Stress and PAD: What’s the Connection?

Many people feel strained by the pressures of life. The hustle and bustle of your daily routine and unforeseen situations can be enough to stress out even the most reserved person. Some people accept stress as a badge of honor, meaning they are on the road to accomplishing something. However, chronic stress can impact your health and cause problems for you down the line if you aren’t careful. Your vein health is one of the areas that can suffer over time if you don’t find a way to reduce stress levels. Peripheral Artery Disease, PAD is a condition characterized by narrowed arteries that impact blood flow and sometimes, indirectly, come from chronic stress. Here are a few ways stress can contribute to PAD and how our office can help.

Stress, Obesity, and Vein Disease

If you struggle with your weight, you understand how emotionally and physically stressful it can be. Your cardiovascular system must work harder to move nutrient-rich blood throughout your body. This is because obesity often leads to heavy plaque buildup, which restricts blood flow and causes venous insufficiency. 

Stress and a Sedentary Lifestyle

If you lead a stressful life, one of the worst things you can do is—do nothing. Getting exercise is a tried and true method of stress relief and helps keep your blood flowing as it should. Stress needs to have an outlet, and if you fail to get adequate exercise, it can direct your stress to attack your body, which can be problematic when combined with a lack of exercise and possibly lead to symptoms of PAD.

Stress and Poor Eating Habits

Sometimes we turn to some of our favorite, albeit unhealthy, foods when stressed. Although having a bit of comfort food is ok in moderation, making unhealthy food a consistent part of your diet can cause trouble when combined with chronic stress. Many unhealthy foods are high in fat, sugar, or salt, which can raise your cholesterol levels and cause vascular issues, such as PAD.

Our PAD Strategies

The Vascular Institute of Virginia professionals have many years of experience treating many forms of vascular disease, such as PAD. We can provide many innovative and groundbreaking solutions designed to help with your vascular concerns. For more on how we can help your case, please schedule a consultation with our office by calling us today at 703-763-5224.