Foods to Improve Blood Circulation

Several foods can help to increase blood flow in the body. Citrus fruits, cayenne pepper, salmon and garlic help to get over the blood circulation problems. They also reduce blood pressure and avoid the formation of plaque in the arteries.

Regular exercise and proper diet can keep our blood circulation going. Blood circulation problems could be due to a variety of reasons. Poor blood circulation can lead to cardiovascular problems, fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, swollen ankles and a host of other diseases. Certain natural foods help to increase blood flow.

Garlic

Source: Wikimedia Commons: Rudiger Volk

Onions and  Garlic for Blood Circulation Both these herbs are from the same family of bulbs. They are excellent blood thinners. They help to prevent the accumulation of blood in the veins. They are a very good remedy for varicose veins. They help to prevent the formation of plaque on the walls of arteries and improve blood flow.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits contain powerful antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids. They help to improve blood circulation. Fruits that are rich in these antioxidants are lemon, orange, sweet lime, tangerine and grape fruit. They also help to lower blood pressure.

Salmon

Foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids help to improve blood flow. Salmon, mackerel and several other fishes have abundance of omega 3 fatty acids.

Cayenne Pepper blood circulation

Cayenne pepper is pungent and hot. But it is delicious for some people. It helps to strengthen the blood vessels and boost blood flow. Cayenne pepper can be taken as a salad. It can also be mixed with other food preparations. It normalizes the blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels.

Leafy Greens

Leafy green vegetables not only increase the blood count but also improve blood circulation. Lettuce, spinach, collards are highly nutritious as they contain vitamin B, calcium, iron and potassium. They have no cholesterol content and prevent the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

Legumes

Legumes like beans and lentils increase blood flow. They are rich in vitamin B, proteins, potassium and iron. They also contain calcium. They are good for the cardiovascular system. Other legumes which provide similar benefits are kidney peas, black peas and chick peas.

Dark Chocolate

Natural cocoa contains flavanoids which help to improve blood circulation. They also prevent the formation of blood clots and plaque in the arteries. But you have to make sure that you eat organic chocolates with less sugar.

These are the natural foods to improve blood circulation.

Do You Burn Calories When You Sleep?

There are several foods that burn calories even when you sleep. They burn more calories than they contain. Including these foods in your diet will help you to burn calories faster. These foods are called negative calorie foods. To get better results include exercise in your daily routine.

Most of these negative calorie foods consist of fruits and vegetables. They do not burn calories in the exact sense of the term. They speed up metabolism or break the components of fat.  These foods are rich in fiber and contain more water. It is better to eat most of these foods without cooking in the raw state.  These foods burn calories when you sleep.

Burn Calories with Green Tea

Green tea is a very effective metabolism booster. Green tea contains catechin polyphenols which are said to aid the fat burning qualities of the herb. It is said that the strongest of these catechins called EGCG reduces the calories that are absorbed from the diet and helps to burn fats faster. It also prevents the storage of fats.  It has thermogenic properties which help to burn off the calories.

Vitamin C

Citrus fruits contain vitamin C.  They help to dilute the fats and push them out of the body. They also speed up metabolism. Some of the citrus fruits that aid weight loss are lemon, orange, sweet lime, grape fruit and tangerines.

Legumes

Legumes have large amounts of protein and very high fiber content. Examples of legumes are soya beans, brussels sprouts, French beans, kidney beans and lentils. Some of them can be included for breakfast. Bean soup or salad for dinner will help to burn calories when you sleep.

Diary Foods

Milk, yogurt and other dairy foods contain calcium which breaks down fat cells and aid weight loss. Milk has an abundance of complex carbohydrates which helps to keep the insulin levels low. Low insulin levels help to boost the metabolism rate. Human body requires about 1200 to 1300mg of calcium daily. Drinking skimmed milk will help to burn fat without the addition of any unnecessary calories.

Whole Grains

Whole grains have carbohydrates in abundance. They are also rich in fiber. They increase the rate of metabolism and help to burn more calories and fat. Eating oatmeal for breakfast in the morning will boost your energy levels and also help to burn more calories. Some of the whole grains that would help to burn off fat are brown rice, wheat bran, whole wheat, barley and wheat germ.

You should include in your diet some of these foods that help to burn calories when you sleep.