Improving Cardiovascular Health

A strong cardiovascular system is a great defense against varicose veins. Veins and arteries are part of the circulatory system within your body, but your blood is propelled through these by your heart and cardiovascular system. Vein disorders can be caused by multiple factors such as standing for long periods of time, lack of exercise, and hereditary reasons. There are a few simple steps you can take to improve your cardiovascular health.

Exercise

The first thing you can do to improve your cardiovascular health is exercise. Exercising for about thirty minutes a day, a few times a week can do wonders to improve your cardio health. The goal of these exercises should be to elevate your heart rate. To strengthen your cardiovascular health you will want to keep your heart rate elevated for an extended period of time, this is will force your heart to work harder and in turn will strengthen it. Strengthening your heart can be done by jogging, biking/cycling, using a rowing machine, or a variety of other exercises that utilize your own body weight.

Dieting

Step two is improving your diet, you will want to cut down on unhealthy foods and instead focus on a more heart healthy diet. This can be accomplished by eating more vegetables and fruit. You can start substituting fruit and vegetables into your diet when you would usually eat snacks or unhealthy foods. Cutting down on unhealthy fats should be a priority of your diet, you will want to limit the amount of saturated fats you are digesting. Reducing your daily sodium intake is another great way to improve your diet. Cutting down on the amount of salt you are ingesting will improve how your body reacts to fluids and will reduce the risk of water retention.

Smoking/Drinking

The final step you can take to improving your cardiovascular health is to reduce your alcohol consumption and smoking habits. The daily consumption of alcohol can raise your blood pressure which is not good for your health. Trimming down your alcohol intake can lower your blood pressure and help improve your overall heart health. Smoking affects your heart and cardiovascular system in a different way. Smoking constricts and tightens your blood vessels which reduces your blood flow and causes your blood pressure to raise. This forces your heart to work harder than it would under normal circumstances.

Focusing on these three areas can drastically help you improve your cardiovascular health. Exercising will strengthen your heart and improve blood circulation throughout your body. Improving your diet and eating healthy will put less stress on your heart and circulatory system, and will allow you to strengthen your heart and improve your overall health. Reducing alcohol consumption and smoking will lower your blood pressure, which means your cardiovascular system won’t be under as much pressure. If you would like to reduce your risk of varicose veins, strengthening your cardiovascular system is a great starting point.