Maintaining good circulation is as important for your health as eating a balanced diet, staying physically active, and getting enough sleep....CONTINUE READING
Top 12 Ways to QUICKLY Improve Blood Circulation in Legs
Your circulatory system delivers vital oxygen and nutrients to all your muscles and organs.
But when plaque or blockages form in your arteries, normal blood flow can be disrupted, potentially leading to serious health issues, such as heart attack, stroke, or even leg amputation in extreme cases.
Today, we look at 12 ways you can quickly boost blood flow to your legs and all parts of your body, and prevent the potential problems caused by poor circulation.
We covered the symptoms and causes of poor blood circulation in a recent video, so you can watch that after this video.
12. “Walking, or other exercises”.
To quickly improve your circulation, start walking! Even short 15-minute walks can make a difference.
With every step, your calf muscles contract and relax, acting like a pump that causes blood in your veins to be pushed upwards to the heart.
The harder you work these muscles, the greater the squeezing action, and the easier it is for blood containing waste and carbon dioxide to flow back to your heart. In effect, the muscles in your feet and legs function as a “second heart”!
Moreover, walking causes your arteries to widen, sending fresh, oxygenated blood into your feet and legs and throughout your entire body.
This is because exercise increases the production of nitric oxide in the endothelium, the inner lining of your blood vessels.
Nitric oxide is a gas that acts as a vasodilator, which means it relaxes your blood vessels and allows them to dilate.
When your blood vessels dilate, more blood can flow through them, which increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients that reach your muscles, organs, and tissues.
This process helps to reduce your blood pressure, making it easier for your heart to pump blood throughout your body.
If walking isn’t your preferred activity, you can improve your circulation through any type of workout. Jogging, cycling, or using an elliptical machine for just 20 minutes a few times a week, can make a huge difference.
11. “Elevate Your Legs”.
To improve blood flow throughout your body, elevate your legs at or above heart level. This simple action helps prevent blood from pooling in your lower legs and reduces the pressure on your veins, as they don’t have to work against gravity to get blood back to the heart.
Elevate your legs when watching TV or taking a nap to reduce swelling, improve circulation, and promote overall vein health. To do this, lie down and prop your legs up against the wall, holding the position for 15 minutes or more at a time. Alternatively, use a leg elevation pillow for added comfort and support.
10. “Soak your feet in warm water”.
When you immerse your feet in warm water, you improve blood circulation, promote sleep, and de-stress your mind.
The heat from the water causes your blood vessels to expand, allowing congested blood in your feet and lower legs to flow more freely. This not only reduces leg swelling but also helps prevent the formation of blood clots.
Consider adding Epsom salt, lavender, or eucalyptus essential oil to the water to increase the relaxation and pain-relieving benefits.
9. “Foot massage, or reflexology”.
By reducing muscle tension and promoting blood flow, foot massagers can help alleviate leg and foot pain, muscle cramps, and leg swelling.
These circulation-boosting devices use techniques like kneading, rolling, and vibration to activate your calf muscles and increase blood flow. Some leg massagers even include heat therapy to further enhance circulation and relaxation.
Another excellent way to improve circulation is foot reflexology, a type of massage therapy that applies pressure to specific points on your feet, to stimulate the corresponding organs and systems in your body, thus promoting healing and improving function.
Foot reflexology also stimulates blood vessels and increases blood flow in your lower limbs, so you can give attention to your feet, and promote overall well-being at the same time.
8. “Leg exercises & stretching”.
When you’re seated, move your feet up and down, rotate them in circles, or push them against the ground. These simple movements engage your calf muscles and help pump blood back to your heart, reducing the risk of blood pooling.
One excellent exercise to boost circulation is ankle pumping, which you can do while seated.
Flex your toes towards your head and hold for 3 seconds, then point them forward like you’re pressing a car’s gas pedal and maintain that position for another 3 seconds.
Doing this repeatedly for a few minutes helps move stagnant blood up and away from your legs and reduces swelling and the risk of blood clots.
Ankle pumps are a great exercise to do during long periods of sitting, like when you’re on a plane.
Another fantastic way to instantly increase circulation in your legs and feet is stretching.
When you stretch, you elongate and flex your muscles, which helps to propel blood throughout your circulatory system
To stretch your legs while sitting, extend one leg forward and reach towards your foot. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, then switch legs.
Or stand up and bend forward at the waist to touch your toes. This stretches your hamstring muscles and encourage blood flow.
7. “Wear compression socks”.
Slip on a pair of compression socks to give your veins a supportive hug, preventing superficial veins from expanding.
This is especially important if your job keeps you on your feet or in a chair all day, as prolonged standing or sitting can cause veins to swell, leading to varicose veins and discomfort.
Compression socks work on the principle of “graduated compression”, which means they apply the most pressure at the ankle, and gradually reduce it as they move up your leg.
This design helps push old and stagnant blood out of your feet and legs, similar to squeezing toothpaste from the bottom of a tube. It’s an effective way to promote healthy blood flow and prevent swelling in your legs.
Wear compression socks during long flights or road trips to prevent leg discomfort and blood clots.
If you have swollen ankles, diabetes, or neuropathy, there are medical-grade compression socks designed just for you.
Click the link below to see our recommended compression socks.
6. “Avoid sitting cross-legged”.
To keep your circulation healthy, avoid sitting cross-legged for long periods. While it’s fine for short durations, sitting this way for too long can negatively affect your circulation. It puts pressure on specific veins, which could lead to long-term issues like varicose veins.
Instead, sit with both feet flat on the ground and change positions frequently. You can try placing your legs to one side, then the other, crossing them, or straightening them. Switch positions every 15 to 30 minutes, even when watching TV.
5. “Stay well-hydrated”.
Your blood is about 51% water, with plasma being around 90% water. So staying hydrated is essential for your blood to flow smoothly.
When you’re dehydrated, your blood volume decreases, and your blood retains more sodium, causing it to thicken. This makes it harder for your heart to pump blood throughout your body, and leads to poor circulation in your legs and feet.
So, how can you ensure you’re getting enough fluids? A simple way is to check the color of your pee. If it’s straw-colored or clear, you’re hydrated. But if it’s darker than that, you need to drink more water.
Drinking tea throughout your day is a tasty and hydrating alternative to plain water. Plus, certain types of tea, like green tea, hibiscus tea, and hawthorn tea, contain flavonoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
These compounds can help improve the function of your blood vessels, allowing them to expand and contract as needed. This is known as endothelial function, and it’s important for maintaining healthy circulation throughout your body.
4. “Eat foods that boost nitric oxide”.
Other than exercise, another way to increase nitric oxide production and improve blood flow, is to eat nitrate-rich foods, such as beets, spinach, lettuce, Bok choy, carrots, garlic, and dark chocolate with at least 75% cacao.
The nitrates in these foods are converted to nitrites by bacteria in the saliva, and further converted to nitric oxide in the stomach.
Athletes often drink beetroot juice two to three hours before competition, to increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to their muscles, to help improve performance.
To learn how you can boost blood circulation by increasing nitric oxide production, watch our video, “Top 6 Vitamins to Boost Nitric Oxide“.
3. “Take a nitric oxide booster”.
To improve your blood flow, the best way is to boost nitric oxide levels in your body.
Did you know it’s possible to boost your nitric oxide levels by 650% in less than 20 minutes, by dissolving a lozenge on your tongue?
A group of scientists have formulated a blend of five nitric oxide-boosting ingredients in a lozenge, that mixes with the bacteria in your saliva to start the nitric oxide process.
What makes this formula special, is that it helps rejuvenate your endothelium, allowing your body to produce nitric oxide continuously throughout the day, just like it did when you were in your 20s!
This means you can easily enjoy the benefits of healthy nitric oxide levels, such as improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, and increased energy, in your 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond!
To learn about this unique nitric oxide booster, click the link below.
2. “Monitor salt and potassium intake”.
Consuming too much salt can cause your body to retain water, leading to swelling in your ankles and legs, and increasing blood pressure in some people.
When you eat salty foods, your body takes in more sodium than it needs. Your kidneys cannot filter out sodium fast enough, so your body retains extra sodium, which attracts water, and increases fluid outside of your cells.
Excessive salt intake can happen if you frequently eat packaged foods; these processed foods are loaded with salt. At the same time, you may not be getting enough potassium from fresh fruits and vegetables to balance out the extra salt.
To quickly improve your circulation, and normalize your blood pressure, limit your salt intake to healthy sources, such as sea salt in home-cooked food.
At the same time, make sure you’re getting enough potassium by eating fresh fruits and vegetables. This simple change can make a big difference, especially if you’re older, or have diabetes.
If you have kidney issues, it’s important to be careful about your potassium intake. Your kidneys may be struggling to regulate potassium levels in your body, so getting the right amount is crucial.
Consuming too little, or too much potassium, can lead to serious health problems, such as irregular heartbeat, or even a heart attack.
1. “Wear the right shoes”.
The first thing you must do to maintain healthy blood flow in your feet and lower legs, is to select footwear that fits properly and allows for natural foot movement.
One key feature to look for in shoes is a wide toe box, similar to what you’d find in clogs. This extra space allows your toes to spread out and relax, which can significantly reduce leg swelling during extended periods of standing or walking.
Shoes that are too tight or don’t fit well can lead to problems. These shoes can compress the nerves and blood vessels in your feet, reducing blood flow and potentially causing issues like slow healing, swelling, and dryness.
So, choose proper shoes, with proper insoles, that makes you feel well supported and help prevent circulation issues.
These are the 12 ways you can quickly improve blood circulation in your legs.
To prevent health issues caused by poor circulation in the long term, maintain normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels, quit smoking, and limit alcohol consumption to one to two glasses per day…CONTINUE READING>>
