How to Improve Circulation Naturally: Foods, Habits and Warming Teas

To improve circulation naturally, move every day, eat nitrate-rich foods like beets and leafy greens, stay warm and hydrated, and manage stress. Stress matters more than most people realize: in a study published in Circulation, just a few minutes of mental stress temporarily impaired the ability of blood vessels to relax and widen. [1]

Good circulation carries oxygen and nutrients to every part of your body, from your brain to your toes. Here are the habits, foods, and warm drinks that support it.

Signs of Poor Circulation

• Cold hands and feet, even indoors
• Numbness or tingling in fingers or toes
• Swollen feet and ankles at the end of the day
• Leg cramps or heaviness when walking
• Slow-healing cuts on the feet

See a doctor if you notice leg pain when walking that eases with rest, one swollen or painful leg, skin colour changes, or sores that will not heal. These can signal conditions that need treatment.

7 Ways to Improve Circulation Naturally

1. Move Every Day

Movement is the most powerful circulation booster there is. Walking makes your calf muscles squeeze blood back toward your heart. Even a 5-minute walk every hour helps if you sit all day.

2. Eat Blood-Flow Foods

Nitrate-rich foods help your body make nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels. [2] The best sources:

Food	Why it helps
Beets and beetroot	One of the richest dietary sources of nitrates [2]
Leafy greens (spinach, arugula)	Nitrates
Citrus fruit	Vitamin C and flavonoids
Oily fish	Omega-3 fats
Garlic	Traditional circulation food
Dark chocolate and berries	Flavonoids

More in Beet Tea.

3. Drink Tea: Flavonoids for Your Blood Vessels

Tea's flavonoids support the inner lining of your blood vessels. In a clinical study, drinking black tea improved blood vessel function (flow-mediated dilation), [3] and in another, green tea improved it within two hours of drinking. [4]

4. Stay Warm

Cold narrows the blood vessels in your hands and feet to protect your core. Warm socks, layers and warm drinks all help. A hot cup in your hands is the simplest warmer there is.

5. Stay Hydrated

Blood is about half water. When you are dehydrated, it becomes thicker and harder to move. Every cup of tea counts toward your fluids. [5]

6. Manage Stress

Mental stress temporarily impairs blood vessel function. [1] Slow breathing, time outdoors and a calming evening ritual all help your body switch out of stress mode. Try our Tea Meditation.

7. Raise Your Legs and Avoid Sitting Still Too Long

Put your feet up for 15 minutes at the end of the day, and stand or walk every hour if you have a desk job.

How to Increase Circulation in Your Feet

1. Walk daily and do ankle circles and calf raises while you sit.
2. Keep your feet warm with wool socks.
3. Elevate your legs in the evening.
4. Try a warm foot soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Avoid crossing your legs for long periods.

The Best Teas for Circulation

• Green tea and matcha: improved blood vessel function within two hours in a clinical study. [4] Try Green Zen.
• Black tea: improved blood vessel function in a clinical study. [3] Try Velvet Earl Grey.
• Rooibos: caffeine-free, and in a study of healthy volunteers it inhibited ACE, an enzyme involved in blood vessel tone. [6]
• Warming spices like cardamom and clove: a cosy evening cup that helps you warm up and slow down.

Serene Tranquility: A Warming, Calming Evening Cup

Serene Tranquility is our warm, spiced, caffeine-free evening tea: rooibos, mineral-rich nettle, rosehip, raspberry, licorice root, anise, cardamom, clove and calendula. It is made for the hour when you want to warm up, slow down, and let the day's stress go- two of the habits that matter most for circulation.

Important: Serene Tranquility contains licorice root, which can raise blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney disease, or are pregnant, choose a licorice-free tea instead, such as Quiet Mind (rooibos and lavender, caffeine-free) or green tea, and speak with your doctor. More in Licorice Root Tea: Benefits and Safety.

The Avodah Moment: Warm Hands, Slow Breath

Avodah means devotion and service. Cold hands at the end of a long day are often a sign of a body that has been running in stress mode for hours.

Tonight, warm up on purpose. Brew a spiced cup, wrap both hands around it, and feel the warmth spread. Put your feet up. Breathe in for four, out for six. Let your body move from stress mode to rest mode, one sip at a time.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. This is where you fill yours.

Shop Serene Tranquility | Shop Quiet Mind | Shop Green Zen

More: Nettle Tea Benefits | Tea for Stress Relief and Anxiety

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I improve my circulation naturally?

Move every day, eat nitrate-rich foods like beets and leafy greens, stay warm and hydrated, and manage stress.

What foods improve circulation?

Beets, leafy greens, citrus fruit, oily fish, garlic, berries, and dark chocolate.

What tea is good for circulation?

Green tea and black tea improved blood vessel function in clinical studies. Caffeine-free rooibos and warming spices make a cozy evening option.

Does stress affect circulation?

Yes. In a study published in Circulation, mental stress temporarily impaired blood vessel function.

How can I increase circulation in my feet?

Walk daily, do calf raises, keep your feet warm, elevate your legs in the evening and avoid sitting still for long.

Is Serene Tranquility good for high blood pressure?

No. It contains licorice root, which can raise blood pressure. Choose a licorice-free tea like Quiet Mind and speak with your doctor.

Your day. Your tea. Your Avodah Moment.

 

References

1.          Ghiadoni L, Donald AE, Cropley M, et al. Mental stress induces transient endothelial dysfunction in humans. Circulation. 2000;102(20):2473-2478.

2.          Clifford T, Howatson G, West DJ, Stevenson EJ. The potential benefits of red beetroot supplementation in health and disease. Nutrients. 2015;7(4):2801-2822.

3.          Duffy SJ, Keaney JF Jr, Holbrook M, et al. Short- and long-term black tea consumption reverses endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 2001;104(2):151-156.

4.          Alexopoulos N, Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K, et al. The acute effect of green tea consumption on endothelial function in healthy individuals. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2008;15(3):300-305.

5.          Ruxton CHS, Hart VA. Black tea is not significantly different from water in the maintenance of normal hydration in human subjects: results from a randomised controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2011;106(4):588-595.

6.          Persson IA, Persson K, Hägg S, Andersson RG. Effects of green tea, black tea and Rooibos tea on angiotensin-converting enzyme and nitric oxide in healthy volunteers. Public Health Nutr. 2010;13(5):730-737.