Good blood circulation is vital to enjoy good health. Blood supplies oxygen to all cells and is pumped by the heart. Poor blood flow can cause problems such as heavy legs, swelling, varicose veins, blood clots and a heart problem such as heart attack.
Physical exercise helps maintain good blood circulation. Diet is also fundamental.
Food such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes or blue fish favor it. Excess sugar, salt and saturated fats harm it.
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This is the diet that will improve your blood supply:
Are there foods that favor blood circulation?
There are no foods that have a direct action on the circulation, but there are those that can improve or worsen it. For example, to avoid circulatory problems, you have to control fats and sodium.
Saturated fat should be limited and trans fat removed completely. It can increase the bad cholesterol (LDL) causing it to accumulate in the arteries. This causes the cavity to narrow and problems appear in the circulation.
Why is salt so harmful to the blood?
Salt is composed of chlorine and sodium, essential minerals. The drawback is that, although table salt is one of the most popular condiments, it is rich in sodium and its excess can cause an increase in fluid retention which, in turn, increases blood pressure.
Along with high cholesterol, hypertension affects cardiovascular health.
Are there good fats?
Yes. Polyunsaturated fats, unlike saturated fats , decrease the viscosity of the blood, thus improving blood circulation.
Polyunsaturated fats are found in seed oils (sunflower, corn, soybeans ...), nuts and blue fish.
Another characteristic to keep in mind about these fats is that they have a positive effect on cholesterol, increasing the good (HDL) and preventing the bad (LDL) from accumulating around the arteries. This accumulation is called arteriosclerosis, plaque formation in the walls of blood vessels, and is a cause of cardiovascular disease risk.
Does good hydration influence cardiovascular health?
The answer is yes. Water helps eliminate toxins, in fact, it has the ability to clean the arteries and that prevents substances accumulating that, in the long run, can trigger cardiovascular disease.
It is recommended to drink 2.5 liters of water every day . It is not necessary to drink two bottles a day. The intake is shared between the foods (fruits, vegetables, broths, soups, etc) and the drink.
What other foods can be beneficial?
Foods rich in potassium It maintains the balance of body fluids, regulates blood pressure and heart rate.
It is found in foods such as vegetables and greens, fresh fruits, whole grains, brewer's yeast and legumes. In addition, these foods contain another fundamental nutrient, fiber.
This has the property of preventing the intestine from absorbing harmful substances such as cholesterol and fats.
And the vegetables?
The consumption of legumes, combined or not, is always beneficial thanks to its richness in nutrients such as fiber, healthy fat, slow-absorbing carbohydrates, minerals such as iron and antioxidants. But you can improve their absorption by combining them.
The vegetables contain a lot of iron but the organism does not assimilate it well because the iron of vegetable origin is present in what is known as non-heme form (of difficult absorption), and in the presence of other substances, such as phytate (a type of fiber). These two circumstances make the iron not absorb well. However, by including vitamin C in food, improves absorption.
On the other hand, if the legumes are combined with cereals or nuts, the protein profile of the dish is improved, achieving a quality comparable to animal proteins and thus reducing saturated fat and cholesterol (present in animal proteins).
How should a breakfast be heart-healthy?
The first and fundamental thing is that breakfast is complete in quantity and quality to face the new day, so it must be composed minimally by:
- A ration of a food from the group of dairy products.
- A portion of the group of farinaceous foods (bread / toast, biscuits, breakfast cereals ...).
- A serving of fruit.
If you also want it to be cardio-healthy it must contain:
- Low-fat or low-fat dairy.
- Whole-grain farinaceous that provides the beneficial effect of both fiber and antioxidant components.
- And above all, add healthy fat such as olive oil to provide unsaturated fatty acids, essential to maintain a healthy heart and arteries.