This article will help you in improving blood circulation with the use of natural remedies and cure.
Did you know that every minute of every day your body has about 6 quarts of blood circulating through it? And that over the average lifetime, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 BILLION times helping to pump and circulate that blood?
While this natural process of the body occurs without any manual trigger from you, it can still be supported and improved with small, proactive steps you take towards a healthier lifestyle. Check out these 10 natural ways to boost blood circulation:
Practice Good Posture
Ditch your sedentary lifestyle of sitting down all day and get up to improve your blood circulation. Not only can bad posture potentially cause back pain, diminished breathing, pelvic tilt, and digestion issues, but it can cut off vital blood supply to parts of your body – especially if you sit with your legs crossed. Sitting up straight with legs uncrossed and feet flat to the floor, lengthening the spine, and keeping shoulders back in neutral alignment with your head and neck, can make a huge difference in your overall blood flow.
Stretch & Exercise
Stretching muscles and exercising routinely (aim for 30 minutes a day) not only lowers risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and cognitive decline as you age, but it improves blood circulation as well. Even low-impact activities like hiking, rowing, cycling, swimming, playing tennis, dancing, and yoga get the heart rate up and cause the heart muscle to pump harder and strengthen over time, reinforcing its ability to circulate blood.
Modify Your Diet
Natural food-based remedies exist which can bolster good blood circulation and they are often inexpensive and easy to add to existing diets. Ginger root and cayenne have been shown to help fight inflammation, aid digestion, and increase metabolic rate. Oranges and other citrus fruits high in Vitamin C help repair and strengthen vascular tissue to promote strong blood flow. And foods high in antioxidants, like chocolate, wine, and blueberries, as well as fiber, like whole grain oats and legumes, help dilate blood vessels and prevent plaque buildup on artery walls.
Get a Massage
Tense, sore muscles, especially in your back and neck, can pinch off blood flow and make it harder for blood to circulate to these vulnerable tissues. Massage (and spinal manipulation) can help reorganize jumbled muscle fibers, loosen joints, realign muscle and tendon groups, as well as break up scar tissue. Massage has even been shown to stimulate mitochondrial production which fuels function and repair in every cell in your body.
Stay Hydrated
Over half of every human body is made up of water, it’s a simple fact. Plasma which makes up over half of the composition of your blood is itself over 90% water. Staying hydrated with at least 8 cups of water a day improves your body’s ability to move blood and helps your muscles and organs function properly. Stimulant beverages like coffee and soda may contain water but can actually dehydrate the body, while fruit juices often contain loads of unhealthy sugar. Sticking with water alone is typically the ticket to hydration success.
Monitor Your Blood Pressure
Understanding your blood pressure and self-monitoring at home is vital to tracking and supporting good blood circulation. Defined as the force at which your body is pumping blood through your arteries, blood pressure can be logged regularly at home with a simple over the counter digital bp cuff you can find in almost any pharmacy or online store. The blood pressure monitor you purchase may take readings on your wrist or upper arm and display them on a large digital screen for you to see.
Manage a Healthy Weight
Managing a healthy weight with exercise and a diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, veggies, and healthy fats can help prevent obesity and Type 2 diabetes (which greatly affects circulation). A high intake of sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fats can not only lead to unwanted weight gain but also result in plaque buildup on artery walls, which inhibits circulation and increases risk for heart attack and stroke.
Drink Tea
You’ve likely heard green tea is an antioxidant-rich immunity booster, but did you know those same antioxidants can help improve your body’s ability to circulate blood? Green tea has specifically been shown to help relax blood vessels and protect against blood clots by lowering bad cholesterol levels in the blood.
Quit Smoking
If not for your lungs, do it for your blood circulation. The nicotine in cigarettes is proven to constrict and narrow blood vessels, making it hard for blood to flow through at normal rates. Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but it’s absolutely necessary for your health. Smoking cessation classes and programs are often subsidized by health insurance providers to aid your journey – talk to you doctor today about quitting.
Essential Oils For Improving Blood Circulation
Essential oils which are extracted from the pulp and fibers of certain plants generate myriad natural health and wellness benefits. While lavender and sandalwood have been shown to help relieve stress, it is essential oils like Cypress and Eucalyptus which stimulate blood flow by dilating blood vessels and boosting circulation to areas where they are topically applied.
Stress is also a key component to blood flow – the less stress you feel, the better your body can be circulating blood rich with vital nutrients. Take a warm bath to ease tension and dilate blood vessels, or listen to calming music or try aromatherapy to induce stress relief, at home or potentially at work. Small steps you take now can make a big difference down the line when it comes to your cardiovascular health.
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