Reduction in appetite or sudden weight loss can signal poor blood flow because the digestive system doesn’t have the energy to work as hard as it must to break down food. This may cause you to feel full despite eating small meals.
While this may sound attractive, your body still needs a certain amount of calories and essential nutrients each day to maintain good health, so not eating enough can lead to other problems. Further, you may feel nauseous and experience other digestive woes. (9)
5. Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are the most obvious physical signs of poor circulation. There are valves in veins that regulate blood flow so that it goes in only one direction—toward the heart. These valves can become weakened and leak, allowing oxygen-poor blood to flow in the wrong direction.
This causes the veins to swell and can become visible through the skin. Spider veins reflect the same scenario on a smaller scale. Varicose veins are often harmless, however, they do indicate a greater risk for more serious circulatory problems. (10)
How to Improve Circulation
Regular exercise and movement are at the top of the list. Others include:
- acupuncture (11)
- bee pollen
- cold showers
- dark chocolate – in moderation (12)
- foam rolling (13)
- herbs and spices: aloe vera, basil, cinnamon, red ginseng, gingko biloba, nutmeg, rosemary
- maintain a healthy weight
- massage therapy (14)
- peppermint essential oil
- quitting smoking (15)
- sleeping on your left side.
Your blood feeds and cleanses every system in your body. You have to make sure you’re doing what you can to go with the flow and avoid these signs of poor circulation!