So what is microcirculation, you may well ask? It consists of all your small blood vessels. They are important for circulating, blood, nutrients and oxygen to your tissues.
So it follows, that if these small blood vessels are impaired, or do not function properly this will impact on tissue function and the appearance of disease. Microvascular diseases include:
- Overweight/obesity
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Sleep disorders
- Venous insufficiency( varicose veins and restless legs)
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
- Kidney disease
- Intervertebral disc damage
- Osteoarthritis and gout
- Rheumatoid arthritis
So how can we increase microcirculation to these organs?
- We need to improve the function of the endothelium – this is a layer of cells that line blood vessels and its function is to regulate the contraction of smooth muscle round blood vessels and the interaction of the blood vessel wall with the circulating blood. So how do we do this?
- Cut down our high levels of fat and sugar in our diet as these can decrease endothelial function by making its surface like sand paper and thus decrease blood flow.
- Use herbs which improve the function of the endothelium such as:
- Grape seed extract
- Fresh garlic
- Raw, juiced or baked beetroot. Beetroot is very high in nitrates and these greatly improve endothelial health, microcirculation and blood pressure.
- Ginkgo
- Gotu Kola
- Cucurmin( turmeric)
- Green tea
- Cocoa. You can actually eat small amounts of dark chocolate!
- Fish oils
Use the diet called ‘The 5 point dietary Plan’.
1. Boost dietary nitrate: with green leafy vegetables and beetroot as a juice, grated or in a supplement
2. Increase cocoa intake – 85% chocolate, 20g per day
3. 50-100g /day of berries such as blueberries, blackberries and strawberries
4. Eat fresh, raw crushed garlic: ½ - 1 clove/day
5. Herbs and spices: 3-4 cups /day of green tea and turmeric and ginger.
A sixth one would be onions which help to counteract the scouring of the endothelium by fats and sugars in the diet.
Below are examples of where herbs, supplements and the above diet can really help.
a) Disc injury
b) Retinopathy
c) Varicose veins, restless legs
d) Kidney disease
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