In medical practice, it is difficult to find a disease in which traditional medicine would be helpless. Most known pathologies are treated with prescriptions of traditional medicine, and even if this method of therapy is not able to completely cope with the disease, it can increase the effect of medication, stop or slow down the development of pathology, improve the patient's condition. condition, etc.
As for varicose veins on the legs, in folk medicine there are many different recipes for eliminating the symptoms of the disease, as well as for its suppression and maintenance of the condition of the veins. This article will focus on one of the most effective folk remedies for treating varicose veins - apple cider vinegar.
Characteristics of varicose veins in the legs
Many people, hearing the word varicose veins, imagine legs on which the veins protruding through the skin are clearly visible. This view is not wrong, but it is difficult to reveal the full picture of the disease.
The main problem of varicose veins is not aesthetic changes, but the violation of the activity of blood vessels that carry blood to the heart. With varicose veins, the veins deform, expand, lengthen, their walls become thinner, and the work of the venous valves is disturbed.
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 greatly enlarge, bulge and damage. The main problem of varicose veins is the violation of blood circulation, its stagnation in the vascular bed and disturbance of the systemic circulation.
The action of apple cider vinegar
First of all, it should be noted that the maximum efficiency of apple cider vinegar in the treatment of varicose veins is achieved mainly in the early stages of the disease.
Natural apple cider vinegar is produced by a long chemical reaction. First, biochemical fermentation takes place, during which the sugar in apples is converted into alcohol. This is followed by a fermentation cycle, during which the alcohol is "distilled" into vinegar. Ultimately, the resulting product in its chemical composition contains all the useful trace elements of the fruit from which it is produced.
To understand what benefits vinegar can bring to the body, and especially the veins in the legs, consider what useful elements it contains:
- Calcium - helps strengthen bone tissue and tones muscle fibers, in varicose veins prevents frequent attacks, which are often accompanied by disease.
- Iron - has a positive effect on the blood, increasing the synthesis of hemoglobin and eliminating the 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 necessary 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 as follows:
- Reduction of swelling or their complete removal.
- Prevention of seizures, as well as their elimination directly during the attack.
- Pain relief or alleviation, depending on the severity of the pain syndrome.
- Reduction of blood clotting, which is very important for varicose veins, especially in terms of preventing the formation of blood clots.
- Strengthening of vascular walls, which prevents their deformation and violation of integrity.
- One of the signs of varicose veins is a change in skin color, its cyanosis. Vinegar, on the other hand, brightens the skin, allowing you to fight against this unpleasant cosmetic effect.
Note! Doctors insist on using only natural apple cider vinegar for medical purposes, obtained by the method described above in the process of fruit fermentation with further fermentation.
The use of acetic acid, which contains only the aroma of apples, 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.
Methods of application
The main conditions in the treatment of folk remedies, including apple cider vinegar, is a systematic approach and duration of therapy. This drug should be used for at least a month, all this time vinegar will give certain results, alleviate unpleasant symptoms, but only if the entire course of treatment is maintained, one can hope to consolidate the results.
It is also important to understand that apple cider vinegar in the fight against varicose veins is also used as an external remedy and is taken internally. Moreover, according to patient reviews and physician assurances, mixing both methods gives better results.
External use
Most recipes for traditional medicine refer to the external use of apple cider vinegar, but consider the most effective and proven methods of treatment:
- The easiest and at the same time effective way is the usual treatment of the feet with vinegar. To do this, take a bath to cleanse the skin, wipe your feet and rub apple cider vinegar with gentle movements, paying special attention to problem areas. After rubbing, it is recommended to lie down for at least 30 minutes, and it is even better to perform the procedure before going to bed;
- Compresses are even more effective. Pour a small amount of vinegar into a bowl, dip strips of gauze folded in two layers in the liquid, lightly squeeze them and place on the problem areas. Then wrap your feet in a bandage or other cloth, place them above body level and stay in that position for 30-40 minutes, then remove the bandage;
- The wrapping method is also very effective. Like last time, moisten the pieces of gauze in vinegar, but now the gauze should not be squeezed. Lay it on the feet in places of varicose veins and wrap the limb with film, firmly attaching the gauze. You need to wrap a warm scarf or blanket on top of the gauze, unwrap it after 40 minutes;
- You can bathe in vinegar baths only with 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 tub for about 25-30 minutes. This method is the most gentle 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;
- Last, but not in terms of effectiveness, the method involves the preparation of ointments. To do this, mix the protein of 1 chicken egg with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of turpentine. You need to rub the ointment directly into the problem areas every night, moving along the leg.
Please note that it is recommended to do all the described procedures so that you can rest from 30 minutes to an hour after the performed ones, the ideal time is considered to be the evening, before going to bed. It is also important to consult a doctor before using vinegar in order to adjust the period of treatment and the frequency of daily procedures, because much depends on a number of individual factors, the main one being the degree of progression of varicose veins. leg.
Internal use
Oral use of apple cider vinegar is not so diverse, there are two proven methods:
- Take a glass of purified or boiled water (250 milliliters) and mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The full volume of the obtained liquid is drunk on an empty stomach 10-15 minutes before breakfast.
- The second recipe involves 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 in the morning on an empty stomach, the other half in the evening before dinner.
It is very important, before the internal use of apple cider vinegar, to be diagnosed with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and consult a gastroenterologist not only about the approval of treatment, but also to find out the allowed duration of therapy. This need is explained by the fact that vinegar can cause ulcers in the stomach and duodenum.
Contraindications to use
Treatment of varicose veins with apple cider vinegar cannot always be performed; in some cases the harm from such therapy may outweigh the benefits. If we talk about the external use of the product, the ban comes into force in two cases:
- Thrombophlebitis is an inflammatory process that covers the walls of veins and causes blood clots to form.
- Forms of atherosclerosis have advanced, a disease that disrupts blood circulation in peripheral blood vessels and is accompanied by a number of other dangerous symptoms.
As for the contraindications for the internal use of apple cider vinegar, they are as follows:
- Forms of gastritis with high acidity.
- Pre-ulcer condition, as well as ulcers of the stomach or duodenum.
- Late stages of atherosclerosis and thrombophlebitis.
- Pathologies accompanied by acute or chronic inflammatory processes in the kidneys and liver.