Let it Flow

March 21, 2023

Your body depends on good circulation to nourish every cell with oxygen and nutrients. That includes the tips of your fingers, your toes, your head and everything in between.

 

Yet millions of Americans complain of poor circulation. They may have cold hands or feet, or feel the occasional tingling or slight numbness in their extremities. Other signs of poor circulation can include performance issues, slow recovery after activity, puffy feet or ankles, and muscle cramps. 

 

While more serious circulatory complaints are often linked to heart problems, diabetes and other acute health concerns,* many lesser circulatory issues may improve with diet and lifestyle changes. These include walking or other exercise, getting more antioxidants (especially circulation-friendly purples and blues) in the diet, and boosting nitric oxide levels. 

 

Nitric oxide is a molecule that the body produces naturally. It tells blood vessels to relax, which helps with blood pressure. Levels of nitric oxide decrease with age. In fact, by the time you’re in your 70s, you may have lost as much as 75% of the nitric oxide levels you enjoyed in your 20s. But the good news is, you can get some of it back! 

 

WHAT ABOUT BEETS? 


Certain foods contain beneficial nitrates that help activate or boost nitric oxide levels in the blood and thereby increase circulation throughout the body. Beets and beet root powders provide a wonderful source of dietary nitrates. Consuming beet products can naturally help blood vessels relax, which results in increased flow and reduced pressure.  

 

Did you know? A 2012 study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that beet root helped to improve both systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22414688/) 

 

WHO DESERVES BETTER CIRCULATION? 

 

  • Anyone who feels cold a lot of the time

 

  • Athletes who want to increase their performance and recovery

 

  • Anyone desiring greater energy on a daily basis

 

  • Elderly people (or anyone else) with reduced circulation due to aging or mild heart health concerns

 

  • Anyone with an injury or recovering from surgery that wants to speed healing to that area 


HARD TO BEAT FOR CIRCULATION 


Love ‘em like I do, or hate ‘em like my husband does, beets are good for you. Packed full of antioxidants, carotenoids, nitrates and other nutrients, these purple roots – cooked with butter and a dash of salt, sliced into salads, or on top of your hamburger (the New Zealand way) – provide potent food for the circulatory system. 

 

Beet Benefits: 

 

  • Supports blood flow and circulation

 

  • Helps energize the body

 

  • Supports recovery after exercise or activity

 

  • Supports blood pressure levels in the normal range

 

  • Helps reduce oxidative stress 


WHAT IF BEETS AREN'T MY THING? 


You’re not alone. Many people avoid beets due to their earthy taste. Reach for beet powder that mixes into water or juice for a powerful circulatory beverage that’s more practical and perhaps palatable than the O.B. 

 

IS BEET POWDER GOOD FOR YOU?  


Beet powder works the same as beets but provides a more available and convenient form. 

 

Try new Power Beets superfood performance blend from Nature’s Sunshine, flavored with natural raspberry, lemon and pomegranate, for a truly delicious beet powder. It features ultra-potent beet root from Tibet plus a patented antioxidant herbal blend for extra circulatory system benefits. You’ll feel and taste the difference. Just add to cold water, shake and drink.

 

 

*Seek the care of a physician for serious circulatory symptoms. 

 

 

 

RESOURCES 

 

https://www.modernheartandvascular.com/ 

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nitric-oxide-supplements