No one really thinks about their circulation until it is too late. And this is usually when you have a heart attack or when you have clogged arteries. Since good circulation is critical to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your body and remove waste products, you should be proactive and improve it, naturally.
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Why of course?
Because drugs are fast and effective but lead to a life of constant need and addiction. Basically, if you take drugs that improve circulation, you are forced to stay on them for the rest of your life. This has some major side effects, and it costs you a lot of money.
A simpler alternative is to make lifestyle changes. Compared to pseudo-medicine and wishful thinking, these changes are actually proven to lower your blood pressure. You will likely receive similar or the same advice from your doctor to improve circulation without medicine or other invasive practices.
Factor #1 – Healthy Weight Maintenance
I don’t know what the perfect weight is for you and if you ask ten people, you will get ten different answers. You can find calculators online that will tell you where you should fall based on your height. For example, a person who is 1.85 has an ideal weight of 78 – 80 kilograms.
Don’t think about it and don’t think too much. If you are not overweight, you are fine. You don’t have to look like a model but you don’t have to be twenty pounds over your ideal weight either.
This is because there is a protein called adiponectin that is directly correlated with your weight. The thinner you are, the more you have and this directly improves your vascular function.
Losing weight is good advice to follow for your health. Overweight people are not only at a higher risk of heart attack but also of diseases such as acid reflux. This is when the stomach produces too much acid and it is released back into the throat. Over time, it can affect your esophagus and even lead to cancer.
Factor #2 – Engage in Cardio
Cardio sucks.
I’ll be the first to admit it. I’d rather lift weights or do anything else than run or do aerobics. However, cardiovascular exercise is necessary if you want to have a healthy circulatory system.
When I talk about cardiovascular, I talk about jogging or HiiT or aerobics or even dancing. Anything that gets you moving and up your spirits will help. Runners for example have very good cardiovascular health as they exercise their heart a lot. I have met many people who do heavy lifting, either through their job or at the gym and they have horrible circulation.
The recommended amount of exercise is 30 minutes of average cardiovascular training per day.
When you do cardio, you improve the ability of your blood vessels to dilate. This means they will work more efficiently. This in turn means that your muscles will receive oxygen and get rid of waste more easily.
Factor #3 – Practicing Yoga
Yoga is a physical and spiritual practice. It originates from India and has already been used for thousands of years. It is a unisex practice, not something only ladies do. In fact, some of the most famous and wisest yogis in the world are men.
Yoga helps your cardiovascular health by compressing and decompressing your veins. It also allows blood flow, especially to the head when trying an inverted pose.
There are many types of yoga, some easier than others. For example, some are exhausting and drain you of energy while others focus more on breathing and slow, graceful movements. Choose something that suits your mobility and preferences.
Factor #4 – Eat Fish Oil
Omega-3 acids are kind of famous. You can’t walk into a drug store or pharmacy without seeing a dozen brands for sale. And there’s a big reason for that – they work.
However, I do not suggest that you buy supplements and that instead; eat the right food. Omega-3 is found in oily fish like salmon, tuna, sardines and more. You can find something for every budget and every taste. If you are a vegetarian, your options are much more limited but you can find omega-3 in kale.
Factor #5 – Drink Tea.
Green tea contains antioxidants and are good for detoxification. Black tea is a good substitute for coffee as it contains caffeine and can be considered healthy. Matcha tea is good for the stomach and so is peppermint.
Tea was used as medicine long before medicine became a thing. While the tea is not as strong as paracetamol for example, if you drink it constantly, it can help your body stay healthy. Also, tea is directly correlated with better circulation.
Green tea leads to a reduction in the risk of coronary artery disease while black tea improves blood vessel health. Just limit your input of your black tea as since it contains coffee, too much of it can do more harm than good.
And no, you don’t have to pay $50 for some specialty tea from the health food store. The $3 tea has the same effect as the $30 one. Unless you are a tea connoisseur, go for the cheapest option, as I do.
Factor #6 – Keep Iron Levels Balanced
Few people understand what iron is.
Basically, it is a mineral, and it is essential in the circulatory system. The body needs it to make hemoglobin. If you remember basic biology, this is a component of red cells and carries oxygen through the body. People who smoke or with low concentrations of iron in their body have a reduced level of hemoglobin.
Therefore, you need to maintain an optimal level of iron in the body. Red meat and spinach contain this mineral and so do supplements. However, too much iron can also affect you because iron and cholesterol are correlated. If you have too much cholesterol, your arteries will be clogged and your cardiovascular system will be affected.
Now, what about reiki, acupuncture and other energy healing methods?
What I am going to tell you now is not popular but I have not seen any benefit in improving blood circulation with these methods. This is because poor blood circulation is usually caused by clogged arteries or a heart that is not working properly. I have not seen a reiki session lower cholesterol or resolve an arrhythmia. Energy healing has its place and is great for pain management and boosting your immune system. It helps the body fight diseases from the inside out but while I am not a doctor; I don’t think a better immune system and poor circulation really go hand in hand.
Everything I am telling you here will strengthen not only your circulation but your health. It’s a holistic, drug-free approach and while I’d love to tell you that energy healing helps with circulation, I don’t know of any cases where it has. If there is, go for it, but I speak from experience, not theory.
One last thing, poor circulation rarely happens on its own. It is a side effect of a larger condition, something you should treat first.
Among these are:
- High blood pressure.
- Poor blood health.
- Poor heart health (this needs to be treated as soon as possible).
- Blood vessel health.
- Obesity
- Diabetes.
- Different heart conditions.
- Other conditions affecting the arteries or veins.
While you can treat poor blood circulation with lifestyle changes, visit a doctor to rule out any life-threatening causes. If left untreated, this can lead to a heart attack (blood flow to the heart is blocked) or a stroke (blood flow to the brain is blocked). Both conditions can affect you for life and are often fatal. Take this seriously.
