HEALING DIALOGUE FOR VARICOSE VEINS
- Madhukar Dama
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
How Two Siblings Reversed Years of Painful Varicose Veins through Castor Oil Therapy, Traditional Diet, and Natural Living
---
ARRIVAL AT THE HOMESTEAD
The morning sun spread gently over the neem-shaded courtyard as a bike pulled up near the mud path outside Madhukar's homestead. The village of Yelmadagi was quiet except for birds and the gentle mooing of cows.
Laxmi, 38, a government schoolteacher from Jewargi, and her younger brother Mahadev, 35, who worked with the rural roads department, got off the bike carefully. Both had developed painful, bulging veins in their legs from years of standing at work.
Adhya and Anju, Madhukar's daughters, came running. “Come in, akka... come in, anna,” said Anju,showing them where to sit. They smiled in thanks and removed their footwear.
They sat on the floor under a neem tree. Madhukar walked over from the vegetable garden, hands soiled from weeding . He greeted them with a nod and quietly sat beside them.
---
OPENING UP
Laxmi spoke first. “I’ve been teaching for 16 years. The leg pain began 12 years ago. First heaviness, then throbbing. My veins started bulging after pregnancy. The doctors gave me tonics and compression stockings. But it only got worse.”
Mahadev added, “I work outdoors. After I turned 30, I noticed the swelling after duty hours. First I ignored it. But now, I even feel heat and itching in the legs. At night I struggle to sleep.”
Laxmi nodded. “I tried allopathy, Ayurveda, homoeopathy... but the pain returns. They’ve suggested laser or stripping now.”
---
UNDERSTANDING THE ROOTS
Madhukar looked at their legs. Mahadev’s had a thick cluster behind his right knee. Laxmi’s calf veins were twisted and bluish.
“You didn’t get this because of age or heredity,” he said gently. “It happened because your legs have been standing still while your digestion went downhill.”
“Veins need movement. But also, they need clean, warm blood. The kind that comes only from clean eating and restful habits.”
He added, “Your veins are tired, not damaged. They are crying out for rest, oil, and rhythm.”
---
THE HEALING PROTOCOL
1. Belly Castor Oil Pack Daily:
20 ml warm castor oil, cotton cloth, covered with plastic sheet. And place a hot water bag.
Apply every morning for 45 mins lying down.
2. Leg Massage with Castor Oil (Every Evening):
Warm oil, apply with light upward strokes from foot to thigh.
Avoid hard rubbing or deep pressure.
3. Elevate Legs Twice a Day:
After lunch and dinner, lie down with feet above heart for 20 minutes.
4. Avoid Six Whites Lifelong:
White rice, sugar, milk, maida, salt, bakery sweets.
5. Daily Diet:
Jowar roti, seasonal vegetables, greens, fermented foods (ambali, buttermilk, idli, dosa).
Home-cooked non-veg once a week: country eggs, country chicken, goat meat or fish.
6. Use only Cold-pressed Safflower (Kusubi) Oil for Cooking.
7. Daily Walking (45 mins) – preferably barefoot on soil.
8. Simple Leg Stretches: before sleep—ankle rotations, thigh raises.
9. Silence Therapy: Sit quietly 15 minutes a day, eyes closed, no devices.
10. Fasting: Once every 15 days—Ekadashi or any light-food day.
—
🧘♀️ YOGA ASANAS FOR VARICOSE VEINS
⚠️ Note: These asanas help improve blood flow, strengthen veins, reduce pressure in the legs, and calm the nervous system. All should be practiced slowly, preferably after castor oil massage and before sleep or early morning and evening after walking, on an empty stomach.
✅ 1. Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall Pose)
Eases venous return from legs to heart
Reduces swelling, fatigue, and pooling of blood
Can be done after meals (1 hr gap) and before sleep
Hold for 5–15 mins with a cushion under the hips
✅ 2. Ardha Sarvangasana (Half Shoulder Stand)
Improves circulation toward the heart
Strengthens lower abdominal and pelvic veins
Keep neck and back supported; use wall for beginners
Hold for 1–2 minutes with relaxed breathing
✅ 3. Pawanmuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)
Stimulates digestion and venous circulation
Lightly massages lower abdomen and thigh veins
Great before bedtime
Do 3–5 cycles with each leg
✅ 4. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
Strengthens calf muscles and promotes upward blood flow
Practice with slow toe lifts and heel raises
Do 10–15 reps twice a day
✅ 5. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
Activates thigh and hamstring circulation
Strengthens leg veins and stretches side body
Do both sides, hold for 20–30 seconds
✅ 6. Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend)
Calms nervous system, promotes vein elasticity
Improves leg flexibility without straining veins
Do gently after oil massage or before sleep
✅ 7. Baddha Konasana (Butterfly Pose)
Stimulates pelvic and groin blood flow
Useful for women with varicose pain in thighs
Practice gently with forward bends if flexible
✅ 8. Anulom Vilom (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
Reduces venous pressure by calming the mind
Regulates blood pressure and oxygenation
Practice 5–10 minutes daily after asana session
🚫 Asanas to Avoid:
Long-standing poses like Veerabhadrasana (Warrior)
Deep squats or heavy leg-weight poses
Headstands (Shirshasana) if untrained or hypertensive
—
AUTHENTIC CASTOR OIL MATTERS
Madhukar handed them each a 1-liter bottle, warm and slightly thick.
“Never buy castor oil from stores or online. They’re heated, refined, deodorized, and mixed. They won’t heal you.”
“I press and filter this myself or get it from genuine traditional makers. No machines. No chemicals.”
Anju added, “Appa says if it doesn’t look like honey, it won’t work.”
They nodded, placing the bottles in their bags like sacred medicine.
---
HEALING JOURNEY OVER 3 VISITS
First Visit (Month 0):
They begin packs, oil massage, and elevate legs twice a day. Reduce hotel food. Switch to jowar roti.
Second Visit (Month 2):
Swelling greatly reduced. No itching. Sleep improved. Lighter legs. Both report walking without fear.
Third Visit (Month 6):
Pain vanished. No visible bulging. No stockings. No medicine. Fully active, fully free.
They refill their oil bottles during each visit. Madhukar asks about their walking logs and they proudly show them.
---
FINAL TEACHINGS
“You were not sick. You were trapped in routine and ignored.”
“Your legs asked for help—but you kept giving them pills.”
“You didn’t need surgery. You needed softness, warmth, and attention.”
He showed their names in his notebook:
Laxmi – Healed in 3 visits.
Mahadev – Zero pain, full reversal.
He added, reciting his Ajja’s line:
“For the disease called slowness, walking is the medicine.”
---
EPILOGUE
Back in Jewargi, Laxmi teaches barefoot in her classroom and now sits on the floor when correcting notebooks.
Mahadev lies down with legs raised every afternoon. No longer uses stockings. He walks with ease.
On their final visit, both sit quietly beside Madhukar without questions. They refill their bottles, touch the neem tree’s bark gently, and return home in silence—their legs light, their hearts lighter.
—
REFERENCES
✅ 1. Role of Exercise and Leg Elevation in Venous Insufficiency
Title: Exercise and physical therapy in the management of chronic venous insufficiency: a systematic review
Authors: Padberg FT, Johnston MV, Sisto SA
Journal: Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2004; 39(4): 1089–1098
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2003.12.044
Summary: Walking and elevation of the legs improve venous return and reduce symptoms in varicose vein patients.
---
✅ 2. Massage Therapy in Improving Circulation
Title: The physiological effects of massage and their application to therapy
Authors: Weerapong P, Hume PA, Kolt GS
Journal: Physical Therapy Reviews, 2005; 10(3): 159–176
DOI: 10.1179/108331905X55739
Summary: Light massage improves lymphatic drainage and venous return, reduces pain and swelling—relevant for varicose vein management.
---
✅ 3. Castor Oil's Anti-inflammatory and Circulatory Support Role
Title: Ricinoleic acid: the major anti-inflammatory agent of castor oil
Authors: Vieira C, Evangelista S, Cirillo R, et al.
Journal: Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2000; 73(1–2): 193–199
DOI: 10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00320-4
Summary: Ricinoleic acid in castor oil has proven anti-inflammatory effects when applied topically, supporting its use for pain and vein relief.
---
✅ 4. Diet and Venous Health
Title: Nutritional aspects of chronic venous disease
Authors: Raffetto JD, Ligi D, Maniscalco R, et al.
Journal: Phlebology, 2020; 35(10): 683–692
DOI: 10.1177/0268355520907917
Summary: Diets rich in whole grains, plant-based fibers, and healthy fats reduce inflammation and improve vascular wall integrity.
---
✅ 5. Caution Against Overuse of Compression Therapy
Title: Use and misuse of compression therapy for venous disease
Authors: Mosti G, Partsch H
Journal: Phlebology, 2015; 30(1 Suppl): 1–7
DOI: 10.1177/0268355514566002
Summary: Compression therapy has benefits but long-term overuse without root-cause healing may worsen venous stasis and skin changes.
---
✅ 6. Fasting and Circulatory Function
Title: Fasting induces angiogenesis and improves blood perfusion through lipid metabolism and miRNA-21 modulation
Authors: Wang Y, Wang Y, He H, et al.
Journal: Scientific Reports, 2020; 10: 14215
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71095-6
Summary: Intermittent fasting promotes vascular regeneration and improves blood flow, which may benefit chronic venous issues.
—
