It’s always best to look at your health in a holistic way. One health condition is almost never separate from related systems, along with your diet and habits. An excellent example is your blood circulation.
Poor Circulation, Varicose Veins, and Cold Feet
Varicose Veins
Varicose veins not only look bad but can cause a great deal of pain. Despite popular assumptions, they can affect both men and women and are not exclusive to the legs.
The veins in our body are busy and with the help of surrounding muscles, pump blood to and from the heart. Against the forces of gravity, the veins in our legs have an even tougher job making them particularly prone to problems.
Leaflet valves in veins prevent blood from flowing backward and away from the heart. When these valves fail to function, the veins become enlarged and twisted with increased blood flow. Damaged veins from varicose veins can contribute to circulation problems.
Cold Hands & Feet
Probably the most common first red flag people notice that something’s amiss with their blood circulation is experiencing numbness or coldness in their hands and feet. Constricted blood vessels can lead to mild symptoms or a more developed condition known as Raynaud’s syndrome, in which extremities can turn noticeably blue-ish or even white in the cold or in response to stress.
The good news is there are some tried and tested natural remedies that can help reduce some of the visible signs of varicose veins. While you won’t find these documented in clinical research, it’s always worth a try to see what might work for you.
Here are 6 simple and safe remedies to reduce circulation problems like varicose veins and cold extremities that you can do in the comfort of your home with minimal cost:
1. Green Clay Ointment
Green clay or illite is an organic material with powerful minerals, iron oxides, and antioxidants which you can find at most health stores.
Simply mix half a cup of green clay with enough water to form a thick paste. Apply this to your legs and feet and leave overnight. To avoid a mess, you can wrap the area in plastic or cloth which will also increase the healing powers.
2. Immersion Baths
In a tub of warm water, add one cup of sea salt and one cup of apple cider vinegar. While bathing, massage your legs with moderate pressure to increase circulation. Repeat this 3 to 4 times a week to alleviate leg pain and calm the irritated muscles around the veins in your legs.
3. Leafy Remedy
This recipe harnesses the power of herbs to soothe and comfort swollen varicose veins. With two liters of water, boil a handful each of mint, chamomile, and laurel leaves for 5 minutes and let cool. Strain and use the solution in routine baths.
Adding sodium bicarbonate to the bath will also increase its effectiveness. Just a tablespoon should suffice.
4. Cream Recipe
This recipe uses the soothing properties of aloe vera and the acidity of apple cider vinegar to facilitate circulation and minimize swelling in veins.
Place one cup of aloe vera, 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar, and 1 large carrot into a food processor to blend until it forms a thick paste. Apply the paste to affected areas and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and repeat daily.
5. Essential Oil Massages
Massages have been shown to minimize the pain and swelling caused by poor blood flow in both muscles and veins. Using essential oils while massaging can further promote circulation.
Here is a list of some of the most effective oils for natural varicose veins treatment:
- Basil
- Cypress
- Fennel
- Helichrysum
- Lemon
- Orange
- Rosemary
6. Horse Chestnut Extract
Studies have shown this bark as having a drastic impact on reducing leg pain and swelling in patients with chronic venous and varicose veins. Research indicates it is effective at the 400-6oomg range when the main compound aescin is standardized at 100-15omg daily.
Note: please do not take horse chestnut in raw form or as a tea, as it contains a toxic component known as esculin; this can only be removed by manufacturers when it is in supplemental form.
