There’s no doubt that now winter has finally kicked in, those of you who suffer from Raynaud’s disease will be wishing for the cold weather to pass as quickly as possible.

Raynaud’s is a condition where the blood flow to the extremities (usually the fingers and toes, but sometimes the ears and nose) is interrupted. It can be extremely painful: when someone with the condition is exposed to the cold, their fingers or toes turn white, then blue, and then red again once they finally warm up — it’s usually the warming up that causes the pain. Winter is obviously a particularly bad time, although since our weather is so unpredictable, people with Raynaud’s can experience problems throughout the year.

To be honest, treating Raynaud’s through diet is based mainly on anecdotal evidence. However, there are several things that seem to help the patients I see. The first is the herb gingko biloba, a traditional remedy for helping to maintain brain functions such as memory, alertness and concentration. This it seems to do by maintaining the supply of blood to the brain and therefore oxygenating it. The herb has also been found to increase blood supply to the hands and feet, hence its usefulness for Raynaud’s. Look for a supplement containing between 40 and 80mg of what’s known as standardised extract - the usual dose is 40-80mg three times a day. You must avoid gingko biloba if you’re pregnant.

Another nutrient to try is niacin; there is some evidence to show that this helps to relax the veins and arteries and induces a flushing of the skin. However, some people find this flushing effect quite unpleasant — an alternative to niacin is inositol hexaniacinate (take this article with you so you don’t need to pronounce this). Taking 500mg, two to four times a day, seems to help some, but you should discuss both these options with your doctor.

Fresh ginger has traditionally been used for its warming effect on the body and to improve circulation. I suggest making a fresh ginger tea rather than teabags: simmer an inch cube of root ginger, grated or freshly chopped, in a litre of water for about ten minutes and sip it as you would any other tea. It is delicious with honey too.

Although this is not specific to treating Raynaud’s, I would also check that your diet is rich in the other nutrients that are good for the circulation; these help to make the blood less sticky and therefore improve the flow to the extremities. This means boosting your intake of omega oils — use hemp oil, hemp seeds, walnuts and their oils (keep an eye out for fresh walnuts, or “wet” walnuts, which are in the shops from now until Christmas, and are utterly delicious as well as omega-rich). You should also eat some oily fish — mackerel, herring, salmon, fresh tuna and trout — although remember that women of childbearing age and girls need to limit it to two 140g portions a week (to avoid excessive exposure to toxins such as dioxins); everyone else can have up to four portions a week.

It’s important to eat warming, ie, heated, foods, for although the warmth that these provide may actually make you sweat more (and therefore lose heat), they will also help to improve the circulation to the extremities.

Vitamin C and betacarotene are both good for the circulation: so make sure that your diet is rich in fruit and vegetables. Steamed and boiled potatoes are rich in vitamin C, as are frozen peas, beans and spinach. Roasted peppers and ratatouille can contain good amounts of vitamin C and betacarotene. Rosehip syrup is a delicious way of boosting your vitamin C intake; it’s pretty high in sugar, so have just a glass of the syrup in water. www.atkinsandpotts.com

DO YOU NEED ADVICE?

Send your nutritional problems to jane.clarke@thetimes.co.uk or to Jane Clarke, times2, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1TT. Her replies cannot apply to individual cases and should be taken in a general context. Consult your GP with any health or specific conditions. Jane cannot enter into personal correspondence.

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