The human body’s circulatory system is one of the most important systems as it plays some of the crucial roles that help the body to keep functioning the way it is meant to....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
It helps to send blood, oxygen, and other nutrients throughout the body and when its flow to a specific part of the body is impeded or reduced, it could leave the body with certain undesirable effects.
The reduced flow of blood within the body is broadly referred to as poor circulation and is most common in the extremities of the body such as the legs and arms. Scientists believe that poor circulation is not a health condition in itself, but that it is rather a result of other health issues. Seeing as poor circulation is always an indication of another health issue, it is always important to treat its underlying causes.
According to Kimberly Holland of Healthline, the most common causes of poor circulation include obesity, diabetes, heart conditions, and arterial issues.
Having known some of the common causes of poor circulation in the body, what then are some of the signs or symptoms you may notice that may indicate that blood may not be flowing well within your body or you have poor circulation?
A few of its common symptoms include the following:
1. Tingling
Poor circulation may be characterised by the feeling of tingling in hands or feet with this symptom often a bothersome one.
The tingling feeling can be temporary, severe or chronic but once it starts recurring, it could be a pointer to poor circulation of blood within the blood.
2. Numbness
Just like tingling sensations, numbness is another picking sensation that can occur in any part of the body, with it being felt more in the hands, feet, arms, and legs.
While it can happen due to many reasons, when it persistently occurs without any known cause for the sensations, it could be indicative of poor circulation.
3. Throbbing or stinging pain in your limbs
Just as the two previous symptoms of poor circulation, you may also experience a sort of a burning sensation in your legs.
This is often not caused by injury or intense exercise, thus, when you start experiencing throbbing or stinging pain in your limbs, it could be caused by poor circulation.
4. Pain
While overusing the limbs through activities such as lifting heavy objects repeatedly causes pain in the extremities through the irritation of the muscles in the extremities, one other possible cause of such pain is poor circulation.
Thus, when you start having pain in your extremities without necessarily overusing your limbs, you could be experiencing poor circulation.
5. Muscle cramps
According to the Mayo Clinic, a muscle cramp refers to a sudden and involuntary contraction of one or more of the muscles, with this capable of making it temporarily impossible to use the affected muscle.
This feeling may be indicative that there is a poor flow of blood within your body.
Having considered a few of the accompanying symptoms of poor circulation, it is worth stating that circulatory issues including poor circulation are often treated by medications.
But be that as it may, it is equally important to note that certain foods are known to help improve blood flow within the body. A few of such foods are examined below:
1. Onions
Onions are popular and are often touted for their many health benefits including their effects on heart health.
Their health benefits are thought to be due to the presence of flavonoid antioxidants which are known to benefit heart health and help improve blood circulation by helping the arteries and veins widen due to increased blood flow.
2. Cayenne pepper
According to Jillian Kubala of Healthline, the spicy flavour of cayenne pepper is due to the presence of capsaicin, a phytochemical that promotes blood flow to tissues by reducing blood pressure and stimulating the release of nitric oxide and other compounds that help expand the blood vessels.
3. Fatty fish
Thanks to their rich content of omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel are helpful in markedly improving blood circulation.
This is because they promote the release of nitric oxide which dilates the blood vessels and increases blood flow.
What’s more? Omega-3s also help to avoid clot formation by inhibiting the clumping of platelets in the blood.
4. Leafy greens
Spinach and other leafy green vegetables are incredibly high in nitrate, an important chemical that is converted into nitric oxide by the body.
Eating nitrate-rich foods, according to Healthline can help improve circulation by dilating blood vessels, which, in turn, allows blood to flow more easily.
5. Ginger
Ginger is another food item that you should consume more to experience a marked improvement in your body’s circulation mechanism.
The intake of ginger is particularly known to reduce high blood pressure, which negatively impacts blood flow.