Best Foods And Herbs For Vein Circulation

Four subsystems make up the circulatory system, of which venous circulation is one. Venous circulation involves the flow of blood through your veins, or the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart. Certain herbs and foods have been found to possess properties that might be beneficial in improving venous circulation. Before adopting any herbal or nutritional program for improving venous circulation always consult a doctor to ensure you get the proper medical care and that herbs and nutrition used in complementary therapy are used safely and effectively.

Common Conditions of Venous Circulation

Two common and related conditions involving venous circulation are varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency. Varicose veins result from painful swelling, enlarging and twisting of the veins that can interfere with free blood flow. Chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI, is a condition in which the legs' veins lose elasticity, impairing blood flow from the legs to the heart, causing blood to pool in the legs. Besides these conditions, poor venous circulation can result from stress and anxiety, water buildup and a weakened heart, among other causes.

Dietary Fiber

The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends eating foods rich in dietary fiber, particularly whole grains and legumes that are high in complex carbs. David Hoffman, in his book "The New Holistic Herbal," recommends that varicose vein sufferers eat a diet containing of lots of fruits and green vegetables, which are both high in dietary fiber.

Bioflavonoids

Bioflavonoids are compounds found in many fruits and vegetables that are also important for venous health. Blueberry, cranberry, grape seed and hawthorn berry are particularly high in one type of bioflavonoid, oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes, found to be helpful in reducing venous leakage and associated swelling of the legs. Another bioflavonoid, rutin, is being studied for its potential benefits in strengthening venous walls and thereby improving their functioning. Rutin is found most heavily in buckwheat, but can also be obtained from citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lemon, lime and orange, as well as mulberry, bilberry, apple peel, and certain other fruits and fruit rinds.

Astringents

Several astringent herbs are widely recommended by herbalists for varicose veins and other conditions involving poor venous circulation. Gotu kola and grapeseed are two astringent herbs noted by the University of Maryland Medical Center for their effectiveness in treating chronic venous insufficiency, particularly when used together. The National Institutes of Health adds horse chestnut to the list, which in addition to being an astringent is also a circulatory system tonic. A 1998 "Archives of Dermatology" review of research on horse chestnut for chronic venous insufficiency found it to be consistently superior to placebos and "as effective as reference medications in alleviating the objective signs and subjective symptoms of CVI." Horsetail, an astringent with diuretic properties, also has been helpful for venous circulation, especially when a buildup of water in the body is involved.

General Circulatory System Herbs

Poor peripheral venous circulation, or blood flow in the extremities as noted by cold feet and hands, might be relieved with hawthorn berries, cayenne pepper, ginger and either the berries or bark of prickly ash, Hoffman says. Beyond those, he cites butcher's broom tops, buckwheat, dandelion, lime blossom, mistletoe and yarrow as prime herbs for circulatory health in general.