Varicose veins provoke aching and tenderness. They are unsightly. They make many women want to hide their legs.

Wouldn't it be great if there were some gentler ways to deal with varicose veins that didn't have to involve injections or surgery? Well, apparently there are.

Dr. Andrew Weil, internationally known advocate for wellness and doctor of integrative medicine, recommends grape seed extract, which contains ingredients that make blood vessels more flexible, and less prone to fluid leakage. Grape seed extract is very popular for problems with varicose veins in France.

Dr. Weil's personal favorite treatment, though, is horse-chestnut seed extract (HCSE). This is a well-known treatment for varicose veins in Germany.

"The major active ingredient in HCSE is believed to be the compound escin, which helps support normal vessel wall functioning. The dosage for varicose veins is 250 to 300 mg twice a day of standardized horse-chestnut seed extract (the equivalent of 100 mg of escin)."

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART00697