Get up and move around to keep the blood circulating. And stop smoking if you're already into it. Researchers have found that varicose veins are more common in smokers because puffing away interferes with the way the body regulates fibrin, a blood-clotting protein. You won't necessarily get varicose veins if you're a few pounds overweight, but go over your ideal weight by 20 percent and the extra pounds can squeeze out the veins. This is particularly true for women who have a hereditary tendency toward varicose veins, according to Alan Kanter, M.D., medical director of the Vein Center of Orange County in Irvine, California.
Constipation can actually affect varicose veins.
This is because straining on the toilet increases pressure on your rectal veins, which creates more pressure on your leg veins, says Dr. Kanter. Besides eating fiber , a good way to keep constipation at bay is to make sure your system stays well-lubricated by drinking eight to ten glasses of water a day, he says. Watch how you lift. If you do strength-training exercises, you can avoid aggravating or initiating a vein problem if you make sure to use smaller weights and do more repetitions. Heavy weights can put too much pressure on veins.