Home Remedies and Herbs for Poor Circulation

Circulation refers to the movement of blood throughout your body. Your blood carries oxygen and nutrients to different areas of the body, and poor circulation can affect the amount of nutrients reaching those areas. Poor circulation most often causes symptoms in your extremities, such as your hands and feet. It’s not a condition itself; rather, it is a symptom of another underlying health condition.¹ 

While poor circulation is a symptom itself, it can lead to more serious health concerns, including:

• Frostbite when exposed to the cold
• Heat stroke in high temperatures and humid climates
• Psychosis in Alzheimer’s patients

What Causes Poor Circulation?

Poor circulation occurs as a symptom of other conditions. A common one is peripheral artery disease, which occurs when individuals with atherosclerosis--or plaque buildup in the arteries--experience reduced blood flow to the limbs.⁵ Peripheral artery disease can be caused by:

• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Inactivity
• Genetics

Other poor circulation causes can include varicose veins, blood clots, and Raynaud’s disease, which is condition that results in narrowed blood vessels.¹

Poor Circulation Symptoms

Poor circulation symptoms can include:

• Pain in limbs
• Tingling or numbness
• Muscle cramps
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

Other symptoms may occur depending on your poor circulation causes. For example, in individuals with peripheral artery disease, poor circulation symptoms can also include erectile disfunction.¹ You might also notice that your extremities feel cold when they’re not getting enough warm blood to them.

Natural Remedies and Herbs for Poor Circulation

If you suspect you’re experiencing poor circulation, you can easily stimulate blood flow by eating the right poor circulation herbs. Start with these poor circulation herbal remedies that will help promote blood flow to your extremities.

• Garlic - Garlic is known to help improve blood flow and prevent atherosclerosis. You can take garlic powder in capsules, chew on garlic cloves, or add garlic to your food daily to help combat poor circulation.
• Cayenne Pepper - Cayenne pepper and garlic are two poor circulation herbs that can be easily paired together, whether taken by capsule or cooked together in various dishes. Cayenne pepper has historically been used to treat circulatory problems.
• Ginger - Ginger acts as a poor circulation herbal remedy by preventing the formation of blood clots and helping clear blocked blood vessels to promote better circulation. You can add ginger to various meals or brew it into a tea.
• Spinach - Spinach is packed with antioxidants that can help strengthen blood vessels and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.
• Goji Berry - Goji berries are said to help improve blood circulation. They can be eaten raw, drank as juice, brewed into tea, or added to smoothies.
• Avocado - Avocado is a poor circulation home remedy that can help reduce the risk of heart disease as well as reduce oxidative stress in your blood vessels.

While these poor circulation herbal remedies can help immensely, you should not substitute poor circulation home remedies in place of seeing a doctor. Talk to your doctor to determine the cause of your poor circulation and to see if poor circulation natural remedies are a viable choice for your health.

References

1. http://www.healthline.com/health/poor-circulation-symptoms-causes#Overview1
2. http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/frostbite
3. http://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/faq.html
4. https://healthfinder.gov/News/Article.aspx?id=706456&_ga=1.94079069.1387862680.1480606068
5. http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/treatment-options-for-poor-circulation-in-feet/
6. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dizziness/basics/causes/con-20023004
7. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/garlic
8. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/cayenne
9. http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/ginger
10. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=43
11. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5