How to “Warm Up” Your Hands and Feet

One of the most common circulation problems I had to diagnose as a physician were hands and feet that felt cold, even when it wasn’t cold outside. After checking the various pulse points in the extremities, I generally found that cold hands and feet could often be attributed to a number of things, from peripheral artery disease, to diabetes, and Raynaud’s syndrome.

But regardless of the cause, there are several effective ways to “warm up”:

• Take the “awesome foursome” which can make a real difference in your heart health and circulation. Daily dosage: CoQ10, 50-150 mg daily; magnesium, 400-800 mg daily; broad-spectrum carnitine 1-2 g daily in divided doses, and D-ribose 5 g twice daily.

• Supplement with fish or squid oil. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce arterial wall inflammation, improve endothelial function, make blood less sticky, and help keep plaque under control. Daily dosage: Take 1 g with food.

• Take L-arginine. This amino acid is the primary raw material for producing nitric oxide, which promotes normal blood vessel dilation. L-arginine reduces endothelial dysfunction and improves functional status in patients with coronary and/or lower extremity vascular blockages. Daily dosage: Try 2,000–3,000 mg three times daily, with food.

• Try Oligonol. Oligonol is a proprietary combination of lychee and green tea extracts, along with vitamin C and magnesium. I’ve been impressed with the new research supporting the circulation-boosting powers of lychee, a fruit native to south China. Daily dosage: Take 50 mg.

• Stock up on vitamin C. This foundational nutrient retards progression of arterial disease, reverses endothelial dysfunction, helps control blood pressure, and serves as a potent antioxidant. Daily dosage: Take at least 1,000 mg.

• Exercise regularly. It’s a no-brainer. Exercise gets the heart pumping faster and pushes more blood and oxygen to the far-flung tissues of the body. Exercise also supports healthier endothelial cell function, making it important for keeping blood vessels clear and dilated.

Now it’s your turn: Do you have trouble with cold hands and feet?

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