Your Family - April 2017

APRIL 2017 87

HEALTH FOCUS

BREATHE DEEPLY

‘It’s important to control stress because it affects

circulation in several ways,’ says Dr Glenville. ‘It can cause

muscles to become “knotty” in the neck and shoulders,

as stressed people tend to clench their upper body, and

these knots can restrict blood flow. Additionally, when

you’re stressed, the hormones adrenaline and cortisol

are released by the adrenal glands, triggering the fight

or flight response. Believing it is about to be attacked,

your body prepares for injury by increasing amounts of

a blood-clotting agent called fibrinogen. This will thicken

the blood so it can clot more quickly, but it also slows

down circulation.’

You can offset these negative effects by breathing

deeply. ‘Most of us shallow breathe, which only allows

minimal oxygen to reach the blood via the lungs. But,

when you breathe deeply into your belly, you pull more air

into your lungs, meaning increased oxygen is transported

into the bloodstream. This in turn speeds up circulation,’

says Dr Glenville. ‘All those deep breaths also prompt the

body to release endorphins, which are natural painkillers

that reduce stress and help lift your mood.’

EXERCISE TO BOOST LIBIDO

Getting out of breath while you work out can have a surprising

effect in more intimate moments of your life. ‘Aerobic exercise

improves your circulation in two ways,’ says Dr Glenville.

‘Firstly, by increasing the number of red blood cells in your

blood, making oxygen transportation more efficient. Secondly,

by moving blood through vessels faster, thanks to your

elevated heart rate.

‘This increased and oxygen-enriched blood flow is going

to reach all the parts of your body affected by circulation,

including your genitals. It’s obvious in men if they suffer from

issues with circulation. For example, male smokers can end

up with erectile dysfunction as smoking damages the blood

vessels that supply blood to the penis.’

For women, it’s more subtle. ‘Good blood flow to our

genitals improves sensitivity and stimulation. When someone

has a problem such as Raynaud’s, where circulation in the

fingers is impeded and they feel numb, the same can happen

to the genitalia,’ says Dr Glenville.

She recommends taking the amino acid arginine, which is

crucial for blood flow and also important in improving blood

flow to the genitals to help with sexual desire, sensitivity

and pleasure.

HAVE A MASSAGE

Massage doesn’t just help you relax, it can have health

benefits too. ‘During massage, circulation is improved when

someone manually moves your blood around your body

by putting pressure on certain areas,’ says Dr Glenville.

‘Massage also helps to remove any congestion in the

muscles and tissues, letting the blood flow more efficiently.

Improved circulation is going to speed up healing, and

massage seems to help with reducing scar tissue by getting

more blood, and therefore nourishment, to the area.’

The benefits don’t stop there. An American study found

that a 45-minute Swedish massage increased the numbers

of lymphocytes – a type of white blood cell – in the

recipient’s blood. There are two main types of lymphocytes:

B cells, which make antibodies that attack bacteria and

toxins, and T cells, which attack body cells when they’ve

been taken over by viruses or have become cancerous.

Massage doesn’t just make you feel good, it boosts your

body’s immune system too.

EAT OMEGA-3 FISH OILS
It’s well known that omega-3 fish oils can boost your brainpower
and sharpen your eyesight, but did you know they could also
help your blood flow? ‘A study published in 2009 showed that
omega-3 oils help to prevent abnormal blood clotting and
lower blood pressure,’ reveals Dr Glenville. The study found that
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid produces vasodilation,
which is a widening of the blood vessels, improves arterial
function and reduces platelet aggregation – part of the sequence
involved in the formation of a blood clot. The knock-on benefits
of these are huge. ‘The use of omega-3 fish oils has been shown
to reduce the risk of strokes and to reduce the risk of coronary
artery disease and heart attacks,’ says Dr Glenville.
Don’t worry if you’re not keen on fish oils. ‘Garlic works in
a similar way by helping to thin the blood, thereby improving
circulation, while cayenne pepper, chillies and hawthorn –
taken as a tincture or in capsule form – are good for improving
circulation. Meanwhile, ginger helps with circulation by widening
FEATURE: PAN MEDIA SYNDICATION PHOTOS: FOTOLIA.COM the blood vessels,’ adds Dr Glenville.