How to Improve Your Circulation—And Reduce Your Risk of Dementia, Too!
These study-backed tips also shrink varicose veins, hemorrhoids and more
Most of us never give our circulatory system a second thought. But healthy blood circulation is vital for keeping your heart strong, your memory sharp and annoying health bothers like hemorrhoids at bay. The problem? As we age, our circulation naturally slows down, according to a study published in the journal Microvascular Research. To improve your circulation naturally and restore your good health, give these easy tips a try.
How to improve your circulation naturally
Improving blood flow has never been easier, thanks to these study-backed strategies.
Sharpen your memory with a ‘happy’ dance
Exercise may ward off memory loss, in part by boosting the flow of oxygen to brain cells. Try dancing to an upbeat song, like “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, or taking a brisk walk to keep blood vessels in tip-top shape. Research published in the journal PLoS One showed that those who exercised intensely for just four minutes greatly improved their circulation.
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And making it a habit may even help reduce your risk of dementia. The proof: A study in Neurology found that women between 38 and 60 who had high cardiovascular fitness had a decreased risk of dementia. And a separate Swedish study suggests that adults who get about 21 minutes of moderate-intensity activity daily are up to 88 percent less likely to develop dementia.
Shrink varicose veins with a citrus extract
One sign of poor circulation: the appearance of varicose veins, or bulging veins where blood pools (typically in the legs). To treat them, ask your doctor about supplementing with diosmin. This potent compound found in citrus fruits may improve poor blood flow, suggests an animal study published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
Tip: Prefer to try a food fix first? Research published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry suggests that eating a small amount of garlic daily may boost blood flow in just one week.
Tame leg swelling by tiptoeing
Designate a frequently used hallway in your home as a “tiptoe-only zone,” and you may help end symptoms of chronic edema (painful leg and ankle swelling). The soleus muscle in the calves is dubbed “the second heart,” since moving it pumps blood back from the lower half of the body to the heart.
The good news is that simply engaging your calf muscles and moving around may help reduce swelling by keeping fluid flowing. Simply walk on the balls of your feet for five steps, then take five normal steps, repeating for one minute each time you enter the tiptoe zone.
Shrink hemorrhoids with pine bark extract
The root cause of hemorrhoids is poor circulation. When your circulatory system is sluggish, veins have difficulty pushing blood back to the heart efficiently, leading to blood pooling in areas where veins face the greatest resistance from gravity, such as the rectum.
One fix: An Italian study in Phytotherapy Research found that participants who began taking a pine bark extract known as Pycnogenol experienced a significant reduction in swelling and pain and eliminated hemorrhoid bleeding within a week. The study-established dose: 300 mg of Pycnogenol for the first four days, followed by 150 mg for the next three days.
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