The human brain is responsible for coordinating most of the functions of our body. Circulatory disorders of the brain of any severity can provoke the development of various health problems – memory impairment, frequent fatigue, insomnia, decreased sex drive, poor concentration, etc.
Various factors affect blood circulation in the brain, including blood pressure, blood flow velocity, the presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system, diseases of the spine, constant stress, excess weight, etc.
When there are minor disruptions or the first signs of problems with blood flow to the brain, simple changes in lifestyle, dietary habits and physical activity can help prevent the development of serious diseases.
The reasons for the development of circulatory disorders of the brain
The most common causes of blood flow problems in the brain are:
- Atherosclerosis – it occurs due to the accumulation of cholesterol in the vessels. With atherosclerosis, cholesterol plaques are deposited on the walls of blood vessels, which causes their blockage and narrowing of the blood flow.
- Systematic stress. Stress negatively affects all organs and systems of a person; it can cause dangerous disturbances in the work of the brain.
- Hypertension. With pressure drops, the heart rate is disturbed and the volume of blood pushed out by each contraction decreases, the lumen of the vessels narrows and the elasticity of the vascular wall is lost.
- Head, neck and spine injuries of varying severity – in these cases, blood circulation is impaired due to hemorrhages.
- Chronic fatigue syndrome. It becomes the cause of the disorder in the work of all major systems of the human body.
- Unbearable physical activity. This is not only about excessive sports or heavy physical work, sometimes an uncomfortable posture in which a person is for a long time is enough to disturb blood circulation (for example, improper posture when working in an office).
- Osteochondrosis (dystrophic processes in the intervertebral discs) and scoliosis (curvature of the spine) – these diseases of the spinal column cause many pathological conditions in the body. In most cases, osteochondrosis and / or scoliosis of the cervical spine lead to impaired cerebral circulation.
Symptoms of circulatory disorders of the brain
Most often, circulatory disorders of the brain at the initial stages do not manifest themselves in any way and proceed unnoticed for a person, but with the progression of the process, alarming and very unpleasant symptoms arise. The most common among them:
- Frequent headaches. This symptom should by no means be ignored by constantly taking pain medications. It is very important to consult a specialist in time to avoid the development of dangerous consequences, including hemorrhagic stroke.
- Dizziness and loss of balance indicate a serious lack of oxygen for the brain, if they occur, it is necessary to seek medical help as soon as possible.
- Pain in the eyes. Most often, it increases towards the end of the day and is especially pronounced during eye movements and blinking.
- Nausea and / or vomiting accompanied by some or all of the above symptoms.
- Convulsions (paroxysmal, involuntary muscle contraction) and numbness (decreased or complete lack of sensitivity), which appear for no apparent reason.
- Change in consciousness and perception. In this case, you need to immediately contact a specialist.
- Noise and ringing or stuffy ears x. The longer these symptoms are, the more serious the circulatory disorders of the brain are.
- Fever or chills, increased blood pressure.
Medicines to improve blood circulation
If you observe some or all of the above symptoms, you should immediately seek the advice of a specialist. In the case of violations of the blood flow to the brain, self-medication is unproductive and can even harm. The specialist will send you for examination, and after identifying the true cause of the disease, he will prescribe a course of medications to improve blood circulation.
These may include:
- drugs that prevent platelets from sticking together;
- drugs to lower blood cholesterol levels;
- vasodilator drugs;
- drugs that prevent blood clotting;
- nootropic drugs;
- psychostimulants, etc.
Nutrition to improve blood circulation in the brain
For those who are wondering how to improve blood circulation in the brain or avoid aggravating the problem, it is necessary to add certain foods to their diet. These include the following product groups:
- Vegetable oils – olive, pumpkin, linseed. For the correct and “uninterrupted” work of our brain, the body needs polyunsaturated fatty acids, which can be obtained from vegetable oils. They are the nutritional basis for maintaining the proper functioning of the brain neurons. In addition, polyunsaturated fatty acids are effective in preventing atherosclerosis.
- Marine and oceanic fish species – trout, tuna, salmon, sea bass. The meat of these fish species is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for the membranes of brain cells and the protection of blood vessels from the accumulation of cholesterol.
- Berries – lingonberries, blueberries, currants, cranberries, etc. Almost all types of berries contain many antioxidants (molecules with a negatively charged electron) – natural substances that can slow down the processes of oxidation and aging of cells in the human body.
- Bitter chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 60%. This product contains a lot of tryptophan – an amino acid from which serotonin is formed, a hormone that prevents the development of headaches, migraines and depression.
- Nuts – Greek, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, etc. They are rich in easily digestible proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, in addition, they contain essential amino acids necessary for the nutrition of the brain and the health of the human immune system.
- Seeds – flax, pumpkin, sunflower. These foods are high in vitamin E, which has a positive effect on memory and cognitive processes. They also contain a lot of the omega-3 fatty acids discussed above.
- Seafood – oysters, shrimps, mussels. These foods contain many trace elements, in particular zinc and magnesium, which have a positive effect on attention and memory.
- Green tea. Drinking this drink normalizes blood pressure, and the antioxidants contained in it help prevent aging of cells not only of the brain, but of the entire body.
It must be remembered that fatty and fried foods, semi-finished products and fast food dishes provoke the accumulation of cholesterol in the vessels, which leads to their blockage and a decrease in blood flow, including to the brain.
Prevention
In addition to correcting your eating habits, you can give some more tips that will help improve blood circulation and prevent various disorders in the brain. First of all, it is necessary to avoid hypodynamia – weakening of muscle activity as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. With the help of physical activity adequate to your gender, age, general state of health and weight, you can activate the blood supply to the body, including the brain.
Thermal procedures – a sauna and a steam bath – are very useful, since warming up the body improves the blood flow of the whole body. Various means of alternative medicine are highly effective – periwinkle, propolis, tinctures on clover and other mixtures of plants that have a positive effect on the state of the cerebral vessels.
For the prevention of cerebrovascular accidents, it is necessary to avoid factors that increase the risk of vascular atherosclerosis. Overweight, smoking and high cholesterol can lead to this disease.
For people with diseases that affect blood circulation, regular visits to the doctor are shown to monitor the state of blood flow and prevent the aggravation of its disorders.
