Source: CNM Health Coach
Chilblains are painful blue or red patches that occur on the extremities after exposure to cold. They can be itchy, painful and in some cases, they may become infected and ulcerate. They are caused by poor circulation and affect about 10% of people.
Raynaud’s disease is also caused by problems with circulation. It occurs when there are spasms in the arteries usually supplying the fingers and toes, disrupting circulation and causing skin colour changes, numbness and prickling sensations. Raynaud’s can be triggered by exposure to cold or emotionally stressful situations.
As well as addressing the triggers of these conditions (ie. protecting against exposure to cold and reducing emotional stress) the naturopathic approach is to improve circulation and reduce inflammation which aggravates both these conditions.
Warming Spices
Warming cold hands and feet slowly (ie. having a tepid not scalding bath) is better than going straight to the heater and causing more inflammation as the area heats up, so resist the temptation. Warming anti-inflammatory spices such as cayenne, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon and ginger should be taken daily. A turmeric latte is a delicious way to do this. See the recipe below.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E can also promote circulation so be sure to eat plenty of nuts and some seeds. Lack of calcium and magnesium can cause increased sensitivity to the cold and is also linked to emotional sensitivity; eat plenty of tahini, leafy green vegetables and almonds to help correct any imbalance.
Daily Exercise
Daily exercise and relaxation techniques are useful to combat stress and support healthy circulation. Vitamin B3 is both a circulatory stimulant and an inflammation suppressant. It also helps modulate stress. See your naturopathic practitioner about appropriate dosages for you.
Other Therapies
Many people start taking good quality fish oil, cod liver oil or flaxseed oil coming into the winter months to support circulation. Acupuncture and herbal circulatory supports such as Ginkgo Biloba are worth investigating. Geranium, lavender, pine bark and nutmeg essential oils can be used for therapeutic massage. You can make a lovely at-home mix, by following the dilution instructions on the bottle. Organic jojoba or almond oils are great carriers. Be sure to use therapeutic quality oils and not fragrance oils.
With Raynaud’s disease, there can be underlying disease causes, such as an autoimmune disease, and it may be a side-effect of medications. If you are experiencing Raynaud’s it is a good idea to have underlying issues ruled out by your physician.
Golden Latte
Need help to keep out the cold? One of the best ways we can help ourselves to feel warmer from within is to improve circulation through what we eat and drink. Spices such as cayenne, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon and ginger, can warm our core body temperature. You can incorporate all these ingredients and enjoy their further health benefits by making yourself the following delicious and warming Golden Latte whenever you need to keep out the cold.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 500 ml almond milk (other nut milk or coconut milk is also nice, but rice milk is too thin for this recipe)
- 2 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
- pinch nutmeg
- pinch ground black pepper
Optional
- pinch cayenne (if you can handle the zing)
- raw honey to sweeten
- extra nutmeg to garnish
Instructions
- Gently warm ‘milk’ in a small pot on the stove
- Add spices and mix through for 1 minute
- Pour into 2 mugs and sprinkle some extra nutmeg for garnish
- Add an optional teaspoon of raw honey to sweeten
Other Products
I came across this wonderful Golden Turmeric Elixir Cordial when I was at an event recently. The barista whipped it up with oat milk (but almond works just as well). It was just amazing and covers all the bases here and more.
