“Sweat saves blood.” – Erwin Rommel
Blood circulation is everything! Blood brings vital oxygen and nutrients to every single one of our cells in our bodies, as well as takes away metabolic waste products for disposal. You may know what it feels like to have poor circulation if you’ve experienced a limb ‘falling asleep’ – uncomfortable!
If you have poor circulation on a regular basis, this is a cause for concern as your cells are not getting all of the help they need to function optimally. Poor circulation is often implicated in the following symptoms and conditions:
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Cold hands and feet
- Itching
- Eye problems
- Vertigo & dizziness
- Muscle cramps
- Numbness
- Leg ulcers
- Boils
- Blood clots
- Carpal tunnel
- Hemorrhoids
- Raynaud’s disease
- Varicose veins
- Cardiovascular disease
- Stroke
- Vascular dementia
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Memory loss
- And more…
There is much that can be done to improve your blood circulation. Talk to your trusted natural healthcare provider before implementing any treatments. Here are some tips for better circulation:
- Drink plenty of water, half your weight in fluid ounces a day, for proper hydration
- Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables
- Eat more garlic – it offers blood cell and blood vessel protection from inflammatory and oxidative stress, healing the damage to blood vessel linings
- Avoid sugar, alcohol, caffeine and refined white flour products
- Eat berries – all types, as they have naturally occurring constituents that promote healthy blood vessels
- Move everyday – some form of exercise or physical activity to get that blood pumping
- Use rosemary in your cooking – it contains substances that are useful for stimulating the immune system, increasing circulation, combatting inflammation and improving digestion
- Avoid trans fats as they appear to damage the cells lining blood vessels, leading to inflammation. If a food has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, the food label can read ‘‘0 grams trans fat’’ in Canada and the US
- Dry skin brush everyday!