Do your legs feel heavy after a day on your feet… or maybe after just an hour or two? If the throbbing and cramping in your legs wasn’t enough, do they also have to be annoyingly itchy? When the warm weather strikes, you might be hesitant to pull on your favorite pair of shorts or skirt and instead opt to cover those large swollen veins.

What are Varicose Veins?

If you’re dealing with varicose veins, that means your veins have a bit of a valve problem.

Your heart is working seriously hard, fighting gravity to move the blood in your legs up. To help your heart, your veins have these cool little valves that stop the blood from going back down—except your valves aren’t working so well.

The valves in some of your veins aren’t closing properly. This leads to the blood falling back down to your feet, which can cause those big, swollen, heavy veins.

Varicose veins are mostly a genetic issue, affecting more women than men, and can really hamper an active lifestyle. They’re a pain, literally and figuratively.

But the good news is there are a few things you can do that can reverse some of your symptoms so you can show off your legs with pride!

1. Take Circuvein

Flora’s CircuVein (US/CA) is a clinically-proven supplement to reduce those unsightly, swollen veins, and most importantly can reduce the swelling in your legs and ankles*.

This product is also very unique, so if you’ve tried other supplements but didn’t have any success, definitely give this one a go. It contains two bioflavonoids, diosmin and hesperidin, which are naturally found in citrus fruits. They’re gentle on your body but super effective. Try it for at least 60 days to see results.

2. Get moving

Exercise can be doubly helpful! Movement helps increase your circulation and helps to move all of that stagnant blood. Plus, strong muscles in your legs help to reduce the swelling and keeps your blood moving even when you’re sitting!

3. Compression stockings are totally in style

They’re not your grandma’s stockings anymore! Compression stockings are all the rage with runners now so you can find them in great colors and styles. They put pressure on your calves and ankles and help to increase circulation to reduce symptoms.

4. Skip those tight jeans

Tight clothing around your waist, hips, and legs can make your varicose veins even worse^[1]. So skip those uncomfortable tight jeans and go for super comfy jeggings (leggings that look like jeans) or a cute loose skirt or pants.

5. Eat a healthy diet

An anti-inflammatory diet filled with fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and other plant-based high fiber foods help to lower inflammation and increase circulation. This super healthy diet can help to stop new swollen veins from forming while also healing the ones you’ve got.

Antioxidants, like vitamin C and E found in fruits and veggies, help to strengthen the walls of your veins and arteries. Vitamin E is also a very mild blood thinner, which helps increase circulation.

With just a few changes to your diet and lifestyle, your legs can be looking and feeling better soon!

Lisa Kilgour is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN), founder of LisaKilgour.com, and a faculty member at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.

^[1] https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/varicose-veins