In medical practice, it is difficult to find a disease in which traditional medicine would be powerless. Most known pathologies are treated using the recipes of traditional medicine, and even if this method of therapy is not able to fully cope with the disease, it can enhance the effect of taking medications, suspend or slow down the development of pathology, improve the patient's health condition, etc.
As for varicose veins in the legs, in folk medicine there are many different recipes for eliminating the symptoms of the disease, as well as aiming to contain it and maintain the condition of the veins. This article will focus on one of the most effective folk remedies for the treatment of varicose veins - apple cider vinegar.
Features of varicose veins on the legs
Many people, hearing the word varicose veins, imagine legs on which veins protruding through the skin are clearly visible. This view is not wrong, but it hardly reveals the complete picture of the disease.
The main problem of varicose veins is not cosmetic changes, but a violation of the activity of the vessels that carry blood to the heart. With varicose veins, the veins deform, expand, stretch, their walls become thinner, and the functioning of the venous valves is disrupted.
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 noticeably increase, swell and become 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 through a long chemical reaction. First, a biochemical fermentation takes place, during which the sugar from the apples is converted into alcohol. A fermentation cycle follows, 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 strengthen bone tissue and tones muscle fibers, with varicose veins prevents frequent convulsions, which are often accompanied by the 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 body 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 the veins affected by varicose veins, they are the following:
- Reduction of swelling or their complete elimination.
- Prevention of seizures and their elimination directly during an attack.
- Elimination of pain or their relief, which depends on the severity of the pain syndrome.
- Reduction of blood clotting, very important for varicose veins, especially in view of the prevention of thrombus formation.
- 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 it to counteract 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 further fermentation.
The use of acetic acid, which contains only apple flavor, will not only give results, but can also harm your health. Natural vinegar is also sold in stores, so read the label carefully before purchasing.
Methods of application
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 vinegar will give certain results, relieve unpleasant symptoms, but only if the entire course of treatment is maintained, one can hope to consolidate the result.
It is also important to understand that apple cider vinegar in the fight against varicose veins is used both as an external agent and for internal use. Also, according to patient reviews and doctors' insurance, the combination of both methods provides better results.
External use
Most recipes for traditional medicine refer specifically to the external use of apple cider vinegar, but they consider the most effective and proven methods of treatment:
- The simplest and at the same time effective way is the usual vinegar treatment of the feet. To do this, take a bath to cleanse the skin, wipe your feet and rub with 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, it is even better to carry out the procedure before bedtime;
- Tablets are even more effective. Pour a small amount of vinegar into a bowl, dip the gauze strips folded in two layers into the liquid, squeeze them lightly and place them on problem areas. Then wrap the legs with a bandage or other cloth, lay 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. Just like last time, moisten the gauze pieces in vinegar, but you shouldn't wring out the gauze now. Put it on your feet in the places of varicose veins and wrap the limb with a film, tightly fixing the gauze. On top of the gauze, you need to wrap a warm scarf or blanket, relax after 40 minutes;
- You can only take vinegar baths 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 bath 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 with an acute individual reaction to the treatment in question;
- The last, but not in terms of effectiveness, involves the preparation of an ointment. To do this, mix the proteins from 1 chicken egg with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of turpentine. It is necessary to rub the ointment every day in the evening directly into the problem areas, moving the leg.
Please note that it is advisable to carry out all the procedures described so that after performing them you can rest from 30 minutes to an hour, the ideal time is considered to be in the evening, before bedtime. It is also important to consolidate with a doctor before using vinegar to regulate the period of treatment and the frequency of daily procedures, because a lot depends on a number of individual factors, the main of which is the degree of progression of varicose veins in the legs .
Internal use
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 entire volume of the resulting 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 sweetened, melt it in a double boiler). The solution is used in two steps, half a glass is drunk on an empty stomach in the morning, 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 consult a gastroenterologist not only for 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
Treatment of varicose veins with apple cider vinegar cannot always be carried out; in some cases, the harm resulting from such therapy may be greater than the benefit. 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 venous walls and causes blood clots to form.
- Advanced forms of atherosclerosis, a disease that disrupts blood circulation in peripheral vessels and is accompanied by a host 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 in the development of atherosclerosis and thrombophlebitis.
- Pathologies accompanied by acute or chronic inflammatory processes in the kidneys and liver.