I was generally curious--I have bad circulation (particularly in my legs) and I have heard that with regular exercise, blood flow is improved due to widening of the blood vessels. How long would it take to see improvements (very minor is fine!)? I currently exercise with walking on a treadmill / neighborhood walking.
that is impossible to answer - you have to talk to your doctor about that bec everybody's situation, circumstances, and physiology is unique.
just from what i know, though, walking isn't enough to do it because it's not increasing the demand for blood. that's where weight-training comes in. i used to bodybuild/powerlift and i know the veins in my upper chest, even now when i'm 100lbs overweight, are *highly* visible. when i have my blood tested, the nurses usually comment the veins in my arms are like garden hoses.
obviously not everybody wants to be bench-pressing 175lbs - but even doing moderate weights will increase the size of your muscles and that's what increases the demand for blood.
I have bad circulation too, and for some reason it seems to be getting worse the more I exercise... I think I'm going to go to the doc... But I would also like to hear if there are some exercises/foods that help with circulation.
Certain polyphenols, which are found in fruits (particularly dark berries like blueberries), vegetables, and especially green tea, are great vasodilators and general endothelial cell "worker outers," if you will (meaning they keep the walls of your blood vessels flexible and functioning properly). So, yes; any of those things.
Just make sure not to steep the green tea too long, it'll get bitter!
also, don't use boiling water when making green tea - black tea needs water at a rolling boil, but green tea needs it off the boil or yeah, it gets bitter.
Increasing blood vessel size / blood flow
