Have you ever ordered sushi and received it with a side of green wasabi and what appears to be little peach-colored folds next to it? Well, if you have ever wondered what that stuff is, it’s ginger—and it can help reduce the appearance of spider veins by improving blood circulation. Most of the time ginger is used as an herb for flavoring foods but sometimes it’s used as an alternative medical treatment. Try adding a little ginger to your diet in combination with your varicose or spider vein treatments to help reduce their appearance even more—but remember to consult your leg vein specialist, Dr. Schoenhaus in Boca Raton first.
You may ask yourself what good blood circulation has to do with spider veins. Spider veins are caused by weakened valves inside veins that allow blood to flow in the opposite direction than it is supposed to. This venous reflux – or backward flow – allows blood to pool within the veins and the increased pressure causes the appearance of spider veins and varicose veins. This leads researchers to believe if you can improve blood circulation, you might be able to reduce the appearance of spider veins.
Ginger can help improve blood circulation in a couple of ways:
- Ginger has the ability to possibly lower your blood pressure. When the amount of pressure on your veins is minimized it allows for easier blood flow.
- Ginger also exhibits blood-thinning potential and because thinner blood is easier for your heart to pump it can help improve the circulation of blood within your veins. As with any medical treatment, please consult your vein specialist before adding ginger to your diet to make sure you aren’t taking medicines that could interfere and cause complications.
Veins sometimes appear more prominent because of the buildup of the blood protein fibrin. The buildup of fibrin causes veins to bulge making spider veins more visible. According to studies, ginger is one of the natural substances that can break up the protein fibrin in your veins, helping to reduce their visibility.
As mentioned before, adding small amounts of ginger to your diet is not going to make your spider veins disappear. However, there are certain varicose and spider vein treatments available to you through your vein specialist that you can try in combination with ginger. Also try minimizing spider vein appearance by not wearing high heels for long periods of time, maintaining a healthy weight, and not crossing your legs when you are seated. Remember to consult a physician before adding supplemental ginger to your diet because it may cause complications when combined with certain prescriptions such as blood pressure medicines and blood thinners.
Dr. Jodi R. Schoenhaus, DPM, RPhs, FACFAS, is a trusted podiatrist in Boca Raton, FL. She is Board Certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. She specializes in foot, ankle, and leg vein procedures, including spider and varicose veins. Schedule your appointment today at (561)-750-3033.
