Circulation

There are some facets of health that are so easy to connect to all different lineages of wisdom. As we have touched on earlier with the lymphatic system, stagnation and it’s opposite are two entities that will leak into every area of your life if they are present. When you are moving forwards in life with intentional movement and motion, your body tends to follow suit. Your body is able to move food through your intestines, your brain is able to process thoughts and solve issues creatively, your joints and muscles feel agile and mobile, and your overall appearance resembles that of fluidity. However, if there is stagnant energy in your life and you are feeling stuck, your body is going to mirror that as well. As we will discuss further in the blog, this can show up as pain with exercise, numbness, coldness and tingling in your extremities, exhaustion, weak immune system, digestive issues, dizziness, pale skin, and more. 

There is so much to unpack within your circulatory system and this blog at the very least I am hopeful will spark your interest to pay more attention to the system as a whole and how you can support it. 

How Does the Circulatory System Work? 

Maybe you have an intuitive knowing that everything connects, but why and how? So much of what we know and ponder about in our existence can be answered by looking within our own bodies and how they operate. We need human connection and conversation to come to these conclusions, and then to look inwards to make sense of it all. We need connection, we need to flow through each other as a circulating system. 

Entering the realm of the anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system, from one atrium and ventricle to the next, circulation is a closed loop system in our bodies with each part completely dependent on the vessel prior and after. How does the physiology of a circulatory system reach its peak homeostatic potential? It needs a driving force.  The driving force here is a pressure gradient dependent on resistance. Resistance opposes flow. It constricts and restricts connection. But it is also necessary. Where is resistance at an imbalance in your life? 

A flow state is needed for life, and as I mentioned prior, we flow and communicate through the vessels of other humans. The regulated variable for the cardiovascular system is Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP). MAP x Flow x Resistance 

Let’s sit with this. Of course, science is so much more than a simple equation at face value. Life force requires these factors, resistance, flow, and pressure. In a perfect balance.. How can we model this within our lives to ensure proper circulation? As within, so without. When we are flowing, opposing resistance, and overcoming pressure, circulation occurs. 

Let’s break down the anatomy even further. Arteries carry blood away from the heart and have to withstand a massive amount of pressure, this is why they are thicker walled. Veins, on the other hand, are carrying information towards the heart and do not have any pressure to overcome on this journey, therefore they have much thinner walls. Connecting these, each side of the heart is an independent system that must remain in contact with not only each other but also the entire body. 

Again, let’s sit with this information and see how it can mirror our lives. Looking outwards, we must overcome resistance and pressure in our lives in order for the venule to move energy back to our hearts. The walls must constrict, expand, contract, and relax over and over again throughout our lives to remain in a flow state. 

And what is the purpose of all this? Connection. Circulation. 

This blood is then distributed everywhere within our bodies. Skin, bones, muscles, all of it. What is off then, what has gone wrong in someones internal and/or external world when they are suffering from improper circulation? And what are the consequences to our health if it isn’t looked at? If blood flow is not making it to the tips of your fingers and toes, where else in your life is energy not making its way? Where are you not adjusting and adapting to pressure, overcoming resistance, or cutting off communication with others in your life? Explore this. 

When Flow is Cut Off

Traditional Chinese Medicine views this as a blockage or stagnancy of Qi. Qi is our vital life force, it is essentially a flow of energy, a weaving that connects us not only back to ourselves but also to the grander system of life as a whole. In the Western lens, our heart is nothing but an electrical circuit system. We have a full cardiac conduction system that works 24/7 with specialized cells that cause contractions to occur and blood to pump against the factors mentioned previously.  So, we are a literal force field. We have electricity running through our bodies, energy connecting us to all within and without, and a delicate balance of it all. 

When this flow is disrupted, this energetic system cut off or disturbed, what goes awry in your body? 

In The Web That Has No Weaver, Ted Kaptchuk explains that “…each person is thought of as a cosmos in miniature”. Within each cosmos, each interwoven system, we must connect to each other. Otherwise, what is left of a system if not the sum of its parts?

When Qi is blocked and circulation is faltering,  we see common symptoms throughout all patients, modalities, and cultures. 

• Cold fingers and toes 

• Depression 

• Numbness and tingling 

• Pain in the chest

• Frequent infections/ altered immunity 

• Bloating and constipation 

• Slow wound and injury healing 

Why is it that one of the most telling signs of poor circulation are cold/blueish toes and fingers? As always, our body is trying to help us. By sensing that our circulation or Qi is stuck/weak, it is reducing precious blood flow to our extremities in order to preserve it for our vital organs. To be frank, our body has decided that we can afford to lose a hand or foot but not a lung! 

How to Work With this System to Restore Circulation and Flow 

Now that we are aware of how precious and delicate this circulatory system is, and how much of it is mirrored in our lives and how we interact with the world, what can we do with this information? There are so many ways that you can assist your circulation ranging from movement to herbs to forming a community. 

• Adding fresh parsley to your meals for its vasodilation (opening up your blood vessels) effects on top of being rich in Vitamin C to suispport the health of your vessels 

• Cayenne Pepper contains an compound called Capsaicin that massively improves blood flow by relaxing and opening up your blood vessels, stimulating the release of vasodilators such as nitric oxide, and lowering blood pressure. So effective that it has even been shown to reduce damage when administered immediately to stroke patients 

• Gingko Biloba is an herb very commonly associated with focus/brain health because of how effectively it improves blood flow to the brain, it is even being studied as a potential treatment for Alzheimers disease. Fun fact: Gingko Biloba is the oldest living tree species!

• Bee Pollen supplementation has been shown to improve circulation, upon many other health benefits such as being antibacterial and hydrating your skin. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids that help prevent blood clots and improve blood flow

• Cacao beans are luckily luxurious and delicious to consume on top of being touted as one of the best heart opening plant foods. There is a reason that cacao ceremonies are so common in the spiritual community, as the flavonoids assist in the release of nitric oxide, reduce inflammation, and induce blood flow to the heart. Fun fact: cacao was considered a a divine gift from the Gods in ancient Mesoamerican cultures (Mayans and Aztecs) to restore balance and connection 

• Hawthorn is a flowering shrub and every part of it (leaves, berries, flowers) are shown to improve circulation and and increase blood flow to coronary arteries 

• Gotu Kola is shown to be effective at reducing swelling and inflammation by improving blood flow and toning artery walls. Studies show an improvement in those suffering from venous insufficiency when supplementing with this herb 

There are many ways outside of herbal and diet supplementation to improve circulation. Regular movement such as:

• walking and yoga

• resistance training

• acupuncture

• massage, and all forms of body work

• Practicing laying on the floor with your legs against a wall at night before bed to increase blood flow and venous return to your heart. Double the benefits by using this time to do a meditation 

• Wearing compression socks if you will be spending a lot of time sitting such as during a long work day or travel  

Aside from this, you also can take a look at the connections in your life. Remember that your circulatory system is aiming not just to keep you alive but to keep you connected, it is connecting and nourishing every organ in your body. Where are you feeling stagnant, cut off, isolated?  Try doing some inwards work on this and journaling on that topic. There are many ways to heal and to approach any area of dis.ease in your health always 

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