If you’ve been diagnosed with peripheral artery disease also known as PAD, you know that keeping your blood circulating properly is critical for your health. Poor circulation is uncomfortable, causes numbness in your extremities, makes your feet feel cold, and leads serious medical complications. Advanced Radiology offers PAD patients some tips on how to improve their circulation to protect their health.
Quit Smoking If you are a PAD patient and still smoking, the first thing we advise you to do is quit your habit immediately. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to constrict, further reducing your already restricted blood flow. As PAD patient, your body is already straining to deliver the oxygen-rich blood your lower extremities need. Smoking impacts not only your blood vessels but also your heart, lungs and other organs. Quitting smoking lowers your risk of developing cancer and other medical complications. Many PAD patients developed their artery disease as a result of smoking.
Quit Stressing Stress and anxiety impact your circulation, too. These conditions also cause blood vessel constriction, making your heart pump harder and faster to get the blood to your core first, and then out to your extremities. As a PAD patient, you know that keeping blood flow to your legs, feet, and toes is very important. Find a stress relieving activity to help reduce your stress and anxiety.
Get a Massage Regular massage helps you relax while improving your blood flow. Massage helps to stimulate blood flow all over the body and is especially beneficial to PAD patients on their lower legs and feet.
Dress for the Weather If you’re a PAD patient, you may know that when the thermometer dips, you should turn up the thermostat and put on a sweater. This is because cold weather makes circulation slow down because it causes blood vessels to constrict as your body works to keep blood in the core to protect your organs. So when the weather turns cold, be sure to bundle up.
C is for Circulation Adding Vitamin C to your diet improves your circulation by preventing blood vessel constriction. Adding a supplement or upping your citrus intake can yield significant circulation benefits.
Do you have questions about PAD and circulation? Call us at 855.201.1519.