18 Jan 3 Simple New Year’s Resolutions for Vascular Health in 2023
The new year is around the corner already and, before 2022 slips away entirely, it’s always best to think ahead to what comes next.
Specifically, what are your goals for the next 365 days?
Particularly if you’re a patient living with a venous or vascular condition, symptom management and/or health optimization are great points to focus in on. You can always try building a new plan for the coming year around the intersection of your lifestyle and capabilities.
To get you started, here are three simple and healthy resolutions we recommend:
#1 — Exercise Regularly
Our first recommendation for your New Year’s resolution may be a familiar one: increased exercise.
This is because “exercise training improves vascular function,” as reported by a 2018 study published by the National Library of Medicine. “There is also convincing evidence for effects on arterial structure, including outward remodeling that increases arterial caliber and modifies wall-to-lumen ratios.”
In other words, exercise won’t just strengthen your muscles — it’ll strengthen your blood vessels.
That being said, we understand that exercising can be particularly difficult for patients living with venous and vascular diseases. That’s why we recommend you start light in 2023 with some of the following:
- Going on regular walks
- Practicing yoga
- Swimming gently
- And more
#2 — Adjust Your Diet
When it comes to vascular health, your first idea of a dietary alteration may be a common one: cutting back on saturated fats. And while you’re right, there are actually plenty of other changes to keep in mind as we enter 2023!
For example, Cleveland Clinic recommends that patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) “restrict sodium intake to no more than 1.5 to 2 grams per day” and “increase dietary fiber to 25-30 grams per day.”
Additionally, if you like spicy flavors and foods, cayenne pepper just might be your new best friend, as it contains capsaicin, a chemical that promotes blood flow to tissues by helping to expand your blood vessels.
Otherwise, we recommend you incorporate more of the following foods into your daily diet for 2023:
- Citrus fruits
- Leafy greens
- Garlic
- Fatty fish
- Whole grains
- Nuts and legumes
- And more
#3 — Schedule with a Trusted Professional
“Many vascular conditions are quite manageable, if you see a physician early,” according to the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS). “Vascular surgery and procedures are improving all the time, and sometimes no surgery is necessary.”
Thus, our third and final resolution is all about being proactive.
By scheduling with a locally trusted vascular team — like the one at Duval Vascular Center — you can find solutions for lasting relief and comfort in a more timely manner, thereby alleviating certain symptoms and mitigating the potential for your condition to grow worse.
In fact, our compassionate team of care experts is ready to provide you with state-of-the-art vascular treatment in our comfortable outpatient center! So, are you ready to get started before the year ends?
If so, contact Duval Vascular Center today by calling 904-518-1398 to schedule your FREE vein screening!