High blood pressure and high cholesterol are two things that have become very prevalent among millions of people. One of the main causes of both of these maladies is genetics, but another cause has to do with poor dietary habits. Foods that are high in fat and sodium greatly contribute to this trend.
When it comes to the health of women, there are some visual factors that can indicate circulatory problems, and one of those things is varicose veins. Although men can get these kinds of veins as well, there are more prevalent amongst women, and are most often found on their legs. These kinds of veins are immediately recognizable in that they are considerably raised above skin level, and dark greenish blue, or purple.
There are a variety of different things that can contribute to the manifestation of varicose veins. In order to understand how these kinds of veins appear, it is important to understand how circulation works in the body. What basically happens is that the heart pumps blood all over the body via a network of veins. Then, the veins circulate the blood back to the heart again.
Varicose veins are caused when the veins in the legs swell to accommodate blood because of excess pressure that is being put on these veins. A main cause of such a thing happening is a woman putting on a lot of weight rapidly. Of course, one way to prevent these kinds of veins from happening because of weight gain is to eat a healthy diet and exercise.
However, women who gain the weight because of pregnancy will naturally do so because of fetal growth. When it comes to pregnancy, these kinds of veins are thus much more prevalent in women who have had multiple pregnancies. One way that these kinds of veins can thus be prevented is to take some of the strain off of the legs by wearing comfortable footwear with the proper support. This means no heels.
Something that not many women are conscious of is the way that they sit. Women who sit with their legs crossed for long periods of time are more at risk for these kinds of veins because, once again, they are putting excess pressure on their legs and stopping effective circulation.
In general, varicose veins are more of an annoyance cosmetically than anything else. However, there are some ways to tell if these veins are an indication of something more serious. The first way to tell is if a rash surrounds the vein. If this rash is left untreated, then there is a chance that the vein could ulcerate, so it is important to seek medical help immediately if such a thing occurs.
Another way to tell if these kinds of veins are more than just a cosmetic nuisance is if the leg or legs on which these veins are present frequently aches. If this is the case, then of course medical help should be sought, as this could indicate the presence of a blood clot. Medicinal injections or laser therapy are the two most prevalent treatment options.
