Healthy Veins
The human body is a mysterious puzzle. Even without your conscious awareness, there are innumerable processes running in your body that make life possible. One of these is the circulatory system. To understand why veins are such an important part of our bodies, we must first understand more about the circulatory system.
The circulatory system, as the name suggests, is then ever-ending pumping of blood from the heart to the different organs and tissues of the body and back to the heart. Think of it as the constant flow of fluid through a network of interconnected pipes where blood is the fluid and the pipes are the blood vessels. Three blood vessels that together make the circulatory system are:
- Arteries- carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the different organs and tissues of the body
- Veins- carry oxygen-depleted blood from the organs and tissues back to the heart for further oxygenation
- Capillaries - small tubes that connect the arteries with the veins
A vein comprises of three layers:
- Tunica adventitia– this is the outermost layer. It consists mainly of connective tissues
- Tunica media– this is the middle layer. It comprises of smooth muscle and elastic fibres
- Tunica intima– this is the innermost layer. It is made of smooth cells and is in direct contact with blood
Our arteries have the backing of the gravitational force when transporting oxygenated blood from the heart to the organs and tissues. Veins, however, function against gravity when carrying deoxygenated blood from the organs back to the heart. For doing so, they need to apply high pressure on the vein valves. If these valves aren’t strong enough to function efficiently, it can cause pooling of blood in the legs, which, in turn, can lead to a host of venous disorders.
The system that helps veins carry blood from the feet back towards the heart is called ‘calf muscle pump’.
When we walk, the calf muscles are in action. This action squeezes the veins, which, in turn, causes the valves to open up and pump blood in the upward direction. When the calf muscles relax, the pressure on the veins is reduced and they expand or come back to their original shape. This causes the valves to shut, stopping the blood that had been pushed upto leak or flow back downwards. The cycle continues as fresh blood from the system fills up the empty veins again.
As we have seen, maintaining healthy veins is crucial to a healthy body. To keep them in good condition, we can do a number of things such as:
- Keep away from smoking
- Avoid consuming drinks with high levels of sugar or caffeine
- Refrain from sitting or standing all day
- Stay away from excessive exposure to heat as this can cause swelling in the veins, thus leading to blood pooling in the legs
- Consume enough water to keep the body hydrated
- Eat greens and fruits
- Inculcate the habit of walking at least 15-20 minutes a day
- Wear compression stockings regularly
If the pain or discomfort in the veins is severe or increases with time, do not delay in seeking medical help. Veins support life, and proper health and care is what they deserve!
(Also see: what are venous diseases?)
