Chinese Herbs To Increase Circulation

Poor circulation is a common health problem that can be caused by disease or a unhealthy lifestyle. Circulatory problems can lead to more uncomfortable symptoms and even dangerous conditions--ranging from numbness, cold temperatures and wounds that do not heal in extremities to tissue damage and organ damage. Fortunately, many herbs can increase circulation of the blood. Chinese medicine has been effectively using the herbs ginger, ginkgo biloba, cinnamon and peony for centuries to increase circulation.

Ginger

Ginger--or jiang, as it's known in Chinese medicine--is a versatile spice that can be used to treat many ailments. It's a thick root native to the tropical soils of China, where herbalists have used it for centuries. According to Dr. Subhuti Dharmananda of the Institute for Traditional Medicine, ginger stimulates the circulation of blood. The University of Maryland Medical Center says the components of ginger that contribute to its beneficial circulatory effects are phenols and volatile oils that help prevent blood clotting.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest species of trees still alive today. Its medicinal properties have been used for a long time by the Chinese and others, and it has been studied extensively. The leaves and seeds of the plant are used to improve circulation, particularly to extremities. The University of Maryland Medical Center has identified the two active compounds in ginkgo that are responsible for its benefits: flavonoids and terpenoids. Flavonoids have been proven to protect blood vessels against damage; terpenoids are proven to dilate blood vessels so more blood can flow through.

Cinnamon

The twigs and bark of the tropical cinnamon tree are both used in Chinese medicine, and they are called guizhi and rougi, respectively. According to Dr. Subhuti Dharmananda, Chinese medicine believes that cinnamon warms you, invigorates your circulation, and harmonizes the energies of parts of your body that may be at different temperatures. Cinnamon bark contains an oil called cinnamaldehyde that has been proven to be responsible for its warm flavor. It has also been found to be a natural blood thinner, which prevents clotting, according to The Food Paper.

Peony

Chinese medicine also uses the red, fibrous roots of the wild Peony flower to improve circulation. Traditionally, the Chinese believe peony relaxes blood vessels, makes platelets in your blood less sticky and provides nourishment to your blood. Y. Wang performed a study on the extracts of red peony in 1990--was published in the peer-reviewed Chinese medical journal Chung Hsi I Chieh Ho Tsa Chih--and discovered that it stopped clumping of platelets and other blood cells, thereby increasing circulation throughout the body.