Special Foods To Improve Blood Circulation
Proper blood circulation in the body is critical for the health of organs, muscles and tissues.
Proper blood circulation in the body is indicative of good health. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the body’s circulatory system (or the cardiovascular system) pumps blood from the heart to the lungs to get oxygen. The heart then sends the oxygenated blood through the arteries to the rest of the body. The veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart to start the process of blood circulation over again. This system is critical for the health of organs, muscles and tissues.
There are many conditions that can affect the circulatory system, including: aneurysms (when an artery wall weakens and enlarges and there is a risk of rupture); high blood pressure (when your arteries work too hard to circulate blood throughout the body); plaque deposits (high cholesterol and diabetes can lead to fat and other substances collecting in the blood); venous disease (it tends to affect veins in the lower body).
To Improve Blood Circulation
- Try to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week.
- Find healthy ways to release stress.
- Make sure you are maintaining a healthy weight.
- Manage conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
- Quit smoking.
- And finally, eat a heart-healthy diet that is rich in vegetables and fibre, and low in saturated fats and processed foods.
Healthy Foods In Your Diet
Ayurveda and gut health coach Dr Dimple Jangda explained in a post shared on Instagram that in order to boost the circulation of blood in the body, one must focus mainly on three food groups: reds, citrus fruits, and dark chocolate and almonds.
Red Coloured Vegetables And Fruits
- Consume red-coloured foods like pomegranate, black grapes, carrots, red beets, turnip, onions, cinnamon, red cayenne peppers, and spinach. They help in generating new blood and improving blood flow, said the expert.
- She added that pomegranate is rich in polyphenol antioxidants and nitrates, which are potent vasodilators. They help improve blood flow and oxygenation of muscle tissue.
- Beetroot, leafy greens like spinach are high in nitrates, which your body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes blood vessels and increases blood flow to muscle tissue.
- Cinnamon improves blood vessel dilation and blood flow in the coronary artery, which supplies blood to the heart.
- Onions contain flavonoids that help improve circulation by helping your arteries and veins widen when blood flow increases.
- Garlic contains sulphur compounds, which improve tissue blood flow and lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels.
Citrus Fruits
Consume citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, tangerines, Indian gooseberry, and grapefruit, which are packed with antioxidants and flavonoids. They help decrease inflammation and reduce blood pressure and stiffness in the arteries while improving blood flow and nitric oxide production, Dr Jangda explained.
Almonds, walnut and dark chocolate
- According to the expert, you must consume five raw almonds, one walnut, and a piece of dark chocolate every day. While almonds have antioxidants that enhance blood supply by dilating your blood vessels, walnuts contain ALA and vitamin E that stimulate nitric oxide.
- Dark chocolate, on the other hand, is a rich source of flavonoids, and has antioxidant properties that help improve blood flow.
- Also focus on your intake of foods that are rich in iron, B12, B9 (folic acid), vitamin A and copper to improve production of RBCs and promote blood flow, said the expert.
“Alternatively, you can also do a full body massage with coffee and sugar scrub mixed with water/coconut/almond/olive oil, with smooth strokes in the direction of your heart. Include inversion asanas in your yoga practice,” Dr Jangda concluded.
Credit: Prerna Mittra, thehealthsite.com
