However it is really obvious that whatever other factors are at play in our life, just about every illness, mental acuity, sexual performance, mood and the quality of life itself depends on our blood circulation.
In an age where we have poisoned ourselves by allowing scientists and greedy corporations to refine our food, we would do well to take this matter into our own hands.
Improving circulation is not rocket science, and I believe that once you have considered the following you will be in a much better position to act to use improved circulation to cure illnesses and improve the quality of your life.
Function of Blood
The red blood cells carry oxygen to every cell in the body. Blood also contains glucose. The glucose combines with the oxygen in each cell which gives it energy. It is known that the energy production in the cells can be increased with beauty preparations like coenzyme Q10, retinol (vitamin A), vitamin E, niacin and near infrared radiation. In short how well your cells produce energy is an indication of of your age and affects your appearance. Consider also that niacin has been shown to halt the progress of dementia which starts at 45 and large doses of coenzyme Q10 have arrested Parkinson’s disease. So blood keeps you young and healthy by providing energy to every cell. If the blood doesn’t flow properly then expect illness to occur. Note also that some of the solutions suggested contain powerful antioxidants which act locally and reverse ageing. Sounds like a double bonus.
Blood also removes two waste products, carbon dioxide which is exhaled in the lungs and solid wastes which are processed by the liver and kidneys. Clearly the build up of toxins can cause serious problems.
Blood also gets nutrition, vitamins, minerals and herbs to every cell of the body.
The white blood cells help your body fight infection.
Keeping your blood vessels unclogged, and doing whatever you can to improve your circulation is very much in your best interests.
Symptoms
Hypertension & Stress
Although there may be other factors, blood pressure cannot rise so easily if your blood vessels are unclogged. I remember reading about 19 year old inner city black youths in New York, who participated in meditation, which lowered their blood pressure a lot after 6 months. What stuck in my mind is that during those 6 months a measureable increase in blood pressure would have occured in that time. It makes us wonder where ageing really begins? But then scarring of the arterial wall was observed in the same age group from taking milk! Generally expect blocking of the arteries to be part of the problem. Perhaps more to the point, nitric oxide which the body makes fromarginine keeps the arteries flexible. Cocoa and flavonoids like in green tea, olive oil and coffee, and omega 3 in fish oil have a similar effect, although arginine has the most dramatic results.
Diabetes
There is a link between heart disease and diabetes. It is very important to regulate blood sugar levels for good health. Bombarding your blood with carbonated drinks, pastry, pasta and starches is a big no, although better tolerated if your work really hard – which almost no one does.
Carbohydrates found in nature also have the antidote to these problems – although you have to question how natural are domesticated potatoes and grains. Although this section is about diabetes the following is inextricably connected to all circulation problems. The health of the blood vessels, their ability to dilate (for example during sex) and the prevention of plaque build up depends on our diet.
The following can reduce the glycaemic index of suger/carbohydrate rich foods, simply because they are important in sugar metabolism of some other biological reason.
In nature carbohydrates come with the suite of B vitamins, many of which play a part in sugar metabolism. What is left after refining carbohydrate? Mollasses and wheat germ – both health foods. Get my point?
Flavonoids found in cocoa, tea, coffee, anthocyanin found in black cherries and red wine and polyphenols in red apples are also good for your arteries and prevent surges in blood sugar levels.
Atherosclerosis
In far too high a percentage of the population (greater than 30%) the arteries become blocked with age. Just not eating cake, cookies, bread and sweets would help enormously to prevent this. Unfermented milk protein (casein) was implicated in one huge study in 1980. I have responded by allowing myself yoghurt, cheese, and cream.
Refined vegetable oils are also highly suspect. Oils are destroyed by heat and chemicals. Nowadays there are cold pressed oils available – of which extra virgin olive oil is one. There is probably no other oil that is good for you in the spuermarket. Extra virgin olive oil contains a bitter flavonoid which has been proven to reduce blood pressure. Deep fried fats are out. Another important point is that we need omega 3 from fish, flax seed oil or walnuts. Much more than we get now.
Varicose Veins
Two ways of improving varicose veins are to reverse blocked arteries, so that the heart can pump better to the legs, and to improve the strength of the arterial wall. Anthocyanin found in red wine and black cherries can prevent inflammation which degrades the arterial wall. Horse chestnut, gotu kola and grape seed extract have a similar effect. Ten grams of argininetaken for six weeks improved the circulation in patients with heart failure by 30%. Arginine is not to be taken on an empty stomach by people younger than 23, by pregnant women or people with diabetes, people who have had a heart attack, people with cerebral herpes, kidney or liver problems – without medical supervision. Apart from that many of us have found it to be very non toxic. I have taken 30 grams a day.
Hair Loss & Grey Hair
In India, head massage is very popular to improve the health of hair. This can involve using oils like cold pressed coconut oil and cayenne pepper which is massaged in thoroughly. Modern massagers use lasers and/or infra red diodes, and are claimed to regrow lost hair. this can also have a noticeable improvement on greying, particularly if combined with taking two tablespoons of mollasses and two tablespoons of brewer’s yeast daily. Infra red radiation increases energy production in the mitochondria of the cells, and definately removes wrinkles. In fact add wrinkles to this list. What applies to grey hair applies to vitiligo and premature greying too. Over the last few years I have suffered stress resulting in a red rash over my left eye. I was already using the methods desribed for my grey hair – believe it works. I then started applying extra virgin olive oil left in cayenne pepper overnight to my entire face. Yes it burns in the eyes! After increasing the redness, it then subsides, and the complexion is much more even, and the skin looks younger. You need to have a practical eye wash plan for emergencies. Detergent if necessary.
I believe this a practical demonstration that poor circulation to the face plays a role in skin problems.
I have then, after washing out the “hot” oil, after an hour or several hours applied flush niacin (100mg in a little water) to the face. This will make it flush again, by dilating the capillaries. Niacin is a beauty vitamin, helps with age spots and wrinkles. Age spots appear in the brain too causing dementia. Again niacin can prevent this. I have taken 100mg of fluch niacin internally at the same time, which makes you fluch. Careful! Get to know it first. One gram is recorded as causing liver damage, although some people routinely take more than that (or so I remember).
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration occurs in the elderly. Improving circulation to the head can assist with this. Anthocyanin in wine and black cherries, vitamin A in carrots or cod liver oil and vitamin E are suggested. there must be many more ways to tackle this including much of the above. Ingesting cayenne pepper?
Tinnitus
Poor circulation is likely not the only possible cause of tinnitus, but in keeping with the above must be seriously considered. Think about the effect of terpenes like in peppermint tea, which have been shown to increase the blood circulation in the hypophthalmus, one of the several ductless glands in the head. Other such glands are the pineal gland, the pituitary gland, and the thyroid gland in the neck. It is well known that amino acids like arginine can increase growth hormone release in the anterior pituitary gland. Don’t underestimate the importance of good circulation to the brain and the glands which keep you young and control sexuality and emotional state.
Dementia
Dementia has a variety of causes including infection and lack of dopamine and other neurotransmitters in the brain. However some forms are caused by blocked arteries. Considering that some of our supplements discussed so far most likely alter brain chemistry (niacin and coenzyme Q10) there is hope of a single supplement improving circulation and preventing brain damage. N-acetyl carnitine, niacin and coenzyme Q10 have shown promising results.
Impotence
Impotence can be a result of emotional causes like bereavement, but it’s primary cause is blocked arteries. Arginine and the sort of herbs used in aphrodisiacs like yohimbe are vasodilators making the arteries flexible, enabling an erection in men, and a similar response in women.
Cold Extremities
Hopefully there is enough information on this page to give you ideas on how to improve poor circulation.
Here is a list, no doubt very incomplete. Nature is full of good things:
Peppermint, Garlic, Ginger, Arginine, Gotu Kola, Ginkgo Biloba, Infra Red Therapy, Niacin, Cayenne Pepper, Omega 3, Olive Oil, Anthocyanin, Vitamin E, Hot & Cold Baths, Feet Up, Massage, Exercise, Magnesium, Yohimbe, Damania, Rehmmania, Hand Stand, Yoga, Sleep, Nuts, Horse Chestnut, Rosemary Oil, Oil of Wintergreen/Willow Bark/Aspirin.
Antagonists
Avoid processed carbohydrates, unfermented dairy protein, processed oils, anger and stress.
