Summer is usually synonymous with lightness, relaxation and good mood, but it unfortunately means fatigue and heavy legs for many women.

This unpleasant feeling of heaviness and fatigue in the legs is due to the malfunction of venous return (rise of blood from the legs to the heart) and, therefore, blood stagnates in the lower limbs. To facilitate this return of blood, the veins comprise a valve system (small folds inside the vein), elastic fiber and a “muscular system”, which reinforce the tonicity of their wall and provide resistance to pressure.

Poor circulation in the veins, especially when they are dilated by heat, is more common in women, and is also linked to factors such as heredity, age, physical inactivity, and being overweight. The feeling of heavy legs is sometimes accompanied by cramps, tingling or swelling. Beyond the discomfort, it may eventually expand the capillaries and veins, causing spider veins or varicose veins.

Healthy eating and physical activity, such as walking is very beneficial for heavy legs, but is rarely enough. To fully enjoy the summer without suffering the inconvenience of poor circulation, phytovitality is an effective and natural solution.

1. Red Vine To Promote Venous Return And Avoid Edema

The EMA (European Medicines Agency) recognizes the effectiveness of the red vine in the symptomatic treatment of disorders of the venous circulation (heavy legs and varicose veins), in the treatment of capillary fragility, burns, and irritation associated with hemorrhoid crisis.⁽¹⁾

It also recognizes red vine extracts’ anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous properties, with a protective action on the liver, as well as antimicrobial and diuretic benefits. All these properties have, of course, been validated by scientific research on grape polyphenols, including resveratrol and oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC):^{(2) (3)}

• Resveratrol (found in grape skin) shows potent anti-oxidant activity and a real ability to slow aging of vessels. It, therefore, has a protective and stimulating effect on the circulatory system.

• The anthocyanins (found in the leaves of the red vine) decrease capillary permeability and increase their strength, avoiding venous stasis. In grapes, this angio-protective action is enhanced by the presence of tannins, astringents and vasoconstrictors, which promote venous return in the legs: the oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC).

Consumption of red vine extracts makes it possible to promote venous return, helps alleviate the feeling of heavy legs, and prevents or decreases edema.

2. Blackcurrant For Preventive And Healing Capacity In Veins And Vessels

Blackcurrants owe their intense coloration to complex molecules, anthocyanins, with properties similar to those of vitamin P. They also contain three times more vitamin C than oranges and are rich in provitamin A and vitamin E. Recent studies have shown that the antioxidant power of blackcurrants and their action against the aging of the vessel wall comes from a synergy between its various compounds (anthocyanins, quercetin, vitamins A, C and E).⁽⁴⁾

Blackcurrants are also vasculoprotective and veinotonic because they reinforce the strength and permeability of capillaries, improving microcirculation in the lower limbs. It is also known that blackcurrant seeds are rich in essential fatty acids of the omega-3 family (alpha-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, for example) and that of omega-6 (gamma-linolenic acid, for example). These fatty acids have hypotensive (low blood pressure, or voltage) and anti-inflammatory properties, which are good for swollen and “warm” legs.⁽⁵⁾

The specificity of blackcurrants resides in the easy assimilation of its elements by the body; they are essential to the preventions phase or at the onset of symptoms.

3. Blueberries To Improve Microcirculation

Blueberries are rich in vitamin C, and also provide iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. They have a record amount of flavonoids with plasticizing, antioxidant and anticancer properties. Besides other phenolic components, the fruit contains a high concentration of anthocyanins, whose anti-oxidative effects far exceed those of vitamins C and E.

Numerous clinical and epidemiological studies have been published on the relationship between the consumption of blueberries and a reduced risk of cardiovascular and degenerative diseases. They indicate that consumption of flavonoids reduces the risk of loss of elasticity of arteries, including those in the legs (arteriosclerosis). Moreover, phenolic compounds in blueberries help reduce oxidation of blood lipids, the effects of oxidative stress and inflammation of the vascular system (edema, vasodilation, redness).⁽⁶⁾

Blueberries, therefore, strengthen capillaries (anthocyanosides) by protecting them from oxidation⁽⁷⁾, improve the contractile functions of the vessels and reduce inflammation.

4. Olive Tree For A Healthy Heart

The “trend” of the Mediterranean diet was born from extensive research that showed that the death rate for cardiovascular disease is lower in the countries that consume olive oil. Furthermore, the proven efficacy of olive leaf makes it a preventive and curative treatment for high blood pressure. It improves circulation by relaxing and dilating the arteries, promotes diuresis, helps reduce edema and reduces blood urea.

Why? Because it contains:

• Oleuropein, a significant oxidation inhibitor.

• Oleuropeoside, which has hypotensive properties and acts on the effects of high blood pressure, such as headache, dizziness, and ringing in the ears. It also has diuretic, hypoglycemic and spasmolytic properties, with a vasodilator and antiarrhythmic action.^{(8) (9)}

• Flavonoids, which are antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals and play an important role in protecting the artery wall.

There you have four plants to combine for an effective and global action. Each of the above-described plants has active ingredients with specific properties. If these properties seem similar, the important message here is that only a combination of these plants provides effective action on all the disorders of venous insufficiency, and enables women to find lightness and relief for their legs.

However, consuming blends of plant extracts can be potentially dangerous and, due to the wide variation in composition of natural products on the market, it is essential to ensure the provenance, the strength, and concentration of the active ingredients in the products.

We recommend the following 100% natural complex:

• It is composed of a mixture of titrated dry extracts of red vine, blackcurrant, blueberry and olive leaf.

• It attenuates the feeling of heavy legs.

• It improves venous return.

• It reduces edema.

• It strengthens capillaries and veins.

• It is made of 100% natural active ingredients with a “smart” and sequential formulation for a synergistic and effective action of the components.

• It is completely bioavailable and biocompatible.

• Fruit of recent galenic innovations, it is presented in the form of microgranules – controlled release – to ensure a prolonged effectiveness.

_{This post was first published on Your Vitality Store blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.
Image credit: Woman legs silhouette with high heels hanging of her hand and sitting on a wall from Shutterstock}

_{Edited by Nedda Chaplin}

_{Author: Ezra Gideon} 

_References:
^{[1] Étude de l’EMA :
[2] Henriet JP. Exemplary study for a phlebotropic substance, the EIVE Study [translated from French]. Fairfield, Conn: Primary Source; not dated. Étude mentionnée et résumée dans : Natural Standard (Ed). Herbs & Supplements - Grape seed (Vitis vinifera, Vitis coignetiae), Nature Medicine Quality Standard. http://www.naturalstandard.com/
[3] Delacroix P. Double-blind study of Endotelon W in chronic venous insufficiency [translated from French]. La Revue de Médecine. Aug/Sept.1981;no.27-28:1793- 1802. Étude mentionnée et résumée dans : Natural Standard (Ed). Foods, Herbs & Supplements - Grape seed (Vitis vinifera, Vitis coignetiae), Nature Medicine Quality Standard. www.naturalstandard.com
[(4] Études sur le cassis :“Antioxidant Activity of Black Currant Anthocyanin Aglycons and Their Glycosides Measured by Chemiluminescence in a Neutral pH Region and in Human Plasma”. Matsumoto, H., Y. Nakamura, et al. (2002). J. Agric. Food Chem. 50(18): 5034-5037
[5] Thèse « Le Cassis (ribes nigrum L.) : études botanique, chimique et effets thérapeutiques », Stéphanie GERBAKA, Grenoble 2013
[6] Neto CC. Cranberry and blueberry: evidence for protective effects against cancer and vascular diseases. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2007 Jun; 51(6):652-64
[7] Kay CD, Holub BJ. The effect of wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) consumption on postprandial serum antioxidant status in human subjects
[8] Susalit E, Agus, N Olive (Olea europaea) leaf extract effective in patients with stage-1 hypertension: Comparison with Captopril., Effendi I et al. Phytomedicine. 2010 Oct 29
[9] Syed Haris Omar, Oleuropein in Olive and its Pharmacological Effects}

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