemorrhoids.

In addition to drug treatment, diet helps alleviate the symptoms of pelvic veins. It represents a transition to a healthy diet rich in plant-based foods with fiber. Fiber is necessary, first of all, to prevent constipation, which aggravates varicose veins, increasing the load on the vascular system of the abdominal cavity.

The body also needs protein foods, which help to regenerate vascular walls.

What you should give up first is alcohol, smoking, fatty foods and carbohydrates.

What recommendations can be given regarding the diet for pelvic varicose veins:

If possible, eat a few pieces of pineapple daily;
prepare this medicine: chop 200 g of peeled garlic, mix with 300 ml of honey. Leave for a week. Take the finished mixture 1 tbsp. spoon before each meal;
Sea kale is considered an excellent remedy for varicose veins. It must be consumed several times a day, every day, for 3 months;
It is recommended to eat a handful of pine nuts every day;
It is useful to add a little ground nutmeg to food, as well as cinnamon and ginger.

All other recommendations correspond to the general rules of nutrition for varicose veins.

Diet for esophageal varices

Esophageal varices are a rather insidious disease, as the patient may not be aware of their existence for a long time. And only at an advanced stage does the disease make itself felt.

Dilation of the esophageal veins requires a very strict diet, which reduces the load on the digestive system and facilitates the passage of food.

The number of meals should be divided into 5 to 6 times and the portions should be small.
Food must be well crushed and chewed, or better yet, cook food in a semi-liquid state so as not to injure the walls of the esophageal tube.
The last meal of the day should be taken approximately 4 hours before bed.
It is not recommended to sleep on a low pillow to avoid the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus.
It is necessary to greatly limit (or better yet, eliminate) the consumption of fatty, fried, smoked, canned foods, as well as dishes with spicy seasonings and a lot of salt.
Fasting days have a good effect: fasting on watermelon, melon, as well as days on freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juices are especially welcome.

It is advisable to limit meat in the diet - it is replaced with shrimp, lean fish and squid. You should also "forget" formaldehyde, canned food (fish and meat), alcohol and rich broths. The consumption of black coffee is also limited.

All dishes are steamed, baked in the oven, boiled or baked. Experts advise paying more attention to dairy products and fermented grains and vegetables.

Diet menu for varicose veins

In order not to think about what to cook throughout the day, without breaking your diet, it is recommended to prepare a sample menu in advance. In the future, using the already prepared diet, it will be possible to change it, simply replacing some products with similar ones.

Let's take an example.

The first day:

We have oatmeal with raisins for breakfast.
For a second breakfast, you can make a kiwi and orange smoothie with honey.
For lunch - buckwheat soup and vegetable salad with Borodino bread.
Snack – fruit yogurt.
We had dinner with a piece of boiled fish and a portion of seaweed salad.

Second day:

For breakfast, prepare a portion of low-fat cottage cheese with fruit and honey.
For the second breakfast, fruit jelly or mousse is suitable.
We had lunch with pumpkin porridge and roasted eggplant with tomatoes.
As a snack - carrot and apple salad with yogurt.
Dinner: a portion of mashed potatoes with beetroot salad.

Day three:

For breakfast: rice pudding with plums.
For the second breakfast, bake a pear with honey and walnuts.
You can have onion soup and vegetable casserole for lunch.
For a snack – a glass of tomato juice.
For dinner – steamed chicken meatball with vegetables.

Day four:

We have steamed cheesecakes with fruit for breakfast.
For the second breakfast: a yogurt and fruit smoothie.
We had lunch with tomato soup and carrot cutlet with sour cream.
Snack on a cup of vegetable salad.
For dinner, you can boil chicken breast in mint sauce.

Day five:

For breakfast: whole grain bread with peanut butter.
Kefir with berries is suitable for a second breakfast.
We had lunch with okroshka and stuffed tomatoes.
Snack: freshly squeezed apple juice.
We had dinner with a piece of steamed salmon with lemon sauce.

Day six:

We had breakfast with buckwheat pancakes and applesauce.
For the second breakfast - a handful of pine nuts or dried fruits.
We had lunch with rice soup and a piece of fish casserole.
Snack – apple with cottage cheese.
We had dinner with a portion of vegetarian pilaf.

We make the seventh day a day of fasting.

Before going to bed, half a glass of low-fat kefir or yogurt without additives is allowed.

Diet recipes for varicose veins

Kiwi and orange smoothie- a healthy sweet and sour drink that is quite simple to prepare. All you need is a blender and ingredients: peeled orange, kiwi (if you wish, you can also add tangerine or other fruits), a teaspoon. honeyIn summer, it is also recommended to add some edible ice cubes to add freshness. Grind all products in a blender and pour into glasses or bowls.
Baked eggplant with tomato- a healthy dietary dish. Ingredients: two medium eggplants, 4 tomatoes, 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, vegetable oil, sour cream, spices. Let's start cooking: cut the washed eggplants into slices (about 5 mm), do the same with the tomatoes. Peel the garlic and squeeze it through a press or simply chop it. Sprinkle the eggplant slices a little with spices and place them on a baking sheet greased with vegetable oil. Bake until golden, turning once to the other side. Put the finished eggplants on a plate and put 0. 5-1 teaspoon on each circle. cream mixed with garlic and place a piece of tomato on top of the sauce. Already in this form the dish can be served at the table. If desired, you can sprinkle with grated cheese or sesame seeds.
Rice pudding with plums- a good replacement for the usual boring porridge. Necessary dish ingredients: 100 g of round rice, 600 ml of milk, sugar, 2 eggs, lemon zest, cinnamon. Preparation: add sugar (about 60 g, to taste) and lemon zest to the milk. Bring to a boil, bring to a boil and add the rice. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add the dried fruits cut into pieces and washed and place the rice in the oven at +120 °C for around 40 minutes. Stir the rice several times during cooking. Remove the cooked rice and let it cool. Meanwhile, separate the yolks from the whites. Add the yolks to the rice and mix well. Add a few drops of lemon juice to the egg whites and beat until stiff, then carefully fold in the rest of the mixture. Bake in the oven for another 15 minutes - this can be done directly on the baking tray or distributed in special molds. We serve the dish in them. When serving, sprinkle with cinnamon. You can also top it with honey or fruit sauce.
mint sauce- A delicious addition to chicken breast. Ingredients: red wine vinegar 75 ml, sugar 25 g, fresh mint leaves (about 10 g), a small onion (preferably sweet). Mix vinegar, sugar and salt on the tip of a knife. Grind the mint leaves and onion, add to the vinegar and refrigerate for several hours (minimum 2-3 hours). Serve with meat.
Peanut butterit can be used for a quick and healthy breakfast, or to prepare various sauces and main dishes. We will need: 200 g of roasted and peeled peanuts (without salt and pepper), ½ tsp. salt, 40 ml of vegetable oil, 5 g of honey. Pour the nuts into a blender, add salt and honey and grind at maximum speed for about 1-2 minutes. Add the oil, mix and turn the blender back on for 2 minutes. The paste is ready and can be stored in the refrigerator for 1. 5 to 2 months.
Buckwheat pancakes– thin, suitable for any filling, or simply with sour cream. Ingredients: 1 cup of buckwheat flour, 1 cup of kefir, salt and sugar to taste, 1 cup of water, 2 eggs, vegetable oil. Beat eggs, add kefir, a little salt and sugar. Mix everything. Gradually add the buckwheat flour, stirring continuously. After that, add water little by little, kneading and controlling the consistency of the dough. Fry thin pancakes in a small frying pan greased with vegetable oil.

Enjoy!

If you have symptoms of an unpleasant disease like varicose veins, proper nutrition and diet for varicose veins can prevent the disease from getting worse. In addition, if varicose veins have just begun to develop, a change in diet will help avoid complications and negative consequences of the pathology.

What can you eat if you have varicose veins?

It is not difficult to choose products that can be useful for varicose veins. It is important to remember the main thing: the food consumed should be fortified, varied and should not contain large amounts of animal fats, unnatural additives (chemicals, preservatives), salt, simple sugars, spicy seasonings and blood-thickening substances.

Recommended for use:

dishes from berries, vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, citrus fruits, kiwi, pears, grapes, watermelon, eggplant, pumpkin, melon);
nuts (except walnuts);
berries that reduce the permeability of the vascular wall (cranberries, currants, cherries, blueberries, hawthorn);
various cereals (in the form of porridges, side dishes, casseroles and soups - buckwheat, oatmeal, corn, rice);
lean fish, seafood, seaweed;
dried fruits (all types);
tea, fermented milk products, cottage cheese, unsalted cheese;
vegetable oils.

The proposed set of products will help maintain normal vascular tone, control weight and prevent the accumulation of fluid in tissues. It is good if the diet is supplemented with drug treatment with special creams and medications prescribed by a doctor.

What shouldn't you eat if you have varicose veins?

Proper nutrition for varicose veins involves limiting or eliminating the following foods:

Candy. Includes bakery products made from white flour, sweets, cakes, jams, chocolate, condensed milk, cakes, ice cream.
Hot seasonings: black pepper, pepper, mustard, horseradish, as well as adjika, wasabi, etc.
Carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee, cocoa, store-bought juices.
Salt and sugar.
Fatty meat products: pork, lard, meat with layers of fat.
Marinades, pickles.
Canned fish and meat products.
Rich broths, jellies, pastilles.
Bananas, pomegranates.
Full cream, heavy cream, processed cheese, butter.
Legumes: lentils, beans, peas.
Nuts.

It is not recommended to overeat, especially at night. Fasting is also not encouraged. But fasting days, on the contrary, are useful. They can be prepared once a week, using, for example, kefir, watermelon, buckwheat, tomato or apple juice.