Say goodbye to tired legs, swollen ankles, and even cellulite!
Although the heart beats strongly and carries blood throughout our bodies, a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, etc. make it difficult for the blood that is carried throughout the whole body— including our limbs— to have enough strength to flow back to the heart. There is a very obvious reason why this is so: the force of gravity! When blood leaves the heart and reaches our limbs, the force of gravity (as well as the pumping action of the heart) makes blood reach these areas easily (as the Spanish idiom goes, cuesta abajo todas las calabazas ruedan, or “all pumpkins roll downhill”). However, when this clean and oxygenated blood has delivered all its nutrients and oxygen to the areas farthest from the heart (distal zones) and must return to the heart to be “cleaned”, things are very different! The blood that circulates through our veins on its way back to the heart (return circulation) has to “fight” against the force of gravity, almost like salmon swimming upstream! So any help will be very welcome!
Movement is essential
Aerobic movement (walking, dancing, running, etc.) stimulates and helps with return circulation. The famous 10,000 recommended daily steps are a clear example of this.
Keep your body moving as much as you can. Try to move at least 30 minutes per day. Even though we are now on a kind of “forced retreat” at home (with pandemic restrictions in place), you can walk in place, dance, play tag with your kids, cycle on the couch, join an online Zumba class, etc. Find an activity that is enjoyable for you and improve your circulation (and your health) while having fun!
Still, oftentimes our daily movement is not enough— perhaps even more now in these days of “retreat” and quarantine. This is why we often feel tiredness or even pain in our legs, and spider veins (capillaries that burst), varicose veins, cellulite, and other woes may also crop up. If this is the case for you, keep reading to find out how you can improve these!
Cactus bristle brush
I have used these body brushes for more than 15 years to keep my skin healthy and stimulate my blood circulation.
If you want to try one, make sure that the brush you buy is made of cactus bristles. There are many types of brushes; some are very cheap, though they are made of other materials that are not nearly as stimulating and effective. I recommend you buy a good-quality brush. Although it might not be the cheapest, mine has lasted more than 15 years and is still in good shape! Otherwise, you can also use a horsehair glove— even though it is not the same, it will also help a lot! However, to have a stimulating effect, you should use your brush or glove on dry skin—do not use it in the shower!
Using the brush (or horsehair glove, if this is what you have) is very simple. Once a day, and on dry skin, glide the exfoliating brush in an upward direction from your feet toward your heart, and in a downward direction from your arms to your heart. You will immediately see how the skin reddens (hyperemia), a signal that your blood circulation is flowing strongly and the tissues are being oxygenated. You only need 5 minutes to do this, and you’ll notice an improvement from the very first day.
Benefits of using cactus bristle body brushes:
- They stimulate blood circulation and reduce the feeling of tired legs. They can even improve the appearance of reddened capillaries and give a feeling of increased vital energy.
- They stimulate lymphatic circulation and reduce fluid retention in the extremities, which can improve the appearance of cellulite or orange peel skin.
- They exfoliate the skin, removing the excess of dead skin cells that accumulate on the skin’s surface, which in turn gives your skin a smoother and more luminous appearance.
Warm shower, cold rinse
You may have heard about hot-cold contrast showers, and you may even have gone to a spa where there were very, very hot pools that you combined with very, very cold baths (some even featuring ice!). Well, this contrast of hot and cold (in this order) is a great way to stimulate blood circulation.
When your skin comes in contact with hot water, it has the effect of producing vasodilation, i.e., the veins dilate, blood pressure drops, the tissues relax, muscle tone decreases, and there is an overall relaxing effect (you have surely experienced the relaxation of a hot bath). But this heat slows down circulation! That’s why, after a hot bath or shower, you need to give yourself a cold-water rinse.
Contact with cold water will have the opposite effect of that of hot water: vasoconstriction. The veins contract and thus force blood to circulate more quickly; more oxygen reaches the tissues, and both blood pressure and muscle tone increase. I do not recommend that you rinse your entire body with cold water unless you are already used to doing so, as you may find this contrast to be too uncomfortable. However, I do encourage you to apply cold water from your feet up to your knees or groin. You may see your skin redden after a while, a sign that your circulation is flowing.
So now you can create your own spa routine at home! Shower normally, and the last rinse of your legs should be nice and cool. You’ll see how much more energized and healthier you’ll feel when you get out of the shower!
Tight clothing: irritated circulation and cellulite lurking!
Yes, you heard me. If you like to wear tight clothing, just know you are not helping your return circulation or your cellulite (if you have it) at all, quite the opposite!
Check your closet: many times, the undergarments we wear have very strong elastic bands, which leave marks on our skin when we take them off. Does this sound familiar to you? If it does, this is WRONG! Buy undergarments that are snug but not too tight (underwear, bras, and socks). There are seamless models that work very well and are very cute.
Also, keep an eye on your trousers, especially in the waist and hips area. You can wear tight clothing, but look for materials with a bit of elastic, which has some give and does not compress specific areas. This will be much better for your circulation (and your cellulite!).
Aromatherapy and natural cosmetics
Apply them mixed in a base oil or cream, with a gentle upward massage. There are also many types of creams and oils for sale that are already formulated for direct use.
What do you choose to do?
Now you know how much you can do to improve your blood circulation, your cellulite, and your health. You only need to decide where to start and put these techniques into practice as soon as possible!
REMEMBER::
- Get moving: walk, dance, run, etc. for at least half an hour every day.
- Brush your legs and arms in strokes running toward the heart with a cactus bristle brush or a horsehair glove while your skin is dry.
- End your showers with cold water, from your feet to your knees or groin.
- Avoid using tight clothes, including undergarments.
- Apply natural circulatory cosmetics daily.
And when this “retreat” is over…
Massage and reflexology
In addition, deeper tissue massages eliminate muscular tensions and knots, unblock stagnant energy, and even help to mobilize and reduce the pockets of fat that cause cellulite, as well as the accumulation of toxins associated with it!
Furthermore, working with some reflexology points on the face and the feet, we can regulate the proper functioning of the body, stimulating the metabolism and the functioning of other organs to contribute to an improvement in our overall state of health.
Holistic Kinesiology
If you want to go even further and not only improve your symptoms, but also get to the root of your poor circulation or cellulite, integrative holistic kinesiology can help us determine the cause, whether it is structural, emotional, mental, or energetic.
Judith Benavent
Integrative Therapist