Low elasticity of blood vessels adversely affects human health. After all, the circulatory system provides oxygen to all organs and tissues. Various adverse factors lead to increased fragility of the vascular walls. In advanced cases, this can cause cardiological diseases and cerebral circulatory disorders. How to improve the condition of blood vessels? We will answer this question in the article.
Vascular Wall Elasticity: General
Vascular elasticity is an important indicator of health. Arteries and veins pervade the entire human body. A huge amount of blood passes through them. The poor state of the vessels negatively affects the work of various organs and systems.
The circulatory system is controlled by the brain. It sends special signals to the vascular walls. Under their influence, arteries and veins expand or contract. If the walls of the vessels are elastic and strong, then when stretched, they do not form damage.
With weak elasticity of the vessels, the fragility of their walls increases. This becomes the main cause of cardiovascular pathologies. In a person, blood flow worsens. As a result, various organs receive little oxygen, which leads to a deterioration in their nutrition.
Reasons for elasticity deterioration
Under the influence of various adverse factors, the walls of arteries and veins become brittle and brittle. Most often, the cause of a decrease in vascular elasticity is atherosclerotic changes. Plaque deposits of cholesterol appear on the walls. As a result, blood vessels are easily damaged. This leads to dangerous complications such as a heart attack or stroke.
The following factors can be identified that contribute to the deterioration of the state of the vascular system:
- nutrition with an excess of harmful lipids;
- obesity;
- chronic hypertension;
- genetic predisposition to atherosclerosis;
- inactive lifestyle;
- systematic overwork;
- age-related changes in the elderly;
- inflammatory vascular pathologies;
- frequent emotional distress;
- abuse of tobacco and alcohol.
How to improve vascular elasticity? In most cases, a poor state of the circulatory system is associated with an improper lifestyle. Therefore, in order to strengthen the vessels, it is necessary not only to take all the necessary medicines, but also to revise your habits and diet.
Signs of weak vessels
Vascular diseases at the initial stage may not manifest in any way. Pathological changes occur slowly, but are constantly progressing. When the elasticity of the vessels deteriorates significantly, the patient has the following symptoms:
- darkening in the eyes with a sharp change in body position;
- dizziness;
- a feeling of throbbing and pain in the back of the head and temples;
- heart palpitations;
- limb cooling;
- feeling unwell in hot weather;
- drops in blood pressure;
- minor subcutaneous hemorrhages;
- redness of the eye proteins;
- the appearance of bruises on the skin even with a slight bruise;
- frequent bleeding from the nasal cavity;
- joint and muscle pain when weather conditions change.
Such manifestations cannot be ignored. Weakness of blood vessels often causes dangerous heart diseases, as well as varicose veins and leg vein thrombosis.
Ways to strengthen the vascular system
How to restore vascular elasticity? The solution to this problem requires an integrated approach. There are the following ways to strengthen the vascular system:
- adherence to a special diet;
- drinking plenty of fluids;
- physical activity;
- taking medications;
- water treatments;
- massage;
- phytotherapy.
All these funds must be used in combination. Only in this way can the former elasticity of the vessels be restored. Treatment with drugs will not lead to the desired result if the patient does not adhere to a diet and maintain an optimal regime of physical activity.
Diet
First of all, the patient should pay attention to his diet. After all, junk food is the main cause of increased fragility of blood vessels. It is necessary to exclude the following types of food from the menu:
- fried, salty and spicy dishes;
- offal;
- convenience foods and fast food;
- fatty meats and lard;
- canned food and marinades;
- smoked meats;
- all products with chemical additives.
Food is recommended to be steamed, baked or stewed. Most of the diet should be milk and vegetable foods. It is allowed to eat only dietary lean meat: chicken, turkey, veal.
The daily menu should include foods rich in vitamins and proteins. The following types of food are useful for vascular elasticity:
- Sea fish. It is necessary to give preference to fatty grades. Such food will not damage the vessels, but, on the contrary, will strengthen their walls. Indeed, fish contains beneficial omega-3 acids. They are part of many drugs for atherosclerosis. Marine fish species do not contain harmful cholesterol. Pure fish oil can also be consumed.
- Fruits and berries. Patients with weak vessels are recommended to regularly include lemons, pomegranates, grapes, black currants and rose hips in the menu. They contain a large amount of vitamin C, which helps strengthen the vascular walls.
- Vegetables and greens. It is recommended to cook broccoli cabbage, and add salads to tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach and asparagus. These products cleanse blood vessels of lipid deposits. Garlic is very useful. It contains rutin, which positively affects the state of the vascular walls. Doctors recommend eating one garlic clove daily.
- Olive oil. This product is recommended for salad dressing instead of mayonnaise. Olive oil contains a large amount of beneficial fatty acids that break down bad cholesterol.
- Cereals and legumes. Of these products, it is recommended to cook cereals and soups. This will help to saturate the body with carbohydrates and normalize the metabolism of fats. Turkish pea (chickpea) dishes are especially useful. This rather rare product cleanses blood vessels well.
- Seaweed. In the diet, you often need to include salads from seaweed. This will not only enrich the body with iodine, but also help strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
All patients with weak vessels must completely eliminate the use of alcohol. Taking even mild alcoholic beverages can adversely affect the circulatory system.
Dehydration control
The lack of water in the body contributes to increased fragility of blood vessels. Therefore, at least 2 liters of fluid should be consumed per day. This will help improve blood composition.
The following drinks are especially useful:
- green and white teas;
- blackcurrant fruit drink;
- dried fruits compote;
- a decoction of rose hips and hawthorn;
- alkaline mineral waters.
Coffee and black tea should be discarded. These drinks increase blood pressure and adversely affect the state of blood vessels.
It is important to remember that if a person already has cardiological pathologies, then drinking a large amount of fluid can be harmful to health. Heavy drinking increases the load on the myocardium and causes swelling of the face and limbs. In this case, you can drink no more than 1.5 liters of fluid per day.
Physical activity
How to restore vascular elasticity through exercise? Low mobility is one of the causes of atherosclerosis. But it is important to remember that vascular weakness often occurs in elderly patients. In old age, physical activity should be dosed and moderate.
The following types of physical activity are suitable for patients with vascular pathologies:
- walking;
- swimming;
- Biking;
- skiing at a moderate pace.
It is also useful to perform exercises for the cervical spine: tilting and rotating the head, raising arms and legs in a prone position. Regular gymnastics will help strengthen the vessels of the brain.
Sharp and fast movements must be avoided. Exercises should be performed slowly and smoothly. It is very important to monitor your well-being. If dizziness, darkening in the eyes or pulsation in the head occurs, the gymnastics must be interrupted.
Drug therapy
There are special medications to restore the elasticity of blood vessels. Treatment with such drugs can not be carried out independently. It should be carried out under the supervision of a physician. Only a specialist will be able to assess the presence of contraindications and the risk of side effects.
Most often, doctors prescribe the following groups of drugs for vascular elasticity:
- nootropics;
- antioxidants;
- venotonic;
- vitamin and mineral complexes.
Next, we will consider these types of drugs in more detail.
Nootropics
Nootropic drugs are indicated for worsening head vessels. These drugs stimulate the metabolism in brain tissue. In addition, they increase the resistance of tissues to oxygen deficiency. Nootropics do not directly affect arteries and veins. But they indirectly contribute to improving the elasticity of blood vessels due to the normalization of blood flow.
Most often, the following nootropic drugs are prescribed to patients:
- "Piracetam".
- Cavinton
- "Phenotropil".
- "Cerebrolysin".
These drugs also improve memory and thought processes, which is very important for patients with atherosclerosis. However, it should be remembered that many nootropic drugs have a psychostimulating effect. Therefore, they are recommended to be taken in the morning to avoid insomnia.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are also drugs for vascular elasticity. Active forms of oxygen are constantly formed in the body. They are called free radicals or oxidants. These compounds are necessary for the body, but their excess harms the vessels. Antioxidants protect cells from exposure to these substances. Most often, the following drugs are prescribed to patients:
- "Actovegin".
- "Semax".
- Mexidol.
- "Emoxipin".
These drugs reduce the permeability of the vascular walls. The drug "Mexidol" with long-term use also reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the body.
Venotonic
Venotonics are prescribed for low elasticity of the venous walls. These drugs help prevent lower limb varicose veins. Such drugs have a direct effect on the veins. They increase the tone of the vascular walls, which contributes to their greater elasticity. This group of drugs includes:
- Aescusan.
- "Phlebodia".
- Venus
There are also special venotonics for cerebral vessels. They improve blood flow during venous dystonia. These drugs include:
- Detralex
- Venoplant.
- Anavenol
- "Antistax".
Venotonics have few contraindications and rarely lead to undesirable effects. However, they affect only the veins, not the arteries.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamin-mineral preparations for vascular elasticity are usually prescribed as part of complex therapy. The following drugs are prescribed to patients:
- Ascorutin. The composition of the vitamin complex includes ascorbic acid and rutoside. These substances act as antioxidants. They strengthen the walls of small vessels. The drug is indicated for patients suffering from nosebleeds and redness of the sclera of the eyes.
- "Panangin". The drug contains potassium and magnesium compounds. A deficiency of these substances leads to a deterioration in the condition of the coronary vessels. Such a remedy is prescribed for patients with cardiac pathologies.
It is important to remember that vitamin-mineral complexes should not be consumed on their own. The above drugs are not normal dietary supplements. These are medicines that are used only for medicinal purposes. Uncontrolled intake of such drugs can lead to undesirable side effects.
Water treatments
Water procedures will help strengthen blood vessels at home. A contrast shower is very helpful. First you need to pour warm water (about +40 degrees) for 1.5 minutes. Then the temperature is lowered to +28 degrees. The exposure time of cold water should be 2 times less than warm. The procedure is repeated 2 to 3 times. Such a temperature difference will be a good exercise for blood vessels.
Contrast douche is contraindicated in case of hypertension, vascular spasms and cerebrovascular disorders. In such cases, it is recommended to take therapeutic baths. In the water, you can add a decoction of sage, chamomile or pine needles. Such procedures not only increase the elasticity of blood vessels, but also soothe the nervous system.
Turpentine baths are very useful for strengthening vessels. However, this type of hydrotherapy is best done on an outpatient basis. Exposure to turpentine is contraindicated in hypertensive patients, as well as in people with heart failure and arrhythmia. During the procedure, control of the patient's blood pressure level is necessary.
Massage
How to increase vascular elasticity with massage? For this, it is not necessary to contact a specialist. The procedure can be carried out independently at home. It is necessary to massage the following areas:
- scalp (using fingers or a special brush);
- face;
- palms;
- feet.
Pressing on the skin should be moderate. The procedure should be performed daily. Massage activates blood circulation and strengthens blood vessels.
Folk remedies
How to increase the elasticity of blood vessels using traditional medicine? There are many recipes for treating atherosclerosis and dystonia. However, before using them, you should consult your doctor. Herbal remedies can be used as an adjunct to medication and diet.
The following home remedies for vascular elasticity can be recommended:
- Garlic tincture. You need to take 250 mg of garlic, put in a jar and pour 250 ml of alcohol. The composition must be kept for two weeks in a dark place. It is taken for 3 days, 1 drop three times a day. It is recommended to use tincture 30 minutes before a meal and drink it with milk. Then every three days the dosage is increased by 1 drop (in one go). When the number of drops reaches 25, a single dose of the drug is gradually reduced in the same way.
- Decoction tatarnika. You need to take 1 tablespoon of dried grass and pour a glass of boiling water. Insist for half an hour. Take 30 ml three times a day.
- A decoction of incense. It will take 100 g of dried root of the plant. The raw material is poured 1 liter of boiling water. Then the composition is put on a slow fire and cooked until the liquid has evaporated by half. The broth is cooled, filtered and stored in a dish with a lid. The drug is taken in 30 drops before each meal. The course of treatment lasts 24 days. It is very important not to exceed the dosage of this drug, otherwise tachycardia and gastrointestinal disorders may appear.
- Lemon honey drink. For 1 part of freshly squeezed lemon juice, you need to take 3 parts of boiled water and mix in a glass. Add a teaspoon of honey. The drink is taken every day before bedtime.
Conclusion
It is quite possible to strengthen and improve vessels at home, if you use the whole range of therapeutic measures. However, this is a lengthy process. After achieving a positive result, it is very important to continue to maintain the vascular system in a healthy state. After all, with an improper lifestyle, pathologies of the circulatory system can recur.