Spider Veins are Stage 1.

Although they are not always related to varicose veins, like with pregnancy/postpartum or menopause, spider veins can be the first stage of varicose veins, which are much more painful. So let’s get to the root of why they happen, so we can improve them and prevent them from worsening.

Spider veins (and veinous insufficiency) happen because of a few main reasons:

• Hormone Fluctuations (Why we see it more often with pregnancy/postpartum and menopause.
• Weight gain/Obesity
• Chronic inflammation
• Poor detoxification abilities
• Being in a job/lifestyle where you are either constantly sitting or standing for long periods of time restricting blood flow.

So what can we do to improve it??

1️⃣ Diet and Exercise!

I will always start with my foundations. Because yes, it matters! A large part of how spider veins develop is pooling/stagnant blood in the veins, OR inflammation and permeability of the vein/artery. How we eat and how we move play a really large role in our inflammation. I generally recommend following a whole-foods based diet similar to the Mediterranean diet. 25-30% protein/30-35% carbs/35-40% healthy fats.

There are even some specific foods that can help with veins and circulation in particular:

1. Fiber Rich Foods - The goal is 30+g of REAL food fiber per day.
2. Add in foods like Cherries, Grapes, and Blackberries which are all rich in Rutin, which is a plant pigment that reduces the fragility of our capillaries.