In medical practice, it is difficult to find a disease in which traditional medicine cannot do anything. Most of the known pathologies are treated with recipes of traditional medicine, and even if this method of therapy cannot fully cope with the disease, it can enhance the effect of taking drugs, suspend or slow down the development of pathology, improve the patient health. condition, etc.
As for varicose veins in the legs, in folk medicine there are many different recipes to eliminate the symptoms of the disease, as well as to contain it and maintain the condition of the veins. This article will focus on one of the most effective home remedies for varicose veins - apple cider vinegar.
Characteristics of varicose veins in the legs.
Many people, when hearing the word varicose veins, imagine legs in which the veins that protrude from the skin are clearly visible. This view is not wrong, but it hardly reveals the full picture of the disease.
The main problem of varicose veins is not aesthetic changes, but a violation of the activity of the vessels that carry blood to the heart. With varicose veins, the veins are deformed, expanded, elongated, their walls become thinner, and the functioning of the venous valves is interrupted.
As a result, with the development of the pathological process, the veins and venous networks become visible to the naked eye, and the progression of the disease leads to the fact that the vessels begin to increase, bulge and be greatly damaged. The main problem of varicose veins is a violation of blood circulation, its stagnation in the vascular bed and a violation of systemic circulation.
The action of apple cider vinegar
First of all, it should be noted that the maximum effectiveness of apple cider vinegar in the treatment of varicose veins is achieved mainly in the early stages of the development of the disease.
Natural apple cider vinegar is produced by a prolonged chemical reaction. First, a biochemical fermentation takes place, during which the sugar in the apples is converted into alcohol. This is followed by a fermentation cycle, during which the alcohol is "distilled" into vinegar. Ultimately, the resulting product contains in its chemical composition all the beneficial trace elements of the fruit from which it is produced.
To understand what benefits vinegar can bring to the body and, in particular, to the vessels of the legs, consider what useful elements it contains:
- Calcium: helps to strengthen bone tissue and tones muscle fibers, with varicose veins it prevents frequent seizures, which are often accompanied by the disease.
- Iron - has a positive effect on the blood, increases the synthesis of hemoglobin and eliminates signs of anemia.
- Amino acid: participates in the construction of protein compounds, helps burn fat, has a beneficial effect on the regulation of bodily functions in general.
- Magnesium and potassium: these elements are essential in the fight against diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- Various vitamins and minerals to improve the body's metabolism.
These are the main elements contained in apple cider vinegar, which are directly involved in the fight against varicose veins, in fact, there are many more trace elements.
If we talk specifically about the properties of vinegar that this product has on veins affected by varicose veins, they are the following:
- Reduction of swelling or its complete elimination.
- Prevention of seizures, as well as their elimination directly during an attack.
- Elimination of pain or its relief, which depends on the severity of the pain syndrome.
- Decreased blood clotting, which is very important for varicose veins, especially to prevent the formation of thrombi.
- Strengthening of the vascular walls, which prevents their deformation and violations of integrity.
- One of the signs of varicose veins is a discoloration of the skin, its cyanosis. Vinegar, on the other hand, brightens the skin, allowing you to combat this unpleasant cosmetic effect.
Note! Doctors insist on using only natural apple cider vinegar for medicinal purposes, obtained by the method described above in the process of fermenting fruits with additional fermentation.
Using acetic acid, which only contains apple aroma, will not only give results, but can also harm your health. Natural vinegar is also sold in stores, so read the label carefully before buying.
Application methods
The main conditions in the treatment of folk remedies, including apple cider vinegar, are a systematic approach and the duration of therapy. It is necessary to use this remedy for at least a month, all this time the vinegar will give certain results, relieve unpleasant symptoms, but only if the full course of treatment is maintained, can one hope to consolidate the result.
It is also important to understand that apple cider vinegar in the fight against varicose veins is used as an external agent and is taken internally. In addition, according to the reviews of the patients and the guarantee of the doctors, the combination of both methods gives better results.
External use
Most of the recipes of traditional medicine relate specifically to the external use of apple cider vinegar, but consider the most effective and proven treatment methods:
- The easiest and most effective way is the usual treatment with vinegar of the feet. To do this, take a bath to cleanse your skin, pat your feet dry, and rub in apple cider vinegar with gentle movements, paying particular attention to problem areas. After rubbing, it is advisable to lie down for at least 30 minutes, it is even better to do the procedure before bedtime;
- Compresses are even more effective. Pour a small amount of vinegar into a bowl, dip the gauze strips folded in two layers into the liquid, lightly squeeze them and put them on the problem areas. Then wrap your legs with a bandage or other cloth, place them above the level of the body and wake up in this state for 30-40 minutes, then remove the compress;
- The wrapping method is also very effective. Like last time, moisten the gauze pieces in vinegar, but now you should not drain the gauze. Put it on your feet in the places of varicose veins and wrap the limb with a film, firmly fixing the gauze. On top of the gauze you need to wrap a warm scarf or blanket, relax after 40 minutes;
- You can take vinegar baths with just your feet submerged. To do this, take about half a bath of not too hot water and dilute a liter of apple cider vinegar in it. Then put your feet in the bath for about 25-30 minutes. This method is the gentlest due to the low concentration of vinegar, it is suitable for people with sensitive skin or an individual acute reaction to the treatment under discussion;
- The last method, but not in terms of effectiveness, involves the preparation of an ointment. To do this, mix the protein from 1 chicken egg with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of turpentine. You need to rub the ointment every day at night directly into the problem areas, moving up the leg.
Keep in mind that it is advisable to carry out all the procedures described so that once they have been carried out, you can rest for 30 minutes to an hour, it is considered that the ideal time is the night, before going to bed. It is also important to consult with a doctor before using vinegar to adjust the treatment period and the frequency of daily procedures, because much depends on a number of individual factors, the main of which is the degree of progression of varicose veins. of the legs.
Internal use
The oral use of apple cider vinegar is not so diverse, there are two proven methods:
- You need to take a glass of purified or boiled water (250 milliliters) and add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The total volume of the resulting liquid is drunk on an empty stomach 10-15 minutes before breakfast.
- The second recipe consists of mixing two ingredients in a glass of water, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and 2 teaspoons of liquid honey (if the honey is sugary, melt it in a water bath). The solution is used in two steps, half a glass is drunk on an empty stomach in the morning and the second half in the evening before dinner.
It is very important, before the internal use of apple cider vinegar, to undergo a diagnosis of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and to consult with a gastroenterologist not only about the authorization of treatment, but also to find out the permissible duration of therapy. This need is explained by the fact that vinegar can cause gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
Contraindications for use.
Treating varicose veins with apple cider vinegar cannot always be done; in some cases, the harm from such therapy may outweigh the benefit. If we talk about the external use of the product, the prohibition takes effect in two cases:
- Thrombophlebitis is an inflammatory process that lines the venous walls and causes blood clots.
- Advanced forms of atherosclerosis, a disease that disrupts blood circulation in peripheral vessels and is accompanied by a number of other dangerous symptoms.
As for the contraindications related to the internal use of apple cider vinegar, they are the following:
- Forms of gastritis with high acidity.
- Pre-ulcer condition, as well as gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer.
- Late stages of development of atherosclerosis and thrombophlebitis.
- Pathologies accompanied by acute or chronic inflammatory processes in the kidneys and liver.