Poor circulation can have several causes, and nearly all of them are severe. Many, thankfully, are treatable, but it may take a while for you to figure out that blood isn’t getting where it needs to be.
For example, it is easy to chalk up low energy, digestive troubles, swelling, cramping, and cold hands and feet to other conditions. Particularly fatigue. But poor circulation may be causing you to feel beat down.
The most common cause of poor circulation is atherosclerosis. It happens when plaque builds up along arterial walls, stiffening blood vessels and restricting space for blood flow.
It’s a feature of coronary artery disease and can lead to several other issues like blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
But the condition is preventable and even reversible. Taking steps to fight back against atherosclerosis may improve your quality of life, restore energy, and reduce the risk for a heart attack, stroke, or early death.
Boosting nitric oxide is one way that may help open and relax blood vessels. Nitric oxide is a natural molecule in your body. However, there are things you can do to stimulate production and increase its presence.
Diet and exercise, two central components to heart health, can increase nitric oxide production. Foods like beets, beetroot juice, berries, leafy greens, garlic, citrus, fruits, nuts, seeds, and more can help improve blood flow.
Did you notice anything about those foods? If you missed it, they are all nutritious foods that can offer several other benefits to your heart.
Exercise improves the function of cells that line blood vessels – called endothelial cells – which produce nitric oxide. More movement, therefore, can lead to physiological changes that enhance blood flow.
If you’ve been noticing a lack of energy or perhaps some other symptoms of poor circulation, talk to your doctor about a treatment plan. You could also begin adding more plant-based foods to your diet and slowly increasing activity levels.