Having cold hands and feet It is one of those symptoms that is not usually given importance, perhaps due to its frequency and apparent normality, even in temperate climates like ours, but it is worth keeping in mind because It can hide a deeper health disorder.

Temperature varies in different parts of the body depending on the degree of vascularization or blood flow.: it is greater in the most irrigated organs and less in the skin.

The temperature of the feet and handsas occurs with other areas far from the heart (nose, ears…), It is normally somewhat lower than that of the rest of the body.

But they talk about cold hands and feet when the drop in temperature is significant and causes discomfort. Could this symptom be warning of a health problem?

Causes of cold feet and hands

Whether some people have cold hands or feet depends largely on the health of their cardiovascular system.

• Yeah blood flows without problems or stagnation through elastic arteriespowered by active muscles and a competent heart, the extremities are hardly cold.
• If the blood comes with difficultyto carry clothes that are too tightwearing tight or high-heeled shoes, sitting with your legs crossed regularly or consume certain medications (oral contraceptives, for example) or toxic substances such as tobacco or coffee, that hinder circulationin the long run a condition of cold extremities can be established.
• The same happens if instead of doing physical activity or finishing the shower with cold water to improve arterial elasticityone covers oneself in an exaggerated wayoverheats the home, bathes with very hot water or leads a very sedentary life.
• Other causes of cold hands and feet can be pathological states such as arteriosclerosis advanced in arms and legs, notable anemias and vascular problems such as Raynaud’s syndrome.

Habits that promote thermal imbalance

The Chilean and naturist Manuel Lezaeta in his book Natural medicine available to everyoneexposes his thermal doctrine or theory of healthfor which attributes the cause of diseases to thermal imbalance.

Although it is a very organic theory that does not take into account mental and emotional factors, it can be useful to understand the pathology of cold feet and hands.

The body has two types of envelopes: an external one that isolates it from the environment (the skin) and an internal one. that covers the interior cavities of the body (intestine, bronchi, stomach…), called mucous membrane.

Both have a extensive network of interrelated blood capillaries as if they were communicating vessels: as blood increases in the capillary network of the skin, it decreases in the capillary network of the mucous membranes, and vice versa.

This occurs because nervous and circulatory reaction according to the different stimuli that the body receives (heat, cold, exercise, digestive work…).

health needs the thermal balance of the body, that is, that the normal circulatory level of these communicating vessels is maintained.

• Overprotecting the skin due to excessive shelter and heatingand by keeping it out of contact with air and water in nature, cause a thermal imbalance by weakening the peripheral circulatory response and increase internal congestion of viscera and mucous membranes.
• Added to this progressive skin weakening is current, excessive and hard-working diet for the digestive system and that attracts a notable blood flow to the capillary network of the mucosa of that area.
• This phenomenon, repeated three or four times a day, causes a massive influx of blood to the internal viscera and a deficit in the subcutaneous capillary networkwhich produces thermal imbalance: internal heat and cold on the surface.

Disorders in organic functions then occur. since congested organs work poorly due to the accumulation of blood and those with deficiency have problems doing their work due to poor blood flow.

Here then, according to thermal doctrine, is the origin of what is called disease.

According to this hypothesis, cold feet and hands are the consequence of a larger problem. that affects the entire organism, a symptom that blood missing in the extremities It is accumulated in the internal visceraespecially in the digestive system.

must be correctedSo, the feeding.

Cold feet and chronic inflammation

This correlation between skin and mucous membranes can also occur between the upper and lower end of the body.

For example, poorly irrigated feetcold, facilitate the accumulation or congestion of blood in the head and chest.

That’s why, in naturopathic medicine, to relieve headaches and sinusitisFor example, foot baths are indicated alternating or progressive hot temperature, which bring blood to the feet.

There are numerous medical studiesmost of them made in Germanywhich demonstrate the relationship between chronic cold feet and chronic inflammation tonsils and pharynx, headaches, colds, nasal and bronchial congestion, asthma, urinary urgency, nervous system disorders…

the book Hydrotherapy, healing by waterwritten by Dr. Vinyesdedicates an entire chapter to cold feet, with expanded information on these medical studies.

It quotes the well-known anecdote of Professor Boerhaave (1668-1738), which was called «the Dutch Hippocrates» . As a testament to his extensive scientific work, he left an enormous volume that was supposed to contain all your ideas and studies.

And indeed it was like that… although the pages were blank and only in the last one there were some short phrases in verse that went on to say: «Keep your head clear and your feet warm, and also try not to fill your belly too much.«Quite a lesson.

If you consider the cold hands and feet as a result of thermal imbalance the solution It involves normalizing circulation: reduce digestive activity and stimulate surface blood flow of the skin, especially on the extremities.

In Lezaeta’s own words, it cools the belly and makes the skin feverish.

Diet to fight cold feet

A balanced diet It can be ovolacto-vegetarian or conventional, but with little meat, preferably poultry and fish, and with many whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Garlic and onion, preferably raw, They act as antiplatelets, anticoagulants and vasodilators that They promote blood circulation.

Of course, you have to avoid the abuse of coffee and alcohol, and eliminate tobaccoresponsible for serious circulatory problems by reducing the caliber of the arteries and, therefore, the irrigation of the tissues.

Instead, take hot infusions of plants that promote circulation (blueberry, black currant or horse chestnut) Outside of meals it is always helpful.

Habits to improve cold feet and hands

Regular physical activity exercises the muscles and It forcefully propels blood to the extremities and surface of the body.

• To warm your hands you can, for a few minutes a day, squeeze a soft ball with your fingers for a few seconds and then relax them.
• It can also be done with your feet. stepping on a tennis ball or similar, or massaging them, while sitting, with special wooden rollers for reflex therapy.
• Walking barefoot on wet grass or sandor on wet stones, although never on a flat, hard surface, is a good way to irrigate the feet. Afterwards, of course, you have to continue walking with dry and warm feet to warm up.