February 2021 is awareness month for Raynaud’s disease and our nutritional therapist, Eleanor Allum, would like to raise awareness that nutritional therapy advice about dietary changes may be of benefit and may go towards alleviating symptoms of this debilitating disease.
Raynaud’s disease, phenomenon or syndrome affects up to 10 million people in the UK, and awareness month aims to bring attention to this often undiagnosed disease that affects the extremities – hands, feet, ears, nose, lips, tongue or nipples. Symptoms occur following vasospasm – the narrowing and squeezing of blood vessels – in response to cold, stress or anxiety and are a colour change (white to blue to red), a feeling of cold/numbness and tingling pain.
Primary Raynaud’s is most common with more prominence in females, no co-morbidities and often presents before the age of 30. Secondary Raynaud’s is less common but is typically associated with co-morbidities, often autoimmune or connective tissue diseases.
What to do during an attack
Warm your hands, feet or other affected areas. To gently warm your fingers and toes:
- Get indoors or to a warmer area
- Wiggle your fingers and toes
- Place hands under armpits
- Make wide circles (windmills) with your arms
- Run warm — not hot — water over your fingers and toes
- Massage your hands and feet
If stress triggers an attack, get out of the stressful situation and relax. Practice a stress-relieving technique that works for you, and warm your hands or feet in water to help lessen the attack.
Stress relieving techniques are also invaluable to sufferers.
Nutritionally, omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium and antioxidant vitamins can be supportive for some as can dietary intake of warming associated foods, chillies, cayenne pepper and ginger.
Lifestyle changes and supplements that encourage better blood flow might help you manage Raynaud’s.
- Fish oil. Taking fish oil supplements could help improve your tolerance to cold.
- Ginkgo. Ginkgo supplements could help decrease the number of Raynaud’s attacks.
For further information speak to our Nutritional Therapist, Eleanor Allum, to see what could be suitable for you.
For more information about Raynaud’s disease please check out the NHS website here.
Nutritional therapy may help with a variety of symptoms caused by musculoskeletal conditions and other conditions. Read a recent testimonial here from a very happy patient.
