Varicose Veins: Exercise is the Best Treatment

Veins are supposed to contain valves that keep blood from backing up. When the valves cannot close properly, veins become varicose, blood backs up, causing the veins to widen and look like blue snakes underneath the skin. Since varicose veins swell because blood pools in them, the best treatment is to empty blood from the veins. When you exercise, your leg muscles alternately contract and relax squeezing blood back toward the heart, so running, walking, cycling, skiing, skating and dancing are ideal treatments, while standing or sitting increase blood pooling and widen the veins.

Varicose veins can be caused by a genetic weakness in the valves or an obstruction of blood flow, such as by obesity, pregnancy, tumors, clots or heart disease. Superficial varicose veins that you can see can cause a feeling of heaviness or aching, but they are rarely painful. Most varicose veins are best left alone. If you develop severe pain, usually in the veins in your calf muscles, you have to worry about a clot and should check with your doctor. Otherwise, exercise is the best medicine for varicose veins.

If you have varicose veins, you may benefit from wearing support hose when you stand around, but not when you exercise.

Veins in your legs carry blood up toward your heart. When you stand up, gravity pulls blood down to your feet. Support hose squeeze the legs and help to prevent blood from pooling in veins and distending them.

When you exercise, the force of your contracting muscles keep blood from pooling so you don’t need support hose. The pumping action of your leg muscles during exercise exerts such a strong force to empty your veins, that you don’t need support hose. In hot weather, the support hose can act as a barrier to prevent heat loss. Your body temperature may rise and you may tire earlier. If you have varicose veins, support hose help to keep the veins from swelling when you stand, but it is unlikely that they are needed during exercise.

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Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Playing Virgin

Yesterday: I visited a maternity ward to rejoice with a mother
over her new child. I went to an abortion center to see a girl
who aborted a baby. I made my way to a war zone to commiserate
with a raped woman.

Today: I meet the mother in the market and she says she is a
vestal virgin. I see the abortionist in a school play ground and
she vows she is Diana. I meet the raped woman by a riverside and
she swears she is Lucretia.

Now: I go to the woods and strike a meditative pose. I am not
thinking of Nirvanas neither am I dreaming of Abraham’s bosom.
But of the affairs of yesterday. I keep asking myself: “Why are
all the women playing virgin?”

(EXCERPTED FROM “BEAUTIFUL,” A POETRY COLLECTION BY ARTHUR ZULU,
TO BE PUBLISHED SOON. IF YOU ENJOYED READING THE POEM AND WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE A VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION TOWARD ITS PUBLICATION,
PLEASE CONTACT THE AUTHOR.) ARTHUR ZULU is an editor, book
reviewer, playwright, and published author. He also writes short
stories, scripts, essays, and poems, and ghost writes for
others. For his works, professional services, and FREE helps for
writers, goto: http://controversialwriter.tripod.com mailto:
controversialwriter@yahoo.com Web search: Arthur Zulu