Poor blood flow and circulation often results in the extremities (limbs, such as arms and legs) being cold, discolored, and edematous (swelling). Maybe your feet and hands also often feel tingling. You can do several things to increase blood flow throughout your body and extremities.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Trying a Physical Strategy
Step 1. Do exercise regularly at least 3 days a week
Get used to doing activities that you like. Any physical activity that gets the blood pumping is a good activity. Try doing activities like jogging, walking, running or aerobics to keep you moving. You can also do fun activities by walking in the mall.
Step 2. Stretch while resting
Especially when you're working in an office, or sitting in a fixed position for long periods of time at a time, you can increase blood flow by stretching while you're resting. You can do this by touching your toes with your hands, or getting up from your seat to walk briskly and move your body. Any activity that gets your muscles moving will speed up the flow of blood through your tissues, which in turn can make you feel more alive and energized.
Step 3. Lift your legs
If you feel poor circulation in your extremities (and many people feel it in your lower legs), try elevating your leg above heart level. Try placing your feet on a bench or chair that is higher than the object you are sitting on. Use several pillows to raise your feet.
Step 4. Try using compression stockings
If your lower legs swell, it may be due to poor blood circulation. In this case, ask your doctor if you should wear "compression stockings," and ask where you can buy them. These stockings can help return blood from the extremities to the heart, which will ultimately improve blood flow.
Step 5. Do massage
Not only does massage help increase blood flow in the area being massaged, but it can also cleanse toxins that may be deposited when there is no blood flowing to the area. Ask your massage therapist to use essential oils, such as rosemary oil, as these can help improve blood circulation.
- If you don't have a professional massage therapist in your area, try doing it yourself. Massage the areas of the body that feel tense and stiff. Inflammation that occurs in the muscles can block the pathways used by oxygen to flow throughout the body. These events often interfere with circulation and blood flow. By massaging these muscles, the toxins that naturally settle in the body will flow so that blood circulation will improve.
- You can also use a foam roller to massage yourself. Place the foam roller on the floor then press the sore muscle onto the foam roller and roll. For example, if there are areas of your feet that feel sore and stiff (such as the IT band area or hamstrings), place them on a foam roller and roll them back and forth to massage the problem muscles. This can help increase blood flow to the area being "massaged" with a foam roller.
Method 2 of 3: Trying Diet Strategies
Step 1. Improve your diet
A healthy diet is the key to optimizing blood flow. This is because over time, an unhealthy diet (e.g. eating a lot of processed foods, high in fat, salt, and/or sugar) can clog arteries and reduce overall blood flow. On the other hand, you can improve the health of your arteries and blood flow by eating the following healthy foods:
- Vegetables
- Lean meat
- Whole grains
- Healthy fats (such as those naturally found in avocados, nuts, fish oil, and seeds).
Step 2. Eat spicy food
Spicy foods contain capsaicin which is derived from chilies. These chemicals increase blood flow throughout the body. That is why people who eat spicy food turn red in the face.
Step 3. Don't run out of fluids
Experts recommend that you drink 8 to 12 glasses of water a day, and more when you exercise (to replace fluids lost when you exert yourself). The key to keeping your blood volume high is to consume adequate amounts of water, and this in turn will help improve blood circulation.
- Do not consume too much alcohol and caffeine, as they can dehydrate you.
- However, if your lower legs swell throughout the day, this is an indication that you shouldn't be drinking too much fluids. If you experience this, talk to your doctor about the right amount of fluid so that you get a healthy level of fluid intake. Keep in mind that swelling can be caused by many things, so it's a good idea to get a diagnosis and follow your doctor's advice.
Method 3 of 3: Trying to Change Another Lifestyle
Step 1. Quit smoking
Nicotine use is a major cause of circulation problems. Nicotine can constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow, which is useful for healthy organs and muscles. Quitting smoking can help increase the availability of oxygen and other important nutrients to the body. Therefore, stop smoking if you want to improve blood circulation. This is not only for your current health, but also to prevent your problem from getting worse in the future.
Step 2. Try a hot shower
Fill the tub with steaming hot water, and check the water before you get into the tub. The water should be hot, but not too hot. Hot water helps relax stiff muscles, and improves blood circulation. This is because heat can vasodilate your vessels (make them wider), thus increasing blood flow throughout the body.
Step 3. Try taking medication
If poor blood circulation is caused by a medical problem such as peripheral artery disease, your doctor will prescribe a variety of medications that can help you manage the artery problem. There are even special drugs such as Cilostazol (Pletal) which is specially produced to increase blood flow to all parts of the body.
Step 4. Consider having surgery
If your blood flow problem is really severe, you may be able to have surgery as a last resort. Surgery can help remove clots or other blockages in blood vessels that could reduce circulation from reaching dangerous or damaging levels.
