As we start to get up in age we start hearing this word circulation more and more. It starts popping up everywhere, circulation what is that and what determines my circulation. Well hopefully I can clear a little of that up. First let’s understand some of the things that circulate. We have the most popular, blood which has to get around the body to every organ and limb. Then we have clear lymphatic fluids that have to travel to all the same places, but has the job of emptying toxins out of the bladder. Those are the primary 2 you hear the most about.
Circulation can be a problem no matter your size. It has other factors that determine its cause. While extra weight does not help, it is not the only cause for poor circulation issues. For this we have to examine the things we ingest. Whether it be meds, substances, food, drinks, or movement to name the obvious. It is best to think about how these things will impact your circulation before using them.
For example, the big oil conversation. Which kinds of oil are best to consume? As a rule of thumb, you want to be careful to stick to the oils that become a liquid at 98 degrees or at room temperature. This is your bodies normal temperature, so under that number and being liquid is great. The thing you want to be careful of is those oils that only get soft at 98, but don’t necessarily turn into a liquid. That is the perfect setup for some circulation issues. We want to completely avoid those that are as hard as a rock at that temperature. This is where fast food becomes a little dangerous, in situations where we cannot control what is being used.
Substances and medicine affect our circulation by constricting and narrowing our arteries making it difficult for the necessary fluids to travel. Depending on the substance or medicine you could experience dehydration which can make our essential fluids become thicker than usual and harder to travel through the body. If the body is inflamed circulation is definitely going to be an issue at some point. Inflammation causes the body to be irritated and will cause some narrowing of our arteries.
Foods can do the same things, depending on their sodium level and irritability level to each individual body. Allergens have a dangerous effect on our circulation. They cause wide spread panic and inflammation across the body. This is why I am a firm believer in checking your labels, try to know as much about what your going to ingest as possible. If something has more that 60 mg of sodium per serving you should really consider not consuming it. We need salt for it’s minerals and iodine factors, not for the salty aftertaste that leaves you excessively thirsty. This is why I try to stay away from most frozen goods. They save you time, but can ruin your health. The other place I see a large amount of sodium is broths, seasonings, and canned goods.
As far as drinks go, those with caffeine cause the arteries to constrict. They may give us energy but they are impeding the bodies ability to flow at normal capacity. The bottom line is if you are not taking in half your weight in pure clean clear water, not packets of flavor or anything else involved you are contributing to poor circulation. Being that we are mostly made up of water, this is the main substance needed to keep everything flowing as it should.
Lastly I need to bring up movement. My thoughts on movement has changed since I began my tai-chi journey. I am learning that the quantity does not determine quality. I always found it difficult to become a gym rat. I go to the gym from time to time, but it really is a struggle to get there. I am the type of person that doesn’t like being confined to any one area to get the exercise I need. I learned about 5 moves in tai-chi and achieved a greater burn than I can say I have ever experienced in so little movement. With that said, you have to move and sweat in order to keep your bodies temperature up. Your metabolism is that 98 degree fire that burns deep inside, turning up that heat, burns away what we don’t need.
May you prosper in your health and wellness journey!
Peace and Love
Nutritional Curandera 