Aromatherapy for Poor Circulation

August 26, 2009 | By admin In aromatherapy essential oils |

What is Poor Circulation? Circulatory system problems arise when there is limited blood flow to the legs, hands, heart and rest of the body. Ideally, our blood vessels should be clean and in good working condition. But, due to the unhealthy life style and dietary, our blood vessels become blocked as a fatty substance called plaque builds up and hardens and constricts the walls of the arteries and veins. This interrupts the normal flow of blood through the vessels and results in poor circulation.

The common symptoms and signs of poor circulation include:

Cold hands and feet

Pins and needles feeling

Cramp in legs, buttocks or feet

Swollen feet or legs

Deteriorating vision

Blueness, purple or dark skin (cyanosis – an indication of inadequate oxygen delivery)

Blood clots

Numb or loss of sensation in the hands and feet

Dizziness when standing quickly

Seek immediate treatment if you have the above symptoms. Poor circulation can be extremely harmful to the body and it is vital that the right amount of blood flows to the heart and the brain. A variety of conditions can be brought on by poor circulation such as high blood pressure, hypertension, stroke, varicose veins, peripheral artery disease, heart disease, kidney damage, aneurysms, arteriosclerosis, Raynaud’s disease and phlebitis.

To improve blood circulation, change in lifestyle is most important. One should life active life with regular exercise, avoid alcohol and smoking, stay at ideal weight. Always keep hands and feet warm. Adopting a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and foods with high fibre. Decrease refined sugar, dairy products and avoid salt.

You may seek for doctor’s medication to cure poor circulation problems or you may try the natural remedies using Aromatherapy Essential Oils. Selecting proper essential oils will help in stimulating poor circulation. Some of the essential oils that are useful to improve blood circulation including bergamot, cypress, eucalyptus, ginger, grapefruit, geranium, lemon and pine. If hypertension and stress are the major factors in your poor circulation, then essential oils that relax and calm the nervous system will be particularly helpful.

You may use the essential oils using diffuser, in an aromatic bath or as massage oils to improve blood circulation. Refer here, Aromatherapy Recipes for Poor Circulation for more details if you would like to try one.