10 Natural Easy Remedies That Improve Blood Circulation in Feet

If you want to enjoy overall good health, you must take care of your circulatory system. Your blood carries oxygen, minerals and nutrients throughout your body. Good circulation is key for excellent organ function and cell growth.

You are most likely to experience symptoms of poor circulation in the feet and hands (extremities) but it also takes a toll on your internal organs and your brain. In fact, it can be the basis of a number of serious health problems.

What Are The Symptoms Of Poor Circulation?

If your circulation is not up to snuff, you may notice: 

• Numbness and tingling sensations in your extremities
• Irregular heartbeat
• Cold feet and hands
• Excessive tiredness
• Muscle cramps
• Loss of hair
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Leg pain
• Dry skin
• Edema

If you notice these symptoms, be sure to see your doctor right away. They could be the harbingers of serious illness.

What Causes Poor Circulation?

Generally speaking, bad habits are the cause of insufficient blood circulation. If you spend a lot of time sitting, have a sedentary lifestyle, drink, smoke, consume excessive caffeine and/or eat an unhealthy diet you are likely to have poor circulation.

Sometimes medical conditions can cause the problems. For example, pregnant women may have circulatory problems. Also, if you have:

• A nerve disorder
• Arteriosclerosis
• High cholesterol
• Thyroid disease
• Food allergies
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Anemia

...you may experience poor circulation. It is worth noting that a number of the medical conditions listed here are caused by the bad habits listed above. It is always a good idea to practice healthy lifestyle habits. If you do suffer from a circulatory disorder or other serious medical condition, you should work closely with your doctor to establish healthy habits.

Ten Great Home Remedies To Improve Your Circulation 

1. Partake of light-to-moderate, enjoyable exercise everyday. Select a form of exercise that is easy to do and that you enjoy so that you will be more likely to exercise consistently. Good choices include:

• Swimming
• Dancing
• Walking
• Cycling
• Hiking
• Yoga

Participate in more active exercise once or twice weekly. Playing active games with your family members and friends can be a great way to socialize and exercise.

2. Improve circulation to your hands and feet by circling them and flexing them for fifteen minutes morning and evening. It is easy to do this before you get out of bed and while you are watching telly in the evening.

3. Indulge yourself in a regular foot massage. It's excellent if you can get a professional massage once a week or so. If not, establish a time with your partner or on your own for stimulating massage with a natural oil. This will help you relax and dilates blood vessels to improve circulation. Always massage from your extremities toward your heart. Acupuncture and acupressure treatments are also good, relaxing and beneficial treatments

3. Reap the benefits of hydrotherapy. Take warm, soaking baths in an electric home foot spa. This is another great way to relax your entire body and dilate your blood vessels. If you have access to a steam bath and/or whirlpool, these choices also impart excellent benefits. Dry skin brushing before your bath is a great way to stimulate your circulation. 

4. Add turmeric to your diet. This tasty spice helps reduce inflammation throughout your body by improving the quality of your blood and your circulation. It helps reduce the buildup of arterial plaque and diminishes the chances of blood clot formation. There are many wonderful ways to add this spice to your diet. Use it in cooking, in smoothies and keep a shaker of it on your table.

If you don't like the taste of turmeric, it is also available in capsule form as a supplement. Consult with your doctor and follow package instructions.

5. Add cayenne pepper to your diet. This beneficial spice contains capsaicin, which stimulates excellent blood flow throughout your body. It works to strengthen your capillaries and arteries and reduces annoying poor circulation symptoms such as numbness and tingling, headaches and pain. 

Like turmeric, you can find many creative culinary uses for this spice, or you can simply purchase it as a supplement in capsules. 

6. Switch your cooking oils. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides and healthy fats that help reduce arterial inflammation. Using coconut oil for all your hot cooking needs will help improve your circulation.
It can also be used as a tasty spread in the place of butter or margarine. Consume up to three tablespoons daily for best results. 

7. Make green tea your drink of choice. It is filled with antioxidants that help improve your circulation and relax your arteries thanks to its high nitric oxide content. This substance is a very effective natural vasodilator. You can enjoy two or three cups of green tea every day. If you don't like hot tea, try it iced with honey and/or lemon. 

8. Pure, dark chocolate has definite health benefits and is especially helpful for promoting good circulation. It does this by having a positive effect on the bio-chemicals that cause your arteries to widen. You can enjoy an ounce or so of pure, dark chocolate every day for the benefit of your arteries. Just make certain that it is a minimum of 70% cocoa. 

9. Enjoy ginger in your daily diet. This is another common spice that can provide wonderful health benefits. Ginger warms the body and improves blood circulation reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease. Enjoy it as tea and baked goods and as an addition to Asian cooking. As with the other spices, if you don't like the taste, capsule supplements are available.

10. Garlic is a fabulous dietary addition that prevents aggregation of blood platelets, reduces blood pressure and promotes excellent circulation. It also prevents buildup of arterial plaque and reduces your risk of developing atherosclerosis. Raw garlic is best, and you can simply munch on two or three fresh cloves daily if you like. If not, add it to all of your savory cooking and keep a shaker of garlic powder on your table to add to your dishes liberally. Supplements are also available. 

Develop These Healthy Habits 

• Stay hydrated by keeping a reusable, stainless steel or tempered glass container of pure filtered tap water by your side at all times.
• Consume caffeine with care and caution. Small amounts can be beneficial. Large amounts are detrimental. 
• Take a five minute break every twenty minutes when you must sit for extended periods.
• Talk with your doctor about adding an omega-3 supplement to your daily routine. 
• Eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies for the vitamin C and antioxidant content. 
• Put your feet up whenever you have a chance. 
• Reduce or eliminate alcohol from your diet.
• Reduce the amount of salt you consume. 
• Don't smoke or use tobacco products. 
• Avoid saturated fats.

How To Choose Bike For Your Kids: The Ultimate Guide

One of the most thrilling and pleasant things about childhood is riding a bike, at least at was for me. Nothing beats the fun, adventure, and independence that riding a bike brings.

However, buying a bike for my kid the other day, I have come to realise how much things have changed. Having had older siblings, made it such that I do not remember my parents buying me a bike. The whole exercise of getting a new bike involved picking out the least rusty mountain bike from the garage that my older brothers had gotten tired of, and my father would fish it out for me.

However, as a modern parent, how to choose bike for your kids can be quite an overwhelming task.

While there are so many things to take into account when buying a bike for you kid, age, design, weight, budget, and longevity are some of the most important considerations.

1. Age

The age of the child is important since it has a significant influence on many important aspects such as comfort, safety, and confidence of the child. Buy too large a bike and the child will find it heavy, unwieldy, and difficult to control, which could destroy their confidence. Buy a bike that is too small and the child would feel awkward and even embarrassed to ride it. Buying a right fit is particularly important for children between ages 4-8 that typically have not developed sufficient balance, agility, physical coordination, and confidence in riding.

2. Design

Just as important as age is the design of the bike you are buying. The design will usually include the shape of the bike frame, the handlebars, and brakes. The shape of the bike is fundamental in the handling and manoeuvrability of the bike. I have found that a good bike will usually be one with a longer wheelbase, as these tend to have a lower center of gravity. For kids under 10, bikes with too low handlebars or too high seats are inappropriate, since they have a high center of gravity. I always recommend bikes with handbrakes rather than coaster brakes, as it is almost impossible for the child to fall over when the brakes are applied, since they do not stop the bike instantly as compared to coaster brakes.

3. Weight

Weight is an important consideration when choosing a bike for your kid since it plays a critical role in manoeuvrability and control of the bike. Unlike adults that usually drive bikes that are approximately 20% of their weight, children will typically ride one that is 30% or more of their weight. To make it easier for your child to learn and ride their bike, find one that is lightweight and no more than 40% of their weight. Steel frame bikes are typically heavier and hence, if you can afford it, you should go for the lighter alloy frame bikes that are easier for your kid to control.

4. Budget

How much you want to spend is one of the most important aspects when it comes to how to choose bike for your kids. While I initially had some hesitation investing in an expensive bike, particularly for my kids on their first bikes, I reasoned that investing in a high quality bike might be worth it if I need your child to enjoy riding their bike. Higher end bikes are made of higher quality parts and are usually lighter, making them easier to control and maneuver. However, if you prefer a cheaper bike, you could always get a high quality one at the department or big box stores.

5. Longevity

Given that kids grow so quickly, I always find myself thinking of how long they will ride the bike before they have to get a new one. One of the most common reasons kids outgrow a bike is the lack of knee room between the handlebars and the seat. While I could always raise the seat, I have found that if the child is below 10, they may lose their confidence as maneuverability becomes harder due to the high center of gravity. To ensure that the kid uses the bike for as long as possible, I usually go for bikes with a longer wheelbase, as this ensures that the problem of knee room will not arise.

REVIEW: Tea doctor 14 day detox

Teadoctor.co.uk  is the latest brand of detox tea. They offer three different packages.  The 14 day detox, the 28 day detox and detox with a bestie. Thanks to the lovely people at TeaDoctor, I was given the opportunity to test out the 14 day detox so i could share with you all the results.

Since the craze of 'teatoxing' first arose, i have been intrigued to try it for myself and see if it really does what it claims. I started this detox intended to improve my digestion and to generally feel healthier rather then to lose weight. However, I would not mind losing the odd pound.

On the site, TeaDoctor claim that the 14 detox will detoxify your body whilst losing unwanted pounds. It also stated that you could lose up to half a stone.

Week one

so I poured my first cup of the morning tea and drank it first thing in the morning. I actually really enjoyed the taste of it, if you like green/herbal teas then you should also enjoy it. It reminds me on a licorice/fennel tea. 

I also had the night time tea that evening which you should drink every other day. this one was very much like a 'sleepy time' tea, (if ever you've had one you'll know what i mean).

After a day or two of being on the detox, I did notice that my stomach felt a little unsettled. I was also eating more fresh foods and less carbs. I also massively cut down on eating animal products. I figured i was feeling a little sick from the difference in my diet, as well as my body reacting to the tea.

By the end of week one i was feeling much better and possibly even had more energy. I was getting used to not eating any junk food and even began going for walks and running.

Week two

By this time, i was used to my new routine and began to look forward to my tea every morning. I also think that the night time teas were helping my get to sleep. 

I was noticing that my stomach felt much flatter and i was definitely less bloated (if at all)  which was something that i struggled with prior to the detox.

At the end of the detox i have to say, I'm so happy that i stuck it out to the end. I wouldn't say that i lost half a stone, but definitely a few pounds which is what i was hoping for. If i stuck to exercising regularly then i would expect to of lost more. 

I did however notice my body working much more efficiently. I also felt much more energized and generally healthier within myself. My family and friends also noticed the difference in my attitude generally which is always good.

I would absolutely recommend anyone to have a go at this detox. Even if like me you just wanted to see if its worth all the hype.

For anyone who is interested, i have a 10% discount code for you all. Just type in the code "TEDOCTOR" when your at the checkout.

Here's the link to their site: http://teadoctor.co.uk/

I'd love to know if any of you have experienced a teatox and what your thoughts are on it.

October favorites

Bed Head totally baked hair meringue

Clinique dramatically different moisturizing gel 

The Body Shop chocolate body butter

Michael Kors dylan rose gold watch

YSL false lash effect mascara

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Kassandra Lauren Gordon Jewellery Launch

www.kassandralaurengordon.com

Kassandra's latest collection 'Fly me to Jupiter' is inspired by space and the limitless of opportunity associated with it.  Her second solo exhibition show cased some beautiful and unique pieces. Each individual pieces is hand-crafted in the Kassandra Lauren Gordon studios from precious metals and gemstones. 

Something that i really love about Kassandra's style, and especially with this collection is that everything is so bold and expressive, yet also incredibly wearable and can be worn as your everyday jewellery.

I think it is also important to mention that Kassandra Lauren Gordon is a registered fair-trade goldsmiths and strongly beliefs in the equality of all who is involved in the process of producing these fine jewellery pieces. 

Please go check out her site to find out more and to take a look at more of the collection. Let me know what you think of Kassandra's jewellery.  I particularly love the rose gold pendants. What's your favorite piece from the collection? 

Kassandra Lauren Gordon's site and social media links:

Website

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Pinterest

(A special thanks to Chryssa Warlow for helping me with photography)