The circulatory system is made up of blood vessels that carry blood to and from the heart. In addition, it carries oxygen, nutrients and hormones to the cells, and removes waste products such as carbon dioxide, according to the health portal KidsHealth.
In fact, when a person has poor circulation, they may experience fatigue, edema, dizziness, headache, cold hands and feet, leg pain, muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat, hair loss and dry skin, numbness or tingling. in parts of the body, among others.
Also, it’s important to note that heart and circulatory problems fall into two categories: congenital, meaning the problem was present at birth; and acquired, meaning that the problems developed at some point in infancy, childhood, adolescence, or adult life.
For this reason, the portal better with health revealed five effective exercises to improve blood circulation. The first is to lie on your back and raise your legs for a few seconds. Then, the knees are bent and it is repeated between 15 and 20 times.
The second is cycling, but lying down. To execute it, you must lie on your back with your hands on your neck and, with your legs stretched out, you must simulate pedaling and the ideal is to do two to three times for one minute.
The other recommended exercise is heel lift and for this the person should be standing and with a little weight the heels should be raised to stay on the balls of the feet and the exercise should be done 15 to 20 times, two or three times.
The penultimate recommendation is to look for a low bench or ‘step’ and simulate that you are climbing the stairs, but alternately. That is, with a small jump the right foot goes up, then the left and starts once more regarding 16 times.
Finally, to improve blood circulation, The person should lie on their back and stretch their legs towards the ceiling and open and close them between 15 and 20 times without letting them fall.
It should be noted that the new WHO guidelines recommend at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week for all adults, including people living with chronic conditions or disabilities, and an average of 60 minutes a day for children and adolescents.
In any case, before doing any exercise, the first thing to do is consult a health expert so that he or she can guide the process and indicate what is most appropriate for each person.
For its part, other recommendations to improve blood circulation, according to Mayo Clinic, a non-profit organization dedicated to clinical practice, education and research and MedlinePlusthe US National Library of Medicine, are:
1. Maintain a healthy weightsince this allows the person to have a good state of health and quality of life.
2. Quit smoking.
3. If the person has diabetes, keep blood glucose under control.
4. Reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levelsif required.
5. Eat foods low in saturated fat.
6. Schedule and attend medical check-ups regularly.
7. Inform the doctor regarding any family history of heart-related problems.
8. Eat fishbecause fish is a lean and healthy protein that contains a type of fat called omega-3 and fatty acids that can help protect the heart.
