While most people get cold hands and feet during the colder, winter months, some people suffer from the unpleasant feeling of cold extremities year-round. In most cases, cold hands and feet are not usually a sign of an underlying health condition, however if you have persistently cold hands and feet, coupled with discoloration, then it might be worth visiting your doctor. The reason is that in some cases, cold hands and feet may be linked to a rare condition called Raynaud’s Syndrome, where blood vessels become narrow, and therefore reduce blood flow to your fingers and toes. A common hallmark of Raynaud’s syndrome is when your hands or feet turn white or blue when exposed to mild, or even brief, temperature changes. In most cases, the etiology of Raynaud’s Syndrome is unknown, but in some cases, it can be caused by an underlying disease or health condition. For most people that have cold hands and feet not connected with Raynaud’s, the condition is more of a nuisance than a serious problem. Thankfully, there are some natural ways to not only protect yourself from the effects of temperature changes, but that may help improve circulation to your hands and feet including: :
- Cayenne pepper
- Vitamin E
- B Vitamins
- Ginger
- Turmeric
Along with the obvious (warm socks and mittens!), reducing stress, exercising, and massage therapy may also help to improve circulation to your hands and feet.
References
(1) Frothingham, Scott. (2018, June 28). Can you increase your blood flow with vitamins? Retried from https://www.healthline.com/health/increase-blood-flow-vitamins
(2) Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018, February 7). Cold Hands. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/cold-hands/basics/definition/sym-20050648
(3) Raynaud’s. (no date). Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/ray