How to Promote Blood Circulation

Your blood is rich with oxygen and nutrients that keep your cells alive and functioning. Therefore, it is important to maintain a strong circulation of blood throughout the body. Strong circulation allows your body to move nutrients, gases, and wastes to and from cells, and helps stabilize your body temperature and pH levels. Poor circulation can cause various medical issues including edema, muscle cramps, fatigue, hair loss, and skin breakdown. You can promote and improve your blood circulation by changing lifestyle habits, fixing your diet and supplementing your nutrition.

Things You'll Need

• Ginkgo biloba

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Instructions

• 1

  Stop bad lifestyle habits such as smoking and alcohol. Quit smoking by crushing up your cigarette packs since smoking increases your cholesterol levels, which harden your arteries and cause blood vessels to constrict. Discontinue drinking alcohol because according to the Texas Heart Institute, excessive alcohol consumption leads to dilated cardiomyopathy which causes the heart to lose its ability to pump, causing inadequate circulation.

• 2

  Move around and stop being sedentary to improve circulation. Start exercising regularly for at least 30 minutes a day to get the blood pumping: This can increase blood flow by up to 50 percent. Choose any cardiovascular activity that you are comfortable with such as biking, running, walking, or swimming. Begin slow by training three times a week to ease your body into exercise. Increase your training over time, until you are regularly exercising five to six times a week.

• 3

  Fix your diet. Avoid saturated and trans fatty foods. Refrain from drinking caffeine beverages, coffee, and sodas. Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center notes that there is a connection between sugary drinks and blood pressure which can slow down blood circulation. Eat fruits and vegetables, which will improve your blood circulation by providing bioflavanoids and other nutrients that can help promote healthy circulation.

• 4

  Add a ginkgo biloba supplement to your daily nutrition. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that gingko biloba is used to treat circulatory problems by dilating your blood vessels while reducing the stickiness of blood platelets. Take up to 120 milligrams daily of ginkgo biloba, divided into doses to help promote blood circulation.