You may not pay much attention to it, but there are roughly five quarts of blood circulating through your body every minute. Along with other fluids, it plays a very important part in your health and wellness.
Blood supplies nutrition to your muscles. It helps keep your immune system pumping. It removes waste, and it helps keep the various parts of your body functional.
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That’s why good circulation is so important. If blood can’t adequately move throughout the body, you’re at risk.
On top of that, poor circulation may harm heart health. Your heart must work harder to move blood when it’s not able to circulate well.
There are varying degrees of poor circulation. Most people, for example, have had their feet fall asleep. But there are far more severe cases. If you’ve noticed bloating, low energy, and fluid retention, your circulation could be suffering.
Here are some ways to improve it.
Exercise: Movement creates better circulation, end of story. Just getting out for a walk—anything that gets the blood pumping—can help. As you progress in exercise, the benefits get even better.
Massage: Massage may be another quick way to get blood moving. It can help allow circulation to pick up in areas where it has slowed down and help flush lactic acid and lymph fluid.
Hydration: Water may play a larger role in circulation than you think. Drinking water helps thin blood so it has an easier time moving through blood vessels.
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Dry Brushing: Dry brushing may also help boost circulation. Before a morning shower, take a dry brush to scrub the skin, starting at the feet, rubbing in circles until you get to your heart.
Elevate Legs: After a long day on your feet, or even if you’ve noticed some swelling or fatigue, try putting your feet up. Having your feet elevated can drain blood from your legs to enhance circulation. Roughly 20 minutes should be good.
Exercise and diet are the best ways to improve circulation, but these other techniques may help as well.
About eight years ago, Mat Lecompte had an epiphany. He’d been ignoring his health and suddenly realized he needed to do something about it. Since then, through hard work, determination and plenty of education, he has transformed his life. He’s changed his body composition by learning the ins and outs of nutrition, exercise, and fitness and wants to share his knowledge with you. Starting as a journalist over 10 years ago, Mat has not only honed his belief system and approach with practical experience, but he has also worked closely with nutritionists, dieticians, athletes, and fitness professionals. He embraces natural healing methods and believes that diet, exercise and willpower are the foundation of a healthy, happy, and drug-free existence.
