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How to Banish Varicose Veins Naturally

http://blog.drdavidwilliams.com/blog/digestive-health-guidance/how-to-banish-varicose-veins-naturally

Varicose veins come in all shapes and sizes, as you probably know if you’ve reached middle age. The small ones near the surface are more of a cosmetic problem than anything else. Larger and deeper varicosities, however, can lead to the pooling of blood in the legs, which in turn causes fluid accumulation, swelling, muscle cramps, and possibly even blood clots and blockages.

Deep-rooted vein problems pose a serious health risk and often require surgery or other drastic measures. For the more superficial varicosities that result in leg swelling and pain and the “spider vein” look, standard medical treatment is compression stockings. I have also investigated an equally effective and more convenient therapy which utilizes an extract of horse chestnut seed.

The seed of the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) contains several compounds, one of which is called escin. Escin has been found to close the small pores in the walls of veins, making them less permeable. This strengthens the vein walls and reduces the leakage of fluid into the surrounding tissues. Simply put, escin helps stop vein swelling and pain and reduces the appearance of spider veins.

In Germany, doctors tested the efficacy of horse chestnut seed extract on 240 patients with chronic vein problems in their legs. Half of the group was treated with compression stockings, and the other half was simply given the extract containing 50 mg of escin twice daily. At the end of 12 weeks, swelling was measured in the ankle and calves, and the horse chestnut seed extract and the compression stockings produced nearly identical reductions in swelling.

Horse chestnut seed extracts have been available in Germany for years (as Reparil by Madaus), and they are also now available in the U.S. Check with your local health food store. This is a simple, inexpensive solution to a very common problem.

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