American Heart Month: Show Your Heart Some Love

Valentine’s Day may be over, but it's not too late to give out the most important love of your life. Did you know that the month of love is also American Heart Month, a time devoted to raising awareness about heart disease prevention? Sadly, heart disease is a more prevalent problem than cancer in this country, affecting so many Americans. In fact, according to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in this country. (It kills one out of every three women in this country.)

But why are your Houston and Dallas area vein specialists talking about heart problems? Shouldn't we stick to varicose veins (Which, by the way, 20% of all adults will develop at some point in their lives)? Well, as it turns out, protecting your heart can also help protect your veins. Here's what you need to know.

Heart Month Update: Some Vein Issues are Actually Heart Problems

Your circulatory system is a team that consists of arteries, veins and your heart. Because all three work together, when any one team member is suffering, the entire group may be affected.

Venous insufficiency

When you have VI, not enough blood reaches your organs and extremities. And when that condition sets in, blood can collect or “pool”, in your veins. This pooling can lead to a domino effect—arteries may lose their ability to efficiently carry blood away from your heart, and the already struggling veins won’t be able to bring it back! And when blood stays stuck in places it doesn’t belong, you may start to develop…

Varicose and spider veins

Those bulging veins, most often seen along your leg, are unsightly, but they can often be a sign of a much bigger issue. In addition to being uncomfortable or even painful, the elevated vein pressure inside of those varicose veins has been linked to right-sided heart failure. Scary, we know…but the story doesn’t stop there! Circulatory problems can also lead to an elevated risk of:

Blood clots

Blood clots can cause kill you, plain and simple. The body naturally forms blood clots when you get a cut or other form of injury, but when they form inside your veins or arteries, the resulting decrease in blood flow can cause a stroke or heart attack. When you develop a clot in the deep veins of your legs, (Deep Vein Thrombosis, a condition for which you are at risk if you have varicose veins), the clot may break free without your knowledge, traveling to your lungs (pulmonary embolism) where it becomes a potentially fatal condition.

So, if you want to show yourself some love beyond this year's V-day, make some moves to protect your veins, your heart and your entire circulatory system. Here are some important steps you can take to protect your heart health:

Heart Month (and Vein) Saving Lifestyle Changes

• Break up with cigarettes
• Manage your blood pressure
• Get regular exercise. {See our Move it Monday series for great workout inspiration}
• Eat a balanced diet
• Control cholesterol
• Drink lots of water
• Aim for 8 hours of sleep each night

We know that some of these changes may be more difficult than others, but here’s the good news: it’s not an all or nothing game! Even shooting for one simple lifestyle change can help you make important health gains. And who knows? Once you start feeling better, you may be inspired to keep on making positive changes! Or to consider scheduling a diagnostic ultrasoundscheduling a diagnostic ultrasoundscheduling a diagnostic ultrasound with our team of Houston and Dallas area vein and PAD specialists.