how can i improve circulation in my hands and feet?

Question

they get cold really quickly and stay cold for ages. especialy at night when its cold outside even if i havent been out.

what can i do?

i go to the gym 3 times a week and i walk loads.

Answer 1

Cold hands and feet are usually caused by a constriction of the small vessels, which take blood into the fingers and toes. Sometimes excessive narrowing of these small blood vessels in the skin leads to the development of chilblains.

These itchy, purple-red swellings, which usually occur on the fingers or toes, can be quite uncomfortable but are not serious. Chilblains occur mostly in the young and the elderly, and are more common in women than in men.

In conventional medicine the usual advice for individuals with circulatory problems is to invest in some thermal socks and gloves. Natural medicine, however, offers other strategies, which may improve circulation and therefore relieve symptoms.

On a dietary level it is important for you to avoid unhealthy fats found in red meat, dairy products, fried and processed foods as these may lead to increased narrowing of blood vessels in time.

Healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, seeds and oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring seem to improve circulation in the long term, so make sure you include plenty of them in your diet. Also, avoid caffeine as this generally leads to constriction of blood vessels.

In addition, several supplements may improve your symptoms. I recommend that you take 1g of concentrated fish oil, three times a day along with 400 IU of vitamin E each day.

These nutrients help to improve blood flow and may reduce constriction of the blood vessels. Another natural substance known to help greatly in circulatory conditions is the herb ginkgo biloba. Take 40 mg of standardised extract, three times a day.

Check out www.Channelhealth.tv for more information.



Your situation may not be as directly related to the viscosity of your blood as the state of your vital Qi (Chi). You may also have blood deficiency, such as anemia. I would first check to ensure that you are not suffering from anemia. Once you have ruled that out, check to ensure you are not suffering from a more severe pathology called Raynaud’s syndrome.

From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, your hands and feet may feel cold due to stagnation of Qi in the middle of your body, preventing the vital substances, including blood, to flow to the extremities to warm them.

I suggest acupuncture and herbal prescriptions to help invigorate the Qi. I also suggest you take up tai chi or qigong exercises. These are great martial art forms that help with the body's internal circulation and cultivation of Qi. From a dietary perspective, I suggest you incorporate more pungent moving foods such as tangerines, tangerine peel, Chinese chives, lettuce, hawthorn berries, black pepper, and cardamon seeds.

Try this remedy: peel tangerines, dry the peel, and then use the dried peel to make tea.

Heres some links you can look at too : )
http://www.bodyresults.com/E3coldhands.asp
http://www.manataka.org/page1926.html

Answer 2

You can consult the traditional chinese medicine doctors and usually after taking a period of chinese medicine will improve the "qi" and the blood circulation. Putting hands and legs in the warm water for 1/2 hour with message before sleep is very good to improve circulation too.

Answer 3

I soak my hands and feet in warm water before I go to bed every night. My massage therapist says it does wonders for your circulation and overall health!

To the person who said get more exercise, I do yoga, run, etc. and my hands and feet actually get COLDER. The warmth all goes to my core. It's a circulatory disorder, not a matter of being active or not.

Answer 4

Walk a little more each day for the feet, and squeeze a rubber ball now and then to give your hands some exercise.

Answer 5

There is not much you can do except to check with your doc to be sure you do don't have a medical cause for this. If it is nothing more than poor circulation then you can't do much for it.

Answer 6

keep warm, wear slippers and a jumper. Extremeties feel the cold first.

Answer 7

Do you suffer from Raynauds Disease? It`s a condition of the circulatory system.

Answer 8

Regular exercise will help.

Answer 9

stay off the booze

Answer 10

excercise, excercise and more excercise. will increase your blood pressure to the correct settings