20 Natural Ways to Boost and Improve Blood Circulation in The Body

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Improve blood circulation
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It is definitely not news that the blood coursing through your body is one of the most beneficial components of your life. Is it? So, if you are finding yourself tired and fatigued, chances are that you have poor blood circulation. It is very important to improve blood circulation in such cases because not doing so can be fatal for several body functions.

Our body’s circulation system is the primary system that helps transfer and sends blood, oxygen and even the necessary nutrition to different parts of the body. Any form of restriction in the same often ends up reflecting in one’s blood pressure which can inflict several negative impacts on one’s overall health.

In this article, we will delve into various facts and explanations relating to the causes and symptoms of poor blood circulation along with ways to improve blood circulation.

  1. What is Poor Blood Circulation?
  2. What Causes Poor Blood Circulation?
  3. What are the Symptoms of Poor Blood Circulation?
  4. How to Improve Blood Circulation?

What is Poor Blood Circulation?

What is Poor Blood Circulation
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Our blood circulation system helps keep our body well supplied with not just blood and oxygen but other necessary nutrition as well. Any form of obstruction in that process is what results in poor blood circulation throughout the body. What many people often fail to understand is the fact that the condition of poor blood circulation on itself is not a disease, rather, it stems from them.

Poor blood circulation can stem from a number of health ailments which is why it is necessary to seek a doctor whenever you witness the signs and symptoms of poor blood circulation because, for the most part, it is a form of side effect because of a number of underlying conditions.

What Causes Poor Blood Circulation?

What Causes Poor Blood Circulation?
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As mentioned before, the condition of poor blood circulation can stem from multiple numbers of reasons, an underlying health issue being the primary one.

Some of the common causes of poor blood circulation include:

1. Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): Peripheral artery disease, otherwise known as PAD, is a common reason behind the lack of streamlined blood circulation in the body. It is a condition commonly associated with atherosclerosis in which the blood vessels narrow because of the deposition of plaque in and around it. This causes obstruction in the blood flow, thereby contributing to poor circulation of the blood.

It is beneficial to treat the condition and not take it for granted because of the fact that it often ends up developing sustained obstruction which can result in strokes.

2. Blood Clots in the Blood Vessels: Yet another common reason behind hindered circulation is the obstruction in the blood vessels caused by the blood clots. These blood clots have the capability of restricting the blood flow, sometimes fully or partially, depending on how big the clot is.

One thing about blood clots that strike the deal is the fact that they move. So, if a blood clot that started in your leg breaks off and moves to somewhere near a major organ, it could obstruct the flow of the blood to the said organ, thereby causing hemorrhage or other drastic problems.

3. Diabetes: This is one of the reasons that the majority of the people tend to forego and not pay heed to. While you may think that diabetes only causes unregulated levels of blood glucose levels, it sure does have profound impacts on one’s blood circulation as well.

The impacts diabetic neuropathy often ends up contributing to the reduced flow of blood to the certain parts of the body, especially the extremities. Not just that, it is even believed that people with diabetes are often exposed to possibilities of atherosclerosis, heart diseases and even hypertension.

4. Varicose Veins: Varicose veins are the presence of enlarged veins in the body, especially the back of the legs. Because of the distended and gorged appearance, the blood circulation rate drops and results in a sparse rate of blood flow.

This kind of condition heftily depends on genes, if you have relatives who already have showed signs of this disease are more likely going to be affected by this.

5. Obesity: Obesity or being overweight is yet another contributing factor to the problem of poor circulation. The signs of obesity often end up being a primary causative agent behind the problems like those of varicose veins or even problems with the blood vessels.

6. Raynaud’s Disease: Raynaud’s disease is a condition in which the patients suffer from persistent cold hands and feet. This is mainly caused by the constriction of the arteries in the hands and feet which results in an obstructed flow of blood and thereby the lack of warmth in the extremities of the body.

What are the Symptoms of Poor Blood Circulation?

What are the symptoms of poor blood circulation
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Now that we have got the common causes of poor circulation out the way, let us how one can actually spot the problem once it affects them. Poor blood circulation can adversely affect a number of body organs which is why it is necessary to ensure that you detect the symptoms before the situation gets way out of hand.

Some of the common symptoms of poor blood circulation include:

  • Numbing sensation in parts of the body
  • Tingling sensation in the extremities of the body
  • Cold hands and feet
  • Edema or swelling in parts of the body, especially in the extremities of the body
  • Functional impairments in one’s cognitive abilities
  • Digestive issues
  • Fatigue and constant tiredness
  • Paling of the skin tone
  • Ache in the joint along with muscle cramps
  • Varicose Veins
  • Leg Ulcers

How to Improve Blood Circulation?

How to improve blood circulation
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Improving your blood circulation is a must primarily because of the fact that the labored process can contribute to several deadly disease that can end up adversely affecting one’s entire well being.

While there are always synthetic medications and treatments that one can easily opt for, there are also a number of natural ways to improve blood circulation which is what we are going to focus on.

  1. Hydrate Yourself
  2. Manage Your Stress Levels
  3. Regulating Salt Intake
  4. Avoid Smoking
  5. Avoid Alcohol
  6. Essential Oils
  7. Good Exercise Routine
  8. Hawthorn Berries
  9. Tomatoes
  10. Nuts
  11. Parsley Tea
  12. Green Tea
  13. Celery
  14. Gingko Biloba
  15. Garlic
  16. Avocados
  17. Cinnamon
  18. Cayenne Peppers
  19. Coconut Oil
  20. Dark Chocolate

1. Hydrate Yourself

Hydrate yourselfMany people often tend to take the important of water for granted thinking how would it even contribute to promote good blood circulation, right? Well, you might be mistaken because it actually does contribute to maintain proper blood flow.

One of the primary ways to improve the blood flow is by ensuring the proper well being of the blood vessels and water keeps them hydrated and healthy (R), so as to promote proper blood circulation throughout the body.

Dehydration (R) in the body often tends to end up being the reason behind the lack of proper blood circulation throughout the body. Keeping the water levels in check ensures to maintain the proper homeostasis of the body.

2. Manage Your Stress Levels

Manage your stress Anxiety and stress come with its fair share of signs and symptoms, one of them being hyperventilation. When your stress levels are peaked, there are chances that you will end up hyperventilation and putting your body under distress.

Hyperventilation (R) ends up constricting the blood vessels which is what ends up contributing to the poor or restricted flow of blood (R) to the other parts of the body. It also tends to impose several accessory signs and symptoms of poor blood circulation like that of cold hands and feet.

This is the primary reason why you need to manage your stress levels because uncontrolled levels of stress often end up inflicting negative impacts on the body. If you are seeking ways for bettering the blood flow, start with stress management.

3. Regulating Salt Intake

Regulating salt intake
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It is often found that people suffering from low blood pressure are primarily the ones who tend to consume less salt in their daily diet than what they are supposed to. Salt, or rather, sodium plays a crucial role in the management of the blood pressure levels in the body.

While the excess consumption of salt can end up causing hypertension, consumption of less quantity of less can lead to poor blood circulation because of low blood pressure.

Consult a doctor to get your blood pressure checked and seek advice on how you can regulate your salt intake (R) to promote good blood circulation.

It is said that an adult should always limit their daily consumption of salt to 2300 mg every day which accounts for nothing more than 1 tablespoon of salt each day.

4. Avoid Smoking

Avoid smokingIf you are wondering whether or not smoking is a contributing factor to the causes behind poor circulation, let me break it to you that it is. One of the primary causes behind poor circulation is blood clots which can be a side effect of continuous smoking.

Smoking (R) also affects the blood cells, degrading them to hinder the overall circulation throughout the body. If you want to actually combat poor blood circulation, start with cutting out this bad habit from your life.

It will not just promote better circulation of blood but also contribute to maintaining the homeostasis between the other organs of the body, especially the major ones like that of the lungs and the allied respiratory system.

5. Avoid Alcohol

Avoid Alcohol
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Not just smoking, even the uncontrolled consumption of alcohol can contribute to affected blood circulation in the body. It doesn’t necessarily mean that drinking alcohol on its own has adverse effects on the body because study claims that drinking alcohol in permissible quantity can even alleviate a number of health issues.

The problem of poor blood circulation tied with alcohol (R) comes with binge drinking. If you are consuming alcohol in excessive amounts, chances are that it would lead to causing adverse effects on your body.

If you are finding yourself experiencing any of the signs and symptoms relating to poor blood circulation, and you are an avid alcohol drinker, take it up with the doctor to see if the alcohol has caused any sorts of blood clots or not. Restrict yourself to drinking permissible quantities of alcohol and avoid binge drinking.

6. Essential Oils To Improve Blood Circulation

Essential oils to improve blood circulationNow that we have the common lifestyle hazards out of the way, let us focus on the variants of essential oils that often tend to inflict positive effects in bettering the blood flow.

a) Rosemary Oil

Rosemary Oil
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Often regarded as the “herb of remembrance”, rosemary is an amazing herb that has been considered for improving your blood circulation. Being loaded with effective anti-oxidants, this herb has positive effects in the treatment of diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s (R).

That being said, it is the rich concentration of antioxidants in it which aid in keeping the levels of free radicals in check, the uncontrolled presence of which often times end up being the primary cause behind the lack of proper blood circulation throughout the body.

The oil is best used topically on the parts of the body that are more prone to being affected by the lack of proper circulation. You can even infuse some ginger into it to get better results in terms of improved circulation.

b) Ginger Essential Oil

Ginger essential oil
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Ginger has thermal properties on the body which is beneficial to improve the blood flow in your body. The thermal properties of the ginger aids in warming up the blood vessels and cells, thereby promoting proper boost to the blood circulation in the body.

Not just that, the ginger oil even possesses antioxidant properties (R) which are beneficial in flushing the toxins out of the body and thereby ensuring to keep any form of inflammation in check that could be a possible hindrance to the normal flow of the blood throughout the body.

For effective results, massage ginger oil all throughout the body, massaging it into the body so as to ensure that it completely permeates the skin to be able to showcase its beneficial effects to improve blood circulation.

c) Eucalyptus Oil

Eucalyptus oilEucalyptus Oil has dilating properties on the blood vessels which are exactly what promotes the blood circulation (R) with ease. The use of this oil is best effective if the symptoms of poor blood circulation showcase that of persistent tiredness and fatigue.

The application of eucalyptus oil makes the blood vessels larger and much more expanded if you have constricted blood vessels. This aids in the proper flow of the body throughout the body, thereby eliminating the issues related with lack of proper blood circulation in the body.

7. Good Exercise Routine

Good exercise routineExercises can effectively not just boost blood circulation but also contribute to the overall health of an individual. Having a good exercise routine often tends to help in bettering the blood flow throughout the body by ensuring proper functioning of the blood vessels and the other organs of the body.

a) Jogging

JoggingJogging, for a loss of simple words, can boost one’s cardiovascular system’s activity which is what contributes to the overall impact on one’s blood circulation.

In a study (R) conducted back in 2003, it was deduced that doing exercises jogging and running aids in boosting the body’s capability of taking in oxygen and utilizing it for the body functions. Not just that, it also tends to dilate the blood vessels in the body which makes the process of blood circulation more easy and efficient.

According to expert advice, it is always best to jog continuously for at least 15-20 minutes to be able to experience the results properly.

b) Yoga

YogaYoga might seem like a very subdued approach to exercising but if done correctly, it can inflict amazing benefits for the treatment of a number health issues related to lack of proper blood circulation. This salient stretching and twisting of the body often contributes to compressing and decompressing of the blood vessels (R) in the body, especially the veins which aid in ensuring proper circulation of the blood in the body.

Some of the common and effective yoga poses for bettering the blood flow include:

  • Virabhadrasana or the Warrior Pose
  • Salamba Sarvangasana or the Shoulder Stand
  • Viparita Karani or the Leg’s Up Pose
  • Shavasana or the Corpse Pose
  • Kapalbhati or Skull Shining Breath

Foods That Improve Blood Flow

Foods that improve blood flow
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Apart from making some changes in one’s lifestyle, there are even a number of foods that can aid in natural ways to improve blood circulation.

Some of them include:

8. Hawthorn Berries

Hawthorn berriesHawthorne berries have amazing benefits in the dilation of the blood vessels (R) near the skin which aid in the better flow of blood throughout the body. This is what helps stabilize the blood pressure (R) and brings it back to normal so as to ensure normalized blood circulation throughout the body.

People with congestive heart failure (R) have also been evaluated with the consumption of hawthorn berries to better the overall blood circulation of the body.

The amount of consumption of hawthorn berries should always be consulted with a professional because of the fact that the recommended dosage varies based on the person and their physiology and medical history.

9. Tomatoes

TomatoesTomatoes don’t directly contribute to aiding in boosting blood circulation (R) but indirectly does so. Consumption of tomatoes aid in reducing the accumulation of cholesterol and fat in the body and the blood vessels too, thereby decreasing its deposition in the blood vessels which otherwise cause an obstruction in the steady flow of blood.

For the best results, consume tomatoes on a daily basis, either as a part of a salad or even just in the curries you are preparing. Including this in your daily diet will combat the risks of poor blood circulation in the long haul.

10. Nuts

NutsThe main mode of action by the consumption of nuts is inflicted because of its amazing concentration of Vitamins in it. Nuts, especially like that of almonds and walnuts (R) are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E which overall has an amazing effect on one’s body.

The consumption of nuts on a regular basis (in permissible quantities) has an amazing effect in boosting the overall blood circulation of the body by reducing inflammation and the associated oxidative stress that is often caused by the excess presence of free radicals in the body.

Consume 2-4 almonds and 1-2 walnuts every day to enjoy the amazing benefits that they have on our body’s overall functioning.

11. Parsley Tea

Parsley tea
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Parsley tea has unmatchable benefits on the process of improving blood circulation throughout the body. This culinary herb which adds a depth of flavor to a dish has beneficial effects in imbibing ways to improve blood circulation as well.

Parsley has vasodilating properties which aid in expanding the blood vessels to promote better circulation of blood throughout the body. Not just that, even the presence of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C in the parsley leaves contribute to the process of blood circulation throughout the body.

  1. For consumption, steep a few sprigs of parsley leaves in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Strain the liquid and enjoy the concoction at least twice a day.
  3. You can even opt for store-bought parsley tea to enjoy similar benefits.

12. Green Tea

Green teaGreen tea helps to improve the rate of blood circulation in the body by multiple ways. The rich concentration of antioxidants in the green tea (R) not just helps combat the excess oxidative stress in the body; it also helps relax the arteries that contribute to further streamlined flow of blood throughout the body.

Consumption of green tea also contributes to increasing the levels of nitric oxide in the body which has positive vasodilating effects on the body. It helps expand the blood vessels which help improve blood circulation.

  1. For optimum benefits, steep a green tea bag in a cup of warm water and let it steep for 5 minutes.
  2. Drink this tea 2-3 times a day to promote good blood circulation.

13. Celery

CeleryCelery (R) is not just rich in water content but equally loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals in it. The concentration of Vitamin K in the whole ordeal is what stands out amidst the lot.

Vitamin K aids in promoting smoother blood flow in the body which necessarily prevents the possibility of blood clotting and protects the body from being affected with situations surrounding heart stroke or other cardiovascular diseases.

It is also beneficial as a diuretic which helps flush out the unnecessary waste out of the body. This way, it is ensures that your body isn’t loaded with unwanted and toxic wastes that could otherwise inflict negative effects in your body.

For consumption, you can blend it into a green smoothie, eat it raw with any form of a dip or even eat it as a salad.

14. Gingko Biloba

Gingko BilobaEven though there are not many studies backing the claims up, it is believed that the extract and even supplements of Gingko Biloba has promising benefits in improving the blood circulation (R) throughout the body.

This plant is known for its amazing blood thinning and vessel dilating (R) properties which is what comes in handy in improving your blood circulation.

The consumption of this plant, in the form of extracts or even supplements, completely depends on the doctor’s prescriptions and what they recommend. Because they are a part of alternative medicine, it is always best to be assured about the dosage and consumption so that you don’t end up experiencing the harsh side effects.

15. Garlic

GarlicGarlic showcases amazing benefits in getting rid of the buildup of plaque in the arteries that often contribute to improving reduced levels of blood circulation (R) throughout the body.

It not just looks after the overall cardiovascular health but also prevents the blood platelet aggregation and prevents the possible risks of atherosclerosis.

In order to experience long term benefits of garlic for improving your blood circulation, start with consuming 2-3 cloves of raw garlic every day. You can even include them in your cooking or take them as supplements.

16. Avocados

AvocadosAvocados have a high concentration of beta-sitosterol which aid in converting unhealthy fats into something better suited for the body. Apart from that, it even showcases anti-inflammatory properties which come in handy in treating any form of inflammation that could be behind the restricted blood circulation in the body.

Not just that, avocados even boost in ensuring in bettering the condition of the arterial walls so as to improve blood circulation. It also prevents the accumulation of plaque in and around the arteries keeping the possibilities of blood clots at bay.

You can consume avocado as a dip, in salads, in sandwiches or even just eat it on its own if the taste is not too overwhelming for you. Increase the intake of avocados in your diet to simultaneously combat poor blood circulation. You can even opt for avocado oil (R) to better your overall cardiovascular health.

17. Cinnamon

CinnamonCinnamon has an amazing effect (R) in the prevention of the deposition of excess cholesterol in the body. This ensures to keep the risks of possible blockage or clots in the arteries. It also boosts the overall rate of blood circulation throughout the body which further contributes to keeping the cardio-vascular system healthy and thriving.

It also showcases anti-inflammatory properties on the body which is also beneficial in ensuring to avoid putting any kind of excess strain on the heart. The Ceylon Cinnamon also aids in regulating the blood pressure, thereby further contributing to bettering the blood flow.

  1. Drink a concoction made with half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of honey in warm water.
  2. Drink this every morning in empty stomach and the results might end up astonishing you.

[Read: Cinnamon and Honey Benefits]

18. Cayenne Peppers

Cayenne PeppersThe compound Capsaicin, which is found in Cayenne Peppers, beneficial in boosting the blood flow throughout the body. If you have been suffering from poor signs and symptoms relating to lack of proper blood circulation, the consumption of cayenne pepper can definitely do the trick for you.

Consumption of cayenne peppers also helps strengthen the blood vessels (R) and the arteries to ensure smoother circulation of blood.

If studies are to be believed, cayenne pepper is considered as the best stimulant for blood circulation. You can mix 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a glass of water and drink that at a go to boost your blood circulation.

19. Coconut Oil

Coconut OilCoconut Oil is primarily made up of healthy fats and medium-chain triglycerides which make it an ideal ingredient to regulate the blood flow (R). It also helps relieve inflammation in the arteries thereby aiding in extended blood circulation around the body.

You can consume 2-3 tablespoons of edible coconut oil every day or even massage your entire body with warm coconut oil to boost your body’s blood circulation.

20. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolateThe question of whether or not the consumption of dark chocolate can help boost blood circulation has always been a buzz. Research shows that the polyphenols that are present in dark chocolate can effectively raise the levels of nitric oxide in the body which is responsible for the dilation of the arteries in the body.

Dilated arteries promote the excess flow of blood through it which enhances the rate of blood circulation throughout the body.

Munch on 2-3 pieces of dark chocolate every now and then to improve blood circulation.

Poor blood circulation can result into several fatal conditions encircling your cardiovascular system. If you are someone who takes their heart health for granted, it needs to change today. Improve blood circulation with these mentioned natural ways and remedies.