I belong among those woman who always have cold hands and feet, feel cold during the winter season and can't get themselves warm. During my years of studying healing wisdom I have learned a few tricks on how to regulate the temperature of the body - and it works for me now.
When I complain of having cold hands and feet, usually the response is: " Oh, you must have poor circulation. You have to move ". Or: " You might be anemic".
The blood circulatory system delivers nutrients and oxygen to all cells into the body.
Oxygen is brought into the lungs via breathing, where it is transported by red blood cells to the entire body to be used to produce energy (this process is connected to our Kidneys). Red blood cells carry oxygen and they also contain hemoglobin which permits them to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Hemoglobin is a pigment and protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs and returns carbon dioxide back to the lungs. It contains iron as well.
We breathe because oxygen is needed to burn the fuel (sugars and fatty acids) in our cells to produce energy. We make cellular energy. Cells break down sugar (glucose) into carbon dioxide (which we breathe out) and water.
The blood circulatory system consists of the heart and the blood vessels running through the entire body. The arteries carry blood from the heart and the veins back to the heart.
When we enter a colder area, blood vessels will constrict. This reduces our blood flow to those areas, which also reduces the amount of heat that the body loses. Reduced blood flow means decreased oxygen in the tissues.
Low level of red blood cells may cause anemia, which leads to fewer healthy and properly functioning red blood cells than normal.
Anemia is also caused by an iron deficiency, vitamin B12 or Folate deficiency. It might happen to people who have kidney disease. Anemia affects cold feet. It requires a doctor's check up with taking the blood test. For anemia it is important to eat leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds to obtain iron and vitamin B12 back in the body to function well.
Poor circulation can be caused by iron deficiency, lack of vitamin B 12 (anemia). People with sedentary lifestyle, obesity, diabetes, heart conditions, arterial imbalance, high stress, anxiety, nerve disorder, hypothyroidism and smokers are in risk to suffer from poor circulation.
Raynaud's Syndrome:
Raynaud'sSyndrome is a condition named after a French physician Maurice Raynaud, who first described it in the 19th century. It affects the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the body. The blood vessels narrow and cut off blood supply to the extremities.
The affected areas of the body feel numb and cold, may turn white at first, then blue and then red when blood flows returns. It affects tips of the nose, ears, fingers and toes.
Factors are cold temperatures, stress, blood disorders and more.
Our Kidneys and the Bladder
During winter there is often the feeling of low energy in people. In January the most threatened organ in our body is the Urinary Bladder (check my article on the Bladder in the Calendar section on this web page) and in February our attention goes to the Kidney system (check my article on the Kidney in the Calendar section).
People with low Kidney energy usually hate winter, being constantly cold. They can suffer from lower back pains and other pains in their bodies and are full of fear living their life.
Dehydration is another issue. Thanks to dehydration the body can become too acidic and it can put a lot of pressure on the Kidneys and the Bladder.
What can you do?
If you feel cold and tired or weak all the time, go to see your doctor and take a blood test. Doctor's annual check-ups are very important for your health!! It can also show that your Kidney energy is weakened.
- Avoid cold temperatures; dress warmly (extra clothing), warm socks, slippers etc.
- reduce stress
- learn about your Kidneys energy and the Bladder energy and meridians
- eat anti-inflammatory diet: onions, garlic, cinnamon, pomegranate, cayenne pepper, turmeric, ginger, beets, thyme oil, Ginkgo Biloba.....
- iron, vitamin B 12
- have a hand and foot massage
- body massage with essential oils to improve poor circulation
- move
- keep yourself hydrated
- use heating pads
- have a foot bath
Bath:
Soak your feet in a warm water for 10-15 minutes. Use Epsom Salts and essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus or tea tree oil.
Example: 4 drops of lavender essential oil
1 cup of Epsom Salt
1/4 cup of baking soda ( to soften your skin on your heels)
Do a self-massage of your feet, it feels so nice !!
For foot baths I sometimes recommend to my clients to change the temperature of the water - 5 minutes very warm water and after switch your feet in cold water (after warm pour cold water over your feet). Change warm and cold water 6 times, always end with cold water. I show my clients how to massage a small hole area at the lower end of the outer ankle - it helps to fix cold feet.
Hot shower - yes or no?
You feel so cold and you love taking very hot long showers. While enjoying your hot shower, your skin turns red from the hot temperature of the water.
Hot water can damage your skin cells, the extreme heat from the water causes the skin to burn, the skin can dry out. Hot water washes away skin's protective oils and you may end up with itchy, very dry, tight skin. It can worsen or even spread conditions like eczema or acne.
When you shower in hot water, you inhale the steam - water vapor that contains chlorine and other water pollutants. We inhale chlorine and its byproducts like chloroform, a carcinogen that can harm our nervous system and the brain. You can make your own research about trihalomethanes and other harmful toxins.
The steam you breathe in the shower with those toxins can transport into your body, directly to your bloodstream. The chlorine you breathe from the steam when showering is more dangerous than from the drinking tap water. Brittle hair can also be a result of hot showers.
So next time switch to warm water instead of hot and don't make it long (= steamy). Your husband may thank you for saving some money for using too much hot water :)
Photos on the left:
I'm massaging the client's hands and feet to improve the blood circulation.
I'm shifting the energy, giving love to the body's areas.
When you have cold feet and hands often, it is good to pay inward awareness to your body - what's going on inside of you. Do you experience joy often in your life? Cold hands and feet may signal that your life lacks joy or that your inner child feels not good enough. Poor circulation may try to tell you that your life ideas can't circulate freely because you are holding fear somewhere inside of your body. Maybe it is time to change the flow of energy in your life? To make different choices?
Turn your electronic devices off, take a deep breath, try to meditate for a few minutes and think about it........
I offer private sessions for women to treat their adrenal glands. Poor adrenal glands health leads to feeling cold all the time, emotional stress, toxic relationships, depression, allergies, poor eating habits and much more. Make an appointment today.
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