If you or someone you love has been dealing with problems related to poor blood circulation, there are some simple and effective ways to generate better blood flow. By improving circulation, more blood that carries essential nutrients can be supplied to tissues and organs throughout the body. Proper circulation is essential for everything from healthy skin to improved cognitive ability. Here are four effective ways to combat poor circulation.
Certain foods are known to help with promoting better blood flow. Cayenne pepper contains the phytochemical capsaicin, which can enhance circulation be lowering blood pressure and making it easier for blood to run through blood vessels. According to Healthline.com, onions can also help by widening veins and arteries and giving the blood more room to flow freely. Garlic is another good food because of its ability to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure.
As unpleasant as the idea may sound, showering with cold water can improve circulation. Your body responds to cold water by increasing blood flow to keep organs warm. The heart responds to the cold water by beating faster, which also improves circulation. You may wish to start off taking brief cold showers and try working your way to being in the cold water for longer periods as your body adjusts. Even a little cold spray at the very end of a shower can help increase blood flow to all parts of your body. The extra blood flow to your scalp, especially, helps prevent dandruff caused by dry skin.
With heated flooring, you can have constant heat beneath your feet as you walk to enhance circulation. Heat is known to improve circulation by causing blood to flow away from bodily organs to keep them from overheating. Heat also generates more blood flow by relaxing the blood vessels. You can have floor heating installed in your home that incorporates with your existing carpet, tile or concrete floors. This is especially helpful for women, who often suffer from poor circulation to the extremities, such as hands and feet. Having the extra heat to encourage blood flow through the feet will help prevent muscle stiffness and potential foot and ankle strain.
Yoga comes with many health benefits, one of which is better blood flow. The stretches and poses that are part of yoga can increase circulation throughout the entire body. The downward dog pose involves arching the body forward with the hands and feet on the floor and enhances blood flow by putting the hips above the heart. Another good pose is warrior II, which involves standing in a lunge position with one arm stretched in front of you and the other behind you and improves circulation by compressing and releasing pressure in the legs. While these poses specifically help with generating better flow, yoga in general is exceptionally beneficial for poor circulation as it stretches out the muscles that might otherwise pinch or pull on blood vessels. The exercise, as well, gets your heart pumping and sending more blood throughout your body.
There are several methods that you can try to make your blood circulation better. With improved blood flow, you’ll likely notice a big difference in how you feel and how you go about your daily life. Your whole body is maintained and functions by the flow of oxygen and nutrients through the bloodstream. Because of this, by tackling low circulation, you’ll be increasing your overall health and wellness in ways you may not have even anticipated.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure.