Blood is the vital liquid of our body that is responsible for transportation of nutrients and oxygen to every part of the body.
If blood is not being circulated properly throughout your body, the cells of the body that produce energy will not have access to the nutrients and oxygen (that are the "raw materials" to generate energy), and your body will suffer.
In addition to its transport function, blood circulation also helps to remove foreign particles and toxins trapped within tissue; in other words, detoxification. Inadequate blood circulation can cause of load of health problems: a tingling sensation in hands and feet, shortness of breath, low stamina, frequent headaches, chest pain, and perhaps a high risk of heart attack.
Thus, the first step to good health is improving your blood circulation. Here are some ways to improve blood circulation.
- Exercise, exercise: exercise may not necessarily mean visiting the gym, and doing some heavy workouts. Many of us might simply not find the time to set aside for exercising. Exercising can mean finding yourself some physical activities that can become a part of your regular routine. For example, performing daily chores such as mopping, dusting, scrubbing, these activities help burn calories, and gets your heart pumping. Walk to your nearest store for your shopping requirements, instead of driving. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Climbing up stairs is a very effective way to increase your heart rate. Walk or jog for 20-30 minutes every day, while listening to your favourite music. This is also an excellent way to relax your mind. If your work involves sitting at your workstation all day, then you can do some small stretching exercises of 3-5 minutes, every hour.
- Get a massage: massage has been shown to be effective in increasing local blood circulation, and also in stimulating healing.
- Go for inversion therapy: Inversion therapy involves hanging upside down, or at an angle. This is not as tough as it may sound. There is equipment available that can help you invert safely. Inversion tables and inversion chairs are such aids to improve blood circulation. Inversion therapy subjects the body to forces opposite to natural gravity, such that blood and lymphs which get pooled at various extremities of the body are released and moved into the core for oxygenation, filtration, and elimination of cellular metabolic wastes. Inversion helps stimulate the immune system, alleviates arthritic pain, and reduces stress. Inversion therapy has also been found to be quite effective in treating chronic back pain, spinal injuries, and extreme body pains resulting from simple stress. Practise inversion therapy for a few minutes (typically 15 mins) every day to enjoy its health benefits. However, people with hypertension, glaucoma, extreme obesity, bone weaknesses, heart or circulatory disorders, or who are pregnant, should not try it without a doctor's supervision.
- Infrared therapy: Infrared light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, at wavelengths longer than those of visible light, and hence is completely safe to the human body. In fact, a major portion of thermal radiation on earth is infrared. Infrared light has the ability to "activate" water present within cells of our body, thereby leading to enhanced cell metabolism, cellular nutrition uptake, and excretion of residues. Infrared heat can penetrate deep within the human body. This heat is further spread by conduction in bones, and convection in tissue fluids. The growing warmth helps dilate blood vessels and fine capillaries, thereby improving blood circulation, and facilitating the removal of impurities from blood. Improved blood circulation increases the level of oxygen within the body. Infrared therapy can be administered by means of handheld devices, stationary systems, massagers, and even complete sauna units. Infrared room heaters that employ infrared light for heating are an excellent way to heat your room in an energy efficient manner, while enjoying all the benefits of infrared therapy.
- Making lifestyle changes: eat natural, healthy food. Avoid processed food and foods with excessive sugar or salt content. Drink enough water. Try drinking warm water, as cold water is known to close up your veins. Cut out caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or sugary drinks from your diet. If you cannot completely cut these off, then reduce their intake in your diet. Try taking a hot bath and relax.
- Supplements: certain supplements can improve blood circulation. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplements. Calendula, green tea, ginger, garlic, gingko biloba, onion are known to relax your muscles and increase blood circulation.
In conclusion, I believe there are many things we can do ourselves to improve our blood circulation. Best of all, most of them are very simple things.
Spend more time making healthy food decisions and move that body of yours more frequently. Make small investments for your own health:
- go for a massage every once in a while
- buy an inversion table and use it
- add a small infrared heater to your existing heating system.
Little changes, healthier life!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anja_Vernelen
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