Warning Signs of Poor Blood Circulation in The Body

17. High blood pressure

Blood pressure is a bit of an odd physiological value. It is not one that is widely understood by those who do not work in the medical field. People know about their heart. They know that it beats and on the whole, they can find their pulse if they need to. Barring this, they can feel their heartbeat if they are paying enough attention. But heart rate is only one part of the equation. There is the speed at which the heart pumps blood around the body, and then there is the actual pressure that is created when the heart pumps this blood.

It is almost counter-intuitive, but when the body is experiencing poor circulation, a person will have increased blood pressure. This is because the heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. If blood is pooling in one’s limbs and muscles then when the heart tries to beat as normal, it is trying to fit more blood into a space that already has blood.

On the surface, a slight increase in blood pressure may not seem that dangerous. This is only somewhat true. The body is designed to handle periods of high blood pressure. The heart and blood vessels will not be immediately affected if blood pressure increases. There are times when it is normal to have elevated blood pressure. The problem here would involve the timeframe.

High blood pressure in the short term will not necessarily cause long-term damage. But, if this high blood pressure persists for too long, then the body will start taking the strain. This damage will not only be limited to the heart and blood vessels, but even organs like the kidneys will begin to falter if blood pressure remains high for too long.

18. A decrease in libido

Sex is very much a part of life. It is arguably one of the most critical aspects of the human experience. There are some who may even argue that it controls the world. If this is, in fact, the case, then it would be because sex is a huge motivator for many people. This number is not one that can be tested, but it is safe to say that a lot of us, maybe even all of us, make a lot of our decisions with sex in mind. Considering how important sex is in our lives, it is odd that we are so reluctant to talk about it.

While we may have made quite a bit of progress in this arena over the last couple of years, we are not almost nearly where we need to be. We need to be able to talk about sex not only for our mental health but our physical health as well. The reason for this is because sex is important as it is quite a reliable indicator of one’s overall health.

When using this as a health indicator, doctors will look at not only the reproductive organs themselves but also at a person’s libido. Libido is made up of a couple of components. There are quite a few hormones involved which are made in the brain and the organs themselves, and then there are the organs which contribute in their way to one’s libido. When it comes to poor circulation, if these organs do not get the correct supply of blood then they will not work in the way that they should.

This applies to both men and women and will manifest itself in a decreased libido. There will also be other dysfunctions in this area including irregular menstrual cycles for women and decreased fertility and functionality in men.

19. Dark rings underneath your eyes

Sleep is incredibly important. A person can go longer without food than they can without sleep. When a person sleeps, their body recharges, and it heals. If a person does not get enough sleep, the effects are incredibly visible. Symptoms of sleep deprivation range from mood disturbances to a decreased immune system. There is also the appearance of little bags and dark rings underneath the eyes.

While these bags and rings may not be attractive, they are temporary. But, if you have dark rings underneath your eyes that won’t go away even though you are getting the correct amount of sleep. Then there may be other factors that should be considered. One of these is bad circulation. There are certain items on this list that are more secondary consequences of poor circulation as opposed to a direct result.

When it comes to dark rings underneath the eyes, these appear because blood is not moving the way it should. Instead, it is pooling in that area and not being circulated by the natural mechanisms in place. As mentioned, there are other causes for these dark rings other than poor circulation. But, there is a very easy way to check whether circulation is the culprit.

The way to do this is to press down on the rings while looking in the mirror. If the rings subtly clear up for a few seconds and then darken up again, then the problem is poor circulation. This little at-home test should tell you whether you are having circulation issues, but it will not tell you the extent of the problem. A doctor can only do this after further testing.

20. Brittle nails

When one thinks of their health, they do not generally look to their nails as indicators. Many people do not even look after their nails, so they wouldn’t even actually know if something is wrong with them. Sure, smokers may look at the discoloration and think that maybe their health is taking a beating, but this isn’t even an internal consequence and is only due to the nicotine in cigarettes.

While nails may not be the gold standard when it comes to testing one’s health, they can be good indicators if you know what to look for. The first thing that needs to be considered is the quality of the nail. Are they strong or are they brittle? Do they chip and break very easily or are they thick and hard to cut? If the nails are brittle, then there could be a circulation problem that exists. The reason for this is that nails, like every other part of the body, need nutrients to grow.

If circulation is weak, then these areas will not be getting enough nutrients and they will, therefore, be weak and will not grow properly. Another way that nails can indicate the quality of circulation is by looking at the nail beds themselves. If you press down on them until they turn white and then release, look at how long it takes for them to go pink again. If this seems like it is taking too long, then there could be a prevailing circulatory problem.

When it comes to poor circulation, there are many symptoms which can be sought out simply because bad circulation will affect the entire body. By looking at one’s nails, you will not be able to make a full diagnosis, but it will give you a pretty good idea of the state of one’s blood circulation.

How to Improve Blood Circulation

• Add physical exercise to your daily routine.

• Stress can be one of the affecting causes of poor blood circulation. Practice meditation, mindfulness, and yoga to control your stress levels.

• Massage your body using warm olive oil and some drops of rosemary essential oil. Use it on your extremities such as hands, fingers, feet, and toes. As well as legs and arms.

• Try contrast hydrotherapy (jumping from hot to icy water and viceversa) to improve your blood circulation.

• Posture is a leading factor to blood circulation, either good or bad. Talk to a professional to make sure that you sit, walk, and stand properly.

• Caffeine is also not good for blood circulation as it causes anxiety. Change it for green tea or herbal teas in general.

• Alcohol intake must be reduced to a minimum.

• Smoking is bad either actively or passively, so we advise to quit smoking and to stay away from secondhand smoke.

• Add nuts, black pepper, cayenne pepper, seeds, onion, garlic, and ginger to your diet to boost your metabolism and blood circulation.

• Proper shoes are key to keep your legs and feet healthy and to help with blood circulation.