Heart & Circulation
OUT ON A LIMB

HOW AN ANCIENT REMEDY COULD HELP MAINTAIN A HEALTHY CIRCULATION TO YOUR ARMS AND LEGS.

Aches or pains – especially in the legs – are often thought to be typical signs of ageing, but for at least a fifth of British adults over 55, they actually signal hardening of the arteries that keep limbs supplied with red blood cells carrying vital oxygen and nutrients. The condition is known as ‘Peripheral Arterial Disease’ or ‘PAD’.

A healthy blood flow helps fight infection and heal wounds. Oxygen carried by blood reacts with sugar in your cells to release energy – a process that in turn makes carbon dioxide, a waste product that blood also removes from your cells.

Circulation of blood is reduced by deposits in the blood vessels, much in the same way as scale formed on the inside of water pipes means water flow is lessened. The build-up (or ‘plaque’) in our arteries occurs when surplus cholesterol and other fats circulating in the blood start sticking to the vessel walls. Like scale, clumps of plaque can become dislodged – leading to clots and potentially a stroke, or heart attack, depending upon where, and to which organ, the clump eventually causes a complete blockage in the blood supply.

Restricted blood flow also means restricted energy supply – effectively making parts of the body ‘hungry’ for oxygen to enable them to work properly. To PAD sufferers, this can mean cramping pain, usually in the calf muscles, which is where blockages in the femoral arteries supplying the legs most commonly occur. The pain (called ‘intermittent claudication’) is worsened by activity such as walking, or going upstairs, and in all but the most extreme cases, it stops when the exertion stops.

But many people with circulatory problems do not experience any symptoms at all, although almost everyone with PAD will find they are unable to walk as far as they once could.

There are plenty of steps that can be taken to help reduce your chances of developing peripheral arterial disease. Top of the list is to stop smoking if you are a smoker, take regular exercise, control your cholesterol levels, monitor your blood pressure and keep your weight down. Now experts in heartcare and circulation are also recommending a daily intake of Tibetan herbal remedy Padma 28.

BEST FOOT FORWARD

A recent meta-analysis looked at the results of 19 published scientific trials involving 2084 patients taking either Padma 28 or a dummy-tablet to relieve symptoms of circulatory disorders, including PAD. Researchers found that those people who took two of the herbal tablets twice daily were able to comfortably walk at least 100 metres further than those taking the placebo.

Padma 28 is made from a combination of 18 herbs with strong anti-oxidant properties that the ancient Tibetans found could help improve blood flow.