How to Improve Blood Circulation

If you lack good blood flow, your body is missing out on essential nutrients and oxygen. Improve blood circulation to improve vein health. If you don’t, varicose veins and leg swelling are some of the symptoms you are risking.

Your circulatory system regulates movement of blood through the vessels to distribute nutrients and oxygen to the body. When you have poor blood circulation, the blood vessels lose elasticity and slow down the flow of blood.

Your weight, height, diet, and age can contribute to poor blood flow.

Here are a few tips that you can try to improve your circulation and the health of your heart:

Quit Smoking

Smoking takes a toll on your body over time, including veins. Cigarettes strain the circulatory system. Vessels tighten and restrict, slowing the flow of blood. Your body over time will not receive the proper oxygen levels and toxins will begin to enter the bloodstream.

If you’ve been looking for a reason to quit, healthy veins are a great one!

Drink More Water

Ensuring your body is properly hydrated is a great way to improve your overall health. When it comes to blood circulation, dehydration can lower the volume of your blood, making it harder to flow throughout your body. Improve blood circulation by drinking more water will keep your blood vessels healthy, and make it easier for the body to keep up with your circulation without going into overdrive.

Exercise

By incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you will be able to take off the stress from your heart and improve your entire circulatory system in the process. 30 minutes of exercise a day 5 times a week can improve your blood circulation. Most workouts, especially cardio-based routines, will increase your heart beating rate to allow blood flow to every part of your body.

Eat Healthily

Just like drinking more water, eating healthy is good advice no matter what the situation. Foods that are high in fat, salt, and sugar are likely to have an adverse impact on your circulation. By replacing salty or sugary snacks with healthy foods such as oranges, ginger, garlic, or sunflower seeds, can help improve blood circulation.

Take Advantage of Massages

In addition to the relaxing feeling you get from a good massage, it can also help stimulate blood flow. Gravity can work against the proper circulation of blood in the body. Your legs are below your heart, making it harder when blood needs to flow upward to your heart. Therefore, massage can get the blood flowing, and your body will thank you.

Compression Stockings

When humans age, it becomes more and more difficult to hold onto good circulation. While lifestyle changes like diet and exercise will help, there is nothing anyone can do about getting older. Compression stockings will help the vessels in your legs push blood back up to your heart. This is also a good idea for those who find themselves on their feet all day. If there are situations like this that you are not able to change, a little help from compression socks will go a long way.

Wear Compression Stockings

Compression stockings are devices that are specifically developed to help with the circulation of blood in the veins. They squeeze from the ankle up and encourage blood to return to the heart against the flow of gravity. Extremely common after surgery, they can also be implemented for people on an outpatient basis for the prevention of venous ulcers. People who have compression stockings prescribed should keep them on during the day, particularly while upright. While most people can take them off at night, some people may need to wear them even at night, especially if they have a concomitant blood clotting disorder. These stockings come in numerous shapes and size so rely on a medical professional to help find the compression stocking to meet the needs.

Preserve a Healthy Weight

People who are either overweight or obese carry extra weight around their legs and abdomen. Gravity pulls this weight down and increases the pressure on the legs. In addition to increasing blood pressure, this places extra weight on the skin. The skin will start to break down and develop venous ulcers more rapidly than those who maintain a healthy weight. People should exercise and focus on a healthy diet if they have trouble with their weight. To prevent venous ulcers, avoid sitting or standing for extended lengths of time and elevate the legs to remove pressure from the veins due to gravity.

Elevate Your Legs

Blood pressure in the legs increases quicker than other areas of the body due to gravity. Gravity pools blood in the legs increases blood pressure and leads to venous ulcers. Therefore, elevate the legs when possible to counteract the forces of gravity. When sitting elevate the legs on a stool or cushion. When sleeping, elevate the legs with a pillow. This will help to reduce blood pressure in the legs and minimize ulcer development.

Treat Underlying Problems

There are procedures such as Sclerotherapy and EVLT that can relieve severe venous problems, such as varicose veins, that can minimize blood pressure elevation and venous ulcer development. These procedures can relieve the problems caused by incompetent venous valves and blood pooling. Talk to a medical professional for more information on these treatments.

When to See a Doctor for Circulation

There are many simple changes you can make to your lifestyle to improve your blood circulation. Unfortunately, there are a few circumstances that only a doctor will be able to resolve. If you experience persistent or severe pins and needles, blue-tinted skin, a dramatic increase in varicose veins, or excessive swelling in your legs, you may need to see a doctor for varicose vein treatment. A professional will be able to see how bad your circulation has become, and what you can do to get better. Get in touch with us today to schedule a screening and take care of any issues you might have with your circulation.

Many people suffer from a medical condition known as venous ulcers. Venous ulcers are a class of skin ulcers that develop when the skin breaks down and reveals the tissue underneath. There are numerous types of venous ulcers, but these ulcers develop when the venous valves, which prevent the backflow of blood, begin to break down. These ulcers usually form in the legs just above the medial malleolus and increase in prevalence with age. When happens is the blood begins to pool or reverse direction due to the failure of these valves. The veins cannot handle the increased amount of blood in the veins and start to break down the surface of the skin as they swell from increased pressure. If the damage continues, an ulcer can develop. There are several tips that people should keep in mind to help prevent the development of venous ulcers.

Summary

If you follow some of the steps we’ve outlined above, you can improve blood curculation and overall health. If you need help fitting all the pieces together, get in touch with us today. We can screen the veins for potential issues and help you create a plan to restore vein health.