If you’ve ever suffered from cold hands and feet then you’ll know that when your feet are cold, you feel cold all over! With this being one of the coldest winters we have experienced in Sydney, it’s no wonder that Ugg boot sales have soared and we have really had to turn up the heating!

Not only cold hands and feet but also…

But cold hands and feet mean that your circulation isn’t as good as it should be. In addition here are some other symptoms you may also experience:

• Swelling in your legs, ankles and feet
• Numbness and Cramping
• Dry flaky skin
• Thread veins and varicose veins Varicose veins and thread or spider veins are caused by damaged blood vessels. This means that the veins have difficulty in sending blood back to your heart and so permit the blood to pool inside them, instead of letting it flow directly through.

So what can you do about poor circulation?

Here are our nutrition and lifestyle tips to improve blood flow and boost circulation

• Omega-3 essential fatty acids from fish. Take in the form of an Omega-3 supplements, or by increasing your intake of oily fish; especially sardines, anchovies, mackerel. Avoid farmed fish like salmon and ocean trout.
• Antioxidants can benefit your health in many ways including supporting your heart and circulation. Foods high in antioxidants include superfoods like berries, green leafy vegetables, coloured vegetables, garlic and onions, green tea, raw chocolate (cacao) and red wine
• Inflammation can add to circulatory problems. Add Turmeric to your food or take a Curcumin supplement
• Keep moving! The key to good blood circulation is to move, as moving uses the muscles that help to pump the blood from your extremities (hands and feet) back to your heart. Who hasn’t felt warm after a brisk walk? No need for a long walk, but a minimum of 15 minutes is good. Yoga, Thai Chi, Chi Gong are all excellent, for boosting circulation and wellbeing. Gentle and often is the key no matter what you’re your age may be. Also don’t sit for long periods of time without getting up regularly. So every 20-30 minutes get up and move around and if you are working, think about standing up some of the time. If you are relaxing watching TV put your legs up.
• Skin brushing is a great aid to circulation as well as giving your skin a treat. That all over glow you will get is great for your circulation and well as leaving your skin soft and silky.
• Follow it up with some Choose Jojoba oil as a base and add a few drops of your favourite essential oils. Rosemary, Lemon and Juniper are all great for circulation. Massage is wonderful when performed by a professional, but you can massage your own hands and feet. At the same time do include your legs and arms and the rest of your body too!
• Lastly but very important is DON’T Smoke! 

Which supplements should I take?

Some of the most important include:

• Vitamin B complex
• Vitamin E
• Omega 3
• Curcumin
• Grapeseed oil - contains oligomeric proanthocyanidin and flavonoids, which help strengthen and repair capillary walls. This helps improve circulation and reduces discomfort. It also contains high levels of Vitamin E to protect the blood cell membranes from injury

Mr Vitamins recommends

Nature Clinic Grapeseed Capsules

Grapeseed extract supports the health of the cardiovascular system, helping to maintain healthy blood vessels and strong capillaries Find out more about Nature Clinic Grapeseed Capsules here