In medical practice, it is difficult to find a disease in which traditional medicine would be helpless. Most of the known pathologies are treated according to the prescriptions of traditional medicine and even if this method of therapy is not able to completely cope with the disease, it can enhance the effect of medication, stop or delay the development of pathology, improve the conditionof the patient. condition, etc.
As for varicose veins of the legs, in folk medicine there are many different recipes for eliminating the symptoms of the disease, as well as aimed at limiting it and maintaining the condition of the veins. This article will focus on one of the most effective folk remedies for varicose veins - apple cider vinegar.
Characteristics of varicose veins of the legs
Many people, hearing the word varicose veins, imagine the legs, which clearly show the veins protruding through the skin. This opinion 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 vessels that transport blood to the heart. With varicose veins, the veins deform, dilate, lengthen, 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 significantly increase, protrude and damage. 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 disease.
Natural apple cider vinegar is produced by a long chemical reaction. First, 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 made.
To find out what benefits vinegar can bring to the body and especially to the vessels of the legs, consider what useful elements it contains:
- Calcium - helps strengthen bone tissue and tones muscle fibers, in varicose veins prevents frequent seizures, 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 regulating the functions of the body as a whole.
- 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 as follows:
- Reduction of puffiness or their complete elimination.
- Prevent seizures as well as eliminate them directly during an attack.
- Elimination of pain or their relief, which depends on the severity of the pain syndrome.
- Reduction of blood clotting, which is very important in varicose veins, especially in order to prevent the formation of blood clots.
- Strengthening the vessel walls, which prevents their deformation and disruption of integrity.
- One of the signs of varicose veins is discoloration of the skin, its cyanosis. Vinegar, on the other hand, brightens the skin, which allows you to fight this unpleasant cosmetic effect.
Note! Doctors insist that only natural apple cider vinegar, obtained by the method described above, be used for medical purposes in the process of fermentation of fruits with subsequent fermentation.
Using 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 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. It is necessary to use this drug for at least a month, during all this time the vinegar will give certain results, will relieve unpleasant symptoms, but only if the full course of treatment is maintained, you can hope to consolidate the result.
It is also important to understand that apple cider vinegar is used both externally and internally to fight varicose veins. In addition, according to patient reviews and doctors' assurances, mixing the two methods gives better results.
External use
Most of the recipes for traditional medicine are specific 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 clean your 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, 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 the folded in two layers of gauze strips in the liquid, squeeze them lightly and place them on the problem areas. Then wrap your feet with a bandage or other towel, place them above body level and wake up in this state for 30-40 minutes, then remove the compress;
- The packaging method is also very effective. Like last time, moisten the pieces of gauze in vinegar, but now you should not squeeze the gauze. Place it on your feet in the places of varicose veins and wrap the limb with a film, tightly fixing the gauze. On the gauze you need to wrap a warm scarf or blanket, unroll after 40 minutes;
- You can make baths with vinegar only with dipped feet. To do this, take about half a bath with not very hot water and dilute in it a liter of apple cider vinegar. 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, suitable for people with sensitive skin or individual acute reaction to the treatment in question;
- The last, but not in terms of effectiveness, method involves the preparation of an ointment. To do this, mix the protein of 1 chicken egg with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of turpentine. You need to rub the ointment daily in the evening directly into the problem areas, moving up the legs.
Please note that it is advisable to do all the described procedures so that after performing them you can rest from 30 minutes to an hour, the ideal time is considered to be the evening before bedtime. It is also important to consult a doctor before using vinegar to adjust the treatment period and frequency of daily procedures, as 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
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 mix in it 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The full 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 candied, melt it in a water bath). The solution is used in two steps, drinking half a glass in the morning on an empty stomach, the second 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 to authorize treatment, but also to understand the allowable duration of therapy. This need is explained by the fact that vinegar can cause stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers.
Contraindications to use
Treatment of varicose veins with apple cider vinegar is not always possible; 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 venous walls and causes blood clots.
- Advanced forms of atherosclerosis, a disease that disrupts blood circulation in peripheral vessels and is accompanied by many other dangerous symptoms.
Regarding the contraindications related to the internal use of apple cider vinegar, they are as follows:
- Forms of gastritis with high acidity.
- Ulcerative 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.