| The winter is a time when many of us suffer from problems derived from poor circulation, our extremities feel the cold when the temperatures plummet, but if you suffer from poor circulation the effects can be much worse for the legs, feet, toes, hands and fingers. The increasingly sedentary lifestyles and junk food diets which contribute to nutrient deficiencies and a lack of fibre that many of now have also have an effect on our circulation. To explain it plainly, the body’s circulatory system is comprised of the blood and the lymphatic system – a complex series of lymphatic vessels whose purpose is to carry a clear watery fluid called lymph to the heart. The entire system has over 20,000km of blood vessels that are comprised of major arteries, the veins and the capillaries. When working as nature intended, the circulatory system carries oxygen and essential nutrients to all the cells in our bodies and helps to remove waste products and carbon dioxide. When the blood is being freely circulated around the body without restriction then all is well, but if there is a circulatory problem, a fatty substance known has plaque can build up along the walls of the arteries consequently narrowing them and restricting the free flow of blood around the body. |  |
When this occurs hypertension is a result,
hypertension is caused by the build-up of plaque deposits along the
walls of the arteries, this occurs commonly in the elderly and middle
aged, making them harden and narrow. This hardening and narrowing constricts the flow of blood and this in turn puts extra pressure on to the walls of the blood vessels which makes the blood pressure rise. Eventually the blood vessels become less elastic and cannot function in the way they should, they cannot give you sudden ‘blood spurts’ energy rushes that allow you to get additional energy to do simple everyday things like walk upstairs, everything becomes harder to do and causes fatigue.
The hardening and narrowing of the vessels can also cause a condition known as hardening of the arteries and is caused by the fatty plaque deposits that narrow the arteries. If you have hardened arteries and also smoke you run the risk of developing Buerger’s disease, a disease which affects the legs and arms, particularly the hands and feet. Sufferers get chronic inflammation of the veins and arteries in the lower extremities, the inflammation occurs in sections of the blood vessels and is known as vasculitis, recent research has concluded that Buerger's disease may actually be an autoimmune condition which is triggered when nicotine is taken in to the body.
Another disease of the circulatory system is known as Raynaud’s disease, sufferer’s exhibit a marked constriction and also spasming of the blood vessels in their extremities, as the vessels spasm they block the free flow of blood around the body he condition occurs because your blood vessels go into a temporary spasm which blocks the flow of blood. As the spasming occurs and the vessel is blocked the section of the blood vessel that is blocked exhibits a colour change, it first goes white, then blue and then goes back to red once the spasming has stopped and the vessel returns to normal and blood begins to freely flow again.
Raynaud’s disease can also be brought on by cold temperatures and also by anxiety or stress, studies have found that women suffering from Raynaud’s disease had low levels of vitamin C and the mineral selenium in their diet, ensuring that got a plentiful supply of both nutrients in their diet improved the condition, adding magnesium, vitamin E and omega 3 fatty acids to the diet has also proved beneficial.
The elderly, pregnant women and those people who are overweight can also suffer from varicose veins, these develop when the small valves inside the veins stop working as they should. When the veins are not healthy due to restrictions or damage blood is prevented from flowing freely through a series of tiny valves that open and close to let blood through, when this happens the blood gets stuck and eventually the vein becomes swollen and enlarged, the medical term for this is varicose.
In part 2 of this article we will take a look at 4 herbs that can be utilised to help boost the circulatory system and give a recipe for winter warming unguent that can help.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to source the most up
to date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that remedies in
our articles are effective, when in doubt, consult your GP or a
qualified Medicinal Herbalist. Remember also that herbal remedies can be
dangerous under certain circumstances therefore you should always seek
medical advice before self-treating with a homemade remedy, especially
if you are pregnant, breast feeding or suffer from any known illness
which could be adversely affected by self-treatment.
