What if I told you that blood circulation is directly responsible for how quickly we’re able to heal surface wounds? What if I told you that our muscles aren’t able to heal and repair without oxygen being properly transported through our circulatory system? Everyone knows that circulation is important, but not everyone knows exactly why.

I’m going to outline the vital importance of the circulatory system in this article, and then I’ll tell you how to improve your circulation.

You can strengthen your circulatory system to improve your health and recovery speed by adapting several specific lifestyle techniques and by including certain foods and vitamins in your diet,

How Circulation Affects Recovery

The circulatory system is the biggest system in the body and it affects every other system and part of our body. It’s vital that we take care of it if we want to be able to live a healthy life and recover quickly from injuries or setbacks.

But how exactly does the circulatory system impact our recovery ability?

The healing of wounds and injuries typically requires two basic things that the circulation system can provide – blood and oxygen.

There’s a certain process that goes on during the recovery process from injuries and wounds. First off, blood tends to clot. Many people know that blood clotting can be a dangerous thing, but this is only true when the blood clots while it’s still in your arteries. Blood clots naturally to restrict the flow of blood to an injury.

Once the affected area has been sealed off, the nearby blood vessels expand to deliver nutrients and oxygen to help speed up the recovery process. A white blood cell will ‘take charge’ of the wound and fight infection and oversee the recovery.

Next, the tissues rebuild and remodel themselves through the use of various proteins such as collagen, all of which rely on your circulatory system to help transport them.

If the nutrients of blood cells aren’t able to get to the place that they’re needed, the process will become interrupted and you won’t be able to heal properly.

These wounds are more common in people who have diseases that affect the flow of blood throughout the body – such as those with diabetes, high blood pressure, severely overweight people and those with cardiac problems. These wounds become known as ‘chronic wounds,’ or injuries that simply won’t heal.

Fortunately, it’s possible to enhance your circulation if you’re worried that you might not be functioning at the highest level. These are some of the best tips for doing so.

These tips will help improve circulation and enhance your recovery from strenuous exercise.

Stay Active

There’s a reason so many medical professionals recommend exercise as one of the best cures for pretty much everything aside from a debilitating condition.

Regular exercise really helps to promote blood circulation.

When you exercise, especially when you do high-intensity aerobic exercise , your heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout your body to make sure that your muscles are getting the oxygen that they need to function.

Doing this makes it easier for your blood vessels to dilate, and with regular exercise, you will begin to open them up more permanently and enhance the transportation of necessary nutrients around the body.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration makes it harder for your body to move blood. Because your body is largely made up of water, if you don’t have enough in your body, fluids will start to thicken and become harder to transport – this will prevent the body from recovering at an optimal rate.

Dehydration leads to something called “bad oxygen perfusion”. This means that your blood can’t gather together enough oxygen to transport necessary nutrients to wounds. This is a huge contributor to the development of chronic wounds.

Pay Attention to Your Diet

There are quite a few things that you should incorporate into your diet if you want to have the best possible circulation.

A few of these are foods that you can easily get at the supermarket, and a few of them are supplements that will contribute to improved circulation in a number of ways. Before taking any supplements, you should double-check with your doctor to make sure that there aren’t any contraindications.

Supplements:

  • L-arginine is an amino acid that promotes the production of nitric oxide, which     is a compound that your body naturally produces on its own. Nitric oxide is one of the most potent natural vasodilators (a substance that promotes the dilation, or widening, of blood vessels) and enhancing its production can be a lifesaver for people with poor     circulation. It can also help men who are suffering with symptoms of ED. You can find it at many pharmacies and health food stores.
  • Ginkgo biloba, a tincture or ground herb made from the ginkgo tree, is usually used as a brain-boosting nootropic. This is because it enhances blood flow to such a significant degree that people notice cognitive improvement from the improved flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain.

Foods:

  • Ginger and garlic are both natural blood thinners that help to contribute to a healthy immune system and promote fluid blood circulation. They can be easily added to daily meals.
  • Blackberries help to promote the formation of new blood cells, which are necessary for carrying oxygen throughout your body. Eating these a few times a week can improve your circulation significantly.
  • Cayenne pepper, or any other hot chili pepper, can improve circulation. This is due to the action of capsaicin, the compound that makes these foods spicy. If you’ve ever noticed that someone gets flushed after eating something that’s a bit too spicy, this is because the blood vessels are opening to such a degree that it begins to show in the skin.
  • Fish and avocados, or anything else containing omega-3 fats, also help to expand your capillaries and promote positive circulation. It’s important to get omega-3 fats several times a week.

In conclusion

Blood circulation is vital for your recovery from exercise and for your overall health., Try these natural methods to improve your circulation, speed your recovery time from exercise, and aid wound healing.