According to the CDC, heart disease is the number one killer of men and women of most races in America. Someone dies every 36 seconds of cardiovascular complications and 1 in every 4 deaths is heart disease related, with around 805,000 heart attacks each year. These devastating numbers won’t change unless we start becoming more conscious of the issue and take immediate action to take better care of ourselves.
What is the circulatory system?
I like to look at the body as a city and the circulatory system as the roads in that city. The freeways are blood vessels, the veins and arteries are main roads, capillaries are neighborhood streets, and blood cells are the cars. Imagine if these roads are not well maintained. Things like potholes need to be patched, trash needs to be picked up, and car accidents need to be cleared, otherwise you eventually wouldn’t be able to drive down them. If your home (cell) is connected to that blocked street, then you are unable to get life giving tools and would eventually die.
Your circulatory system is responsible for delivering these life-giving tools such as oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to every cell your body is made of. Your heart pumps blood throughout your body, picking up oxygen from your lungs, nutrients from small intestine, and hormones from your pineal gland. These life-giving molecules are then delivered to each cell by way of blood vessels, veins, arteries, and capillaries.
Signs your Circulatory System needs your help
One of the easiest ways to tell if your circulation is operating properly is to pinch your fingernail. You should notice the color under your fingernail turns lighter. If it takes some time for it to return to normal color, then your circulation is slow and needs work. If the color changes back right away, then your circulation is most likely doing good. Other signs of poor circulation are cold feet and hands, or discoloration in fingers and toes. Numbing and mental fog are also signs.
You should always have a clear mind with plenty of energy.
What can you do to support your circulatory system?
By supporting your circulatory system, you also support every other area of your body. Just like mentioned before, each cell benefits by getting what it needs to properly function. And it is much more likely to do that if you have a healthy circulatory system.
Everything here mentioned is very important but my number one recommendation is to stay hydrated. This means you need to drink more water while making sure you are getting enough minerals (electrolytes) to hold that water and avoiding carbonated drinks because they provide zero benefit. This is important because 92% of your bloodstream is water and must maintain that to operate without putting too much stress on your heart and other areas.
Eating more wholegrains, fruits and vegetables will increase your intake of soluble and insoluble fiber, and minerals. Soluble fiber is able to enter your bloodstream and help clean up excess cholesterol. Cholesterol is needed to help heal lesions in the circulatory system and is needed for each cell but too much will cause problems.
Avoiding stress is another key component to healthy circulation. Stress disrupts the smooth flow and can be very damaging if not managed. Take time in your day to find gratitude, even when things are not going your way. Meditate to calm yourself when you feel stress coming on or do breathing exercises if you are in traffic, a meeting, shopping or any other place that does not give you space to meditate. Learning to control your emotions is so powerful and will prolong your life.
Exercising is another must when it comes to supporting your circulatory system and a great way to release stress. Your heart needs to be elevated for at least 30 minutes a day to keep toxins flowing out of your body and to increase blood flow.
The supplements recommended here support this system by patching the potholes, keeping the trash picked up, and maintaining a healthy flow in the bloodstream.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that slows the process of oxidation.
Garlic is high in sulfur which is very protective to the heart and the rest of the circulatory system and helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Calcium is a mineral that is great for the circulatory system, especially the heart since it is needed for the movement of muscle. It is also important for maintaining healthy blood pressure levels.
Vitamins A&D are a good source of the fatty acids DHA and EPA which support a healthy circulatory system.
Your body is doing everything in its power every day to keep you alive without you even thinking about it. A true sign that shows you actually do love yourself and that you have so much to be grateful for. Taking the steps to help your body stay healthy is the best way to support it in its mission… keeping you alive.
To learn more about your circulatory system… Click Here
Recent Comments