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Any tips on improving poor blood circulation?

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by Katherine, Jan 10, 2010.

  1. Katherine

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    I have bad blood circulation, in that I can feel perfectly warm, but my hands and feet are still freezing all the time. It's very difficult to keep them warm, especially in cold weather, and it's gotten to the point where my girlfriend doesn't even like to hold hands anymore because mine always feel like icecubes :slight_smile:lol:slight_smile:. And I already went to the doctor to get my blood checked out and it was fine, so I know it's not an underlying problem with that.

    So, does anyone know any good methods to help me make my circulation better? Are there any good exersises I can do with my hands to keep them, uh, circulated? Do those little hand-warming packets actually work? Can certain vitamins help?
     
  2. Possibly Maybe

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    Dear Katherine,

    or i could also say, hello dear sufferer from poor circulation lol
    My feet get frozen cold even in the high of summer, how about that?

    I use warm water bottles in my feet when i'm sitting down, it really helps me. You can also deep your feet in warm water while watching television, mine tend to stay warm after that.

    I do almost the same with my hands, just put then under the tap with running warm water.
    In the street I wear glooves, i recently got some mittens that are double, it's like a mitten inside another mitten- i swear they work. I *never* before had warm hands in the street, it's like a new episode in my life.

    As for tips:

    *put your legs up, for a few minutes every day, makinf sure they are more elevated than your head.

    *eat more fruit (fresh or dry)

    *less salt in your diet

    *avoid tight clothes, shoes, they can cut your circulation.

    *avoid heating, and very hot showers/baths. Use tepid water and then finalize with cold water, it helps! (I sometimes do this with my hands, it works!)
     
  3. Z3ni

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    Yeah I've been getting freezing hands and feet from this weather.. What I do is excersise then it warms up =]

    Get your heart pumpin :slight_smile:

    Maybe for your feet jogging on one spot? Do Push Ups? Pull Ups? Crunches?

    Or you could start prancing around that can get you warmed up easy :slight_smile:
     
    #3 Z3ni, Jan 10, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2010
  4. mischa91

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    I suffer from Raynard's disease. Basically incredibly bad circulation which causes my fingers and toes to go white, then blue then purple. this happens in both hot and cold weather and is so very annoying. i went to the doctors about something unrelated and she saw my hands and explained what it was; they can't do anything about it, her advice was that i move to a warmer climate. so of course i moved to ohio!

    In the winter the only thing i've found (and i've found it recently) that works on my feet are insulated boot. i ride so i bought some fleece lined riding boots that are a size too big so i can wear 2 pairs of socks. they work unless i stand still, then my feet get gradually colder.

    with my hands i found nothing that works tbh. i use those heating packs and i've found that if you leave them out in the open for about an hour before you go out, then shake them and slide them between 2 pairs of gloves they stay pretty warm and work to an extent. Once my hands get to the blue stage nothing works except sticking them in a bowl of warm water until the blood warms up again.

    i seriously need to move to a warmer place.
     
  5. Ander Blue

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    Seriously?? :eek: I have bad circulation and get really really cold arms and legs, especially arms though. I want to say it's something genetic though because my sister has really bad circulation as well (she actually turns blue when she exercises really hard). I love taking really hot showers though, so I'm sad to hear that this could be doing me in :icon_sad: Can I use hot water, then slowly cool down to cold water?

    Another q though, sometimes (and it seems to happen at random) my right arm turns spottled. It's like I turn into a checkerboard (with about 1 cm^2 squares) and the white parts are really really pale and the redish purple parts are really really dark. Anyone know what this might be?
     
  6. RaeofLite

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    Me too. :frowning2: It sucks.

    Some of the previous posters gave good advice though. Wear mittens (since fingers can cause warmth for one another as opposed to gloves.) Don't smoke (if you don't already continue to not smoke). Eat healthy, exercise if possible... I'll try to think of some more points.
     
  7. mischa91

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  8. Lexington

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    I get the cold-hands-and-feet thing as well. About the only thing that helps (other than the obvious 'wearing gloves' and 'be somewhere warm' stuff) is moving around. Stretching a lot helps too, strangely enough. WiiFit has a "I'm cold" set of stretches that actually doesn't do too bad at warming me up without wearing me out.

    Lex
     
  9. Idunnohereitis

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    hey you cna do a lot for this.

    lots of different foods imporve blood circulation, you can actually google it. but if the circulation issue is really bad it can be a sign of a more significant health issue. but otherwise add stuff to your diet :]
     
  10. bailey

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    i have bad circulation in my feet and hands, usually if you exercise daily, like run or something just for a little bit, it improves.. as people have said as well, foods can have an impact on it to!
     
  11. seadog

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    Ditto here. My doctor recommended I try Viaga. Expands erm, blood vessels, including those in your hands, feet, --- and brain! Med students take it before exams and perform better! $20 per pill, er so, is a bit steep tho. Let me know what you find out!
     
  12. Sylver

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    I also have Reynaud's. I find that if I get the whole freezing hands thing, running warm (not hot) water over them for just a minute or two "resets" them to normal body temperature. It works almost 100% of the time for me. I've often wondered if this is just me, or if it works for everyone who suffers from this?

    I'd have a hard time trying Viagra for this. Can you imagine the script for the ad? "Got Reynauds? Ask your doctor if Viagra is right for you! Side effects may include improved exam performance, go-all-night sex and spontaneous 4-hour boners..."
     
  13. seadog

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    Well, my Reynauds kicks in at dangerous times.

    I cycle quite a bit, and my favorite area to cycle is in the Cascade Mountains on and around Mt Rainier. Imagine how unsafe it is when your fingers freeze white (no blood, no feeling, nearly immovable) as you descend at some 35 - 45 mph on a road bicycle. Believe me I glove up, insert hand warmers, and take every precaution I can think of. It still is scary, and I try to avoid that situation. But you can't control the weather and in the mountains the weather can chance quickly.

    So if Viagra (or sim products) were cheaper I'd give them a try. There has been at least one medical study on this use and it found positive results. Running hot water is not always available, obviously.

    Anyone who has used this drug knows better than I, but my doc sez that Viagra does not cause erections, but would enhance the erect response to other stimuli. So I'd be safe to wear my cycle shorts as well!!!!
     
    #13 seadog, Jan 19, 2010
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2010