11 Easy Ways To Improve Your Circulation

According to Living Green Magazine, "Stair-climbing is not only great exercise, but also helps you stretch those calf muscles and get the blood flowing down your lower legs all the way to your tippy toes."

While taking the stairs might not sound "fun," the leg activity can do wonders for increasing your blood circulation, potentially staving off painful side effects.

Living Green Magazine continues, "The capsaicin in hot peppers helps tackle inflammation… and because spicy foods are rich in vitamins A and C, they raise your body's temperature, which increases blood flow and gets your blood swooshing around in there as it should."

While not everyone can stand spicy foods, those who can should definitely embrace this easy way to get the blood pumping.

Living Green Magazine writes, "Get up and grab those cubicle mates and do five minutes of stretching… Your eyes probably need the rest from staring at a computer screen all day." They say the stretching will "give your blood flow a nice boost."

Whether you have a stretching partner or you just do some easy stretches at your desk, the movement can go a long way toward improving your blood circulation.

According to Healthy and Natural World, "If you can, quit smoking… Not only is smoking bad for your health, nicotine is among the leading causes of circulation problems."

As a health-conscious person, smoking is really only getting in the way of you achieving optimal health. So put down the cigarette and you may just see incredible results regarding your blood circulation.

The experts at Gaiam Life write, "By applying pressure to the body, massage stimulates the blood and lymph vessels, helping move the fluid along."

Dr. David Katz continues, "Studies suggest that massage may enhance circulation in a localized manner to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and perhaps accelerate healing."

While we can't always afford a massage, asking a friend or loved one to give you a foot or shoulder rub can be extremely helpful — and enjoyable.

According to WikiHow, one great way to improve circulation is to elevate your feet. "Elevating your legs is a great way to increase your circulation and relax at the same time. It also reduces the chance of varicose veins, which are caused by high blood pressure or simply standing for extended periods of time."

If you can't do anything about the amount of time you spend on your feet, at least you can do something about your blood circulation when you finally have a chance to sit or lay down at home.

The experts at Revitive suggest using "superfoods to help improve blood circulation."

They recommend adjusting your diet so that it includes oranges, dark chocolate, cayenne pepper, sunflower seeds, root ginger, garlic, ginkgo biloba, goji berries, watermelon, salmon, and avocado.

These superfoods have many health benefits, including their positive effect on your circulatory system.

Healthy and Natural World recommends that you "use hot and cold treatment. This involves alternating between cold and warmth on the affected body part. Apply heat, such as hot packs for 30 seconds or so, and then switch to cold packs. This could even be a bowl of warm water and a different bowl of colder water."

And why not take your circulation therapy in an even more relaxing direction with a nice bath? The alternation between temperatures can get the blood moving again.

According to Healthy and Natural World, you should "exercise whenever you can to boost your circulation. Get into the habit of finding activities you enjoy doing, as any type of physical activity that gets your blood pumping is good."

They continue, "If your circulation is already poor, start by doing some gentle exercise and move on gradually to something a bit more challenging." There are so many easy and simple ways to be physically active, and the health benefits extend well beyond improved circulation.

The experts at Organic Nutrition write, "Wear shoes that really feel comfortable, especially if you are on your feet for long hours at a time. If you have to wear heels to work, then wear sports shoes to and from work, and carry your work shoes with you to increase your circulation at least to and from work."

Restrictive shoes can be a large cause of poor circulation to your feet. Do yourself a favor and avoid this foot pain altogether by having a pair of sneakers or sports shoes handy.

It might seem obvious, but one of the amazing benefits of staying hydrated is increased blood flow throughout the body.

Organic Nutrition writes, "Drinking plenty of fresh water daily helps to hydrate cells including the skin, aids digestion, and gives one a regular supply of minerals. Drinking water also helps the body to get rid of waste products."

With so many health benefits, it seems that staying hydrated should be a top priority.

While poor blood circulation can absolutely have a negative impact on your health, trying out these easy techniques can help to keep the blood flowing and to keep your health in tip-top shape.

Will you be trying these ideas yourself? Let us know in the comments.

Please SHARE this vital and potentially pain-fighting information with friends and family!