Apart from seeking medical help to treat varicose veins, it is important to maintain a healthy diet to prevent varicose veins from getting worse. Alcohol and foods high in salt and sugar should be excluded from your diet. Instead, a diet low in salt and sugar and rich in fiber should be followed. The following is a great guideline of what foods should be avoided if you suffer from varicose veins.

Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates or simple carbohydrates should be avoided as much as possible. Aside from these foods being the main cause of chronic diseases, they also contribute to poor vein health. Instead of consuming refined carbohydrates, persons suffering from vein conditions should aim for complex carbohydrates brown rice, and oats that contain more fiber. Fiber is essential to your diet as it helps facilitate regular bowel movements. The absence of fiber and the presence of refined carbohydrates in your diet causes strain when passing stools. As a result of this, it causes pressure to build up in the veins of the lower rectum, damaging them. The damage not only can cause hemorrhoids but can also cause or worsen varicose veins.

Added Sugar

Processed foods like chocolate, cookies and cakes often contain high amounts of added sugar which contributes to poor vein health. High amounts of sugar in the blood causes large amount of insulin to be released into your system. Opt for the natural sugars like the ones found in fruits. Even though fruits contain sugar, this natural sugar is actually beneficial for the body (in moderation). Fruits are packed with fiber which slowly releases the sugar in your blood stream.

Alcohol

The regular intake of alcohol should be avoided at all costs as it contributes to the formation and the worsening of varicose veins.

Canned Foods

Canned foods are normally lined with a chemical called Bisphenol. Bisphenol A mimics estrogen and affects the hormones in our body which can cause or worsen varicose veins. Instead of buying canned foods, opt for fresh foods or food found in the frozen section of stores.

Salty Foods

Foods with high sodium content like canned soups, ham, pizza and hot dogs should be limited at all costs. A high concentration of sodium in the blood causes the body to retain more water than usual. This causes an increase of the volume of blood in the body, which leads to an increase of pressure in the vein. This increase in pressure can cause swelling and water retention in the legs.