The Relationship Between Food and Spider Veins

This week on the blog we are breaking down the best and worst foods that could be contributing to your vein health. But first, what is a spider vein? Spider veins are small, thread-like veins that can be easily visible on the skin due to their color pigmentation and superficial depth. The most common cause for spider veins is hormone change, caused by menopause, pregnancy or weight gain and lack of mobility, therefore they are more common in women, but men are notexempt! If you experience spider veins you should seek medical attention for untreated veins could create a platform for the growth of additional spider veins. Although nutrition cannot prevent spider veins, living a healthy lifestyle of whole-foods, and exercise may help!

 

TIP 1: Consume Fiber Rich Foods:Fiber is an important nutrient to add into your diet because it helps regulate your digestive system. Because fiber can help with bowel movements and constipation, eating foods rich in fiber will help put less strain on your veins and vein valves.

Fiber Rich Foods we Recommend:

• Leafy Greens
• Lentils
• Beans
• Pears
• Almonds
• Apples

 

All of these foods help to contribute to your recommended grams of fiber per day, which is between 25 to 38 grams.

 

TIP 2: Lower Your Sodium Intake:A sodium-heavy diet contributes to swelling, which could lead to the swelling and pooling of blood in your veins. Consuming salty foods when you already have spider veins may result in visibly swollen veins. It is important to read your food labels and be cautiously aware of high sodium foods.

Foods to be cautious of:

• Restaurants + Fast Foods
• Frozen foods
• Soups
• Processed lunch meats

 

The given amount of sodium per day is recommended to stay under 1,500 mg. To help understand this, one cup of canned soup contains 800mg, that’s more than half of your daily intake in one cup portion.

 

TIP 3: Vein-Strengthening Foods:Any food that is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids helps build tissue and keep your veins healthy and strong. Although foods cannot heal a spider vein, there are foods that help maintain their function. When trying to encourage healthy vein circulation, eating spicy foods and spices like garlic, ginger and chilies can help significantly.

Vein-Strengthening Foods:

• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Red grapes
• Onions
• Cayenne pepper

 

TIP 4: Pineapple?:We loved this interesting tip from LiveStrong.com, although it isn’t scientifically proven, it does make a lot of sense.  There is a protein found in your body that helps alleviate blood from clotting, called fibrin. If you are experiencing spider veins, your body naturally sends excessive amounts of fibrin to those veins. Pineapple is an excellent source of a digestive enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain helps fibrin process, which results in better circulation in the veins. Adding in raw, or juiced pineapple to your diet wouldn’t hurt and may help reduce spider veins and swelling.

 

We hope you use these helpful tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle! Thank you to Livstrong.com for the helpful information and resources.

(Source).

Advertisements

Mojito Fruit Salad

We are gearing up for the 4th, and we found a healthy, delicious and not-so-average fruit salad we know you’ll enjoy and feel great eating! This summer salad can even be made into an “adult” version if you’re headed out with just a group of friends! Check out the recipe below from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles and let us know if you try it this 4th! Happy Independence Day, friends!

INGREDIENTS

 

• 8 c. cubed watermelon, about 1″ in size
• 4 c. hulled and quartered strawberries
• 3 c. blueberries
• 18 large mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 c. fresh lime juice
• 4 T. powdered sugar
• 4 T. white rum, optional
• Jicama stars, optional

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place fruit in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine chopped mint, lime juice, and powdered sugar. With the back of a spoon, muddle the mint to release its flavor. Stir in rum, if desired.
3. Drizzle mixture over fruit. Gently fold to combine. Then place in fridge to chill, and to let the fruit juices mingle. This can be made a few hours prior to serving. Just be sure to fold right before eating.

To include jicama stars, cut jicama into 1/4″ slices. Use a sharp star-shaped cutter to create stars, about 1-3/4″ in size. To preserve their whiteness, I wait to toss the stars into the salad until right before serving.
Want to read more about the recipe, learn more on A Farmgirl’s Dabbles here: https://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/mojito-fruit-salad/ 

 

 

Holiday Eats- Healthy Tips for the 4th!

The 4th of July is right around the corner and we are so excited to celebrate the U-S-A! However, with the fun of the holiday, we can often times neglect our health and goals surrounding such food-focused holidays. This 4th of July, be proactive about how you are treating your body this holiday (and even the entire Summer season!). We outlined some tips and tricks to staying fit, and healthy for BBQ season below to keep in mind, check them out and share your tips and tricks with us on our Facebook page!

• HYDRATE: The Reno + Tahoe heat is not to be taken lightly during the summer months! As we really start to heat up in July and August, make sure you are consistently hydrating. Start your morning with a large cup of water, and end your evening with one also, this will help kickstart your days and make sure you’re hydrating consistently!

 

• FILL UP ON FRUITS + VEGGIES: We are talking about for the 4th of July here! We know BBQ season is in full swing, but before you reach for the burger, load up on the veggie platter and fruit kabobs, to get a few essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in your system. Now, this might not keep you completely away from the chip and dip bar, but it might leave a little less room!

 

• TAKE A WALK: Nothing like an evening walk to keep you health and mind in check! Going for a quick walk after a long BBQ or day in the sun is a great way to keep your legs moving and keep your veins healthy and pumping, but also offers a great way to connect with a friend, or the kids! Going to a 10-20 minute walk will help keep some of the BBQ weight off, while still enjoying the great outdoors.

Treatment Spotlight: Sclerotherapy!

At Reno Vein Clinic, our expert vascular surgeon, Dr. Merchant provides tailored solutions to your vein health needs. This week we are highlighting one of our many vein treatment options: Sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is considered the “gold standard” of spider vein treatment, and is also considered a very safe treatment option. Sclerotherapy is the non-operative treatment for spider veins using micro-injection technology through very small needles and the FDA-approved solution: Sotradecol®. This solution is injected into the vein, causing the vein to shrink and ultimately disappear.  Sclerotherapy can be used to treat the legs, hands, facial veins and chest veins and usually requires 2-4 treatments to be completely effective. This is known as a very safe procedure.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Sclerotherapy is non-invasive treatment that is done in a clinical setting. A saline or chemical solution is injected directly into the damaged spider vein and closes off the vein. Once the vein is closed, blood supply is cut off to the problem vein and will be naturally absorbed by your body… resulting in diminished appearance of spider veins! In some cases, to completely remove your spider veins, you may require multiple treatments, generally spaced several weeks apart.

 

RECOVERY TIME:

Following your Sclerotherapy treatment, you will be able to return to normal activity immediately, but you will be advised to wear compression stockings to allow you a quicker healing process. In the first 48 hours following your procedure, you may experience mild cramping. It is normal to see some bruising and or discoloration around the vein operated on.

 

Want to learn more about our many procedure options and how they will help change your vein health and life? Call us today to schedule an appointment with Northern Nevada’s best vein surgeon, Dr. Robert Merchant! (775) 329-3100.

Summer BBQ Season is HERE!

It’s grilling season and we are so excited to share some new healthy recipes for you to try out!

For your next backyard BBQ, we know your guests will love this healthy, fresh spin on Cuban Grilled Salmon! Paired with a tomato and avocado salsa, this delicious and easy meal combines a variety of flavors, seasonings and nutritious ingredients for a guilt-free, but filling meal. Not only is salmon a great source of lean protein, salmon is packed with essential nutrients like vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, DHA and many more crucial nutrients for longevity, brain function, immunity and more. Grill up this dish and pair it with a side of green vegetables for a balanced meal with more health benefits than you can count! Try the recipe from Half Baked Harvest below!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound wild caught salmon

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

3 cloves garlic

2 green onions

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper

1 tablespoon salted butter

TOMATO AVOCADO SALSA

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 ripe avocados, diced

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

pinch of sea salt

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.Place the salmon in a 9×13 inch baking dish.

2.In a blender, combine all ingredients, besides salmon. Pulse until

combined. Pour the marinade over the salmon and let set for 15 minutes.

3.Heat your grill, grill pan or skillet to medium high heat.

4.Transfer the salmon to the preheated grill and grill for about 3 minutes on each side or until the salmon is cooked to your desired doneness, brush the salmon with the marinade as it cooks. Remove the salmon from the grill.

5.To serve, pat the salmon with butter and allow it to melt. Serve topped with the tomato avocado salsa. Enjoy!

 

TOMATO AVOCADO SALSA

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients. Serve alongside the salmon.

Treatment Spotlight: ClosureFast™!

Weighing the pros and cons about treatment options for your vein conditions? Let us help! By learning the ins, outs, common questions and more about some of our most popular treatment options, we hope we can better help guide you toward the treatment that best meets your goals and your lifestyle! Today on the blog, we are detailing our ClosureFast™ varicose vein treatment, read more below to see if it might be the procedure for you:

What is ClosureFast? What can you expect? 

ClosureFast™, also known as radiofrequency closure, is an FDA-approved procedure which produces excellent long-term results for patients suffering from varicose veins.  The ClosureFast™ procedure is performed under minimal I.V. sedation and local anesthesia and takes no longer than an hour and a half to complete. The ClosureFast™ treatments works by using the heat provided by the catheter to shrink and collapse the target vein, creating a fibrotic seal and occluding the vessel.

At Reno Vein Clinic, the ClosureFast™ procedure is preferred over stripping and laser ablation, causing less pain, a faster return to normal activities and improved quality of life post surgery.  RadioFrequency Closure is covered by most insurance plans, but if you have questions, please call us to confirm!

Recovery time?

The same-day surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, and allows patients to resume normal activity quickly. Most patients generally only take one day off work following surgery.

 

 

 

Summer Body Season- A Guilt-Free Treat to Curb Your Cravings!

Summer is here…we can feel it in the Reno weather! But, with summer, comes wanting to feel our best, feel confident in our legs, and enjoy the sunshine. This grain-free, vegan, one-bowl Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is sure to help keep the cravings down with a guiltless bite.

This recipe from Debra Klein, a holistic health coach, has all the best qualities of a baked good in that it is extra soft and perfectly chewy. Plus, with the help of both cacao powder and chocolate chips these cookies turn into more of a cookie-brownie hybrid…yum! The recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free—at once healthy, sweet, satisfying! Try the recipe below and let us know how yours turn out!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup almond butter
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup almond meal
• ¼ cup cacao (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• Optional: sprinkle of sea salt.

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line large baking tray with unbleached parchment paper or silpat mat.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together almond butter, maple syrup and eggs. I find this easiest to do with a fork.
3. Mix in almond meal and cacao powder stirring until well combined with no lumps
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Scoop out dough with a spoon, using the back of another spoon to “drop” onto prepared baking tray. Spray a fork lightly with a neutral oil and press lightly press each cookie down. Lightly sprinkle with salt, if using.
6. Cook for 10 minutes and allow to cool on the baking tray before removing.
7. Store in airtight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.