Grape Seed & Varicose Veins
Grapes have been used in folk medicine since the time of the ancient Greeks to treat a wide variety of health problems from bleeding and inflammation to cancer and smallpox. Clinical research is finding grapes and grape seed extract contain potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may verify some claims for the fruit’s ability to promote healthy blood vessels and treat varicose veins.
Identification
Varicose veins are the most common vein disorder, affecting 60 percent of Americans, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, although they’re more likely to affect women. Symptoms include unsightly dark blue blood vessels in the legs and feet, an aching or burning feeling your lower legs and swelling in the ankles and feet. Varicose veins are caused when veins become enlarged and twisted due to aging or pregnancy and prevent blood from moving effectively, even flowing backward and pooling in your veins. Complications can include blood clots and skin ulcers.