Capillaries: Why Heat and Movement Matter

Dr. Boris Wydoff

Capillaries are the tiniest blood vessels through which blood reaches the tissues. In Zalmanov’s system, they have a special place. I look at this approach through simple things: movement, comfortable warmth, breathing, and an overall routine. It is important to understand how they are connected, but not to replace medical examinations and treatment with these measures.

Why are capillaries so important for tissues

Blood and lymph bathe every cell: they bring nutrients and carry away metabolic waste. But this work depends on the tiniest blood vessels — capillaries. In a book about cerebral circulation, Professor Klossovsky described their diameter as approximately seven or eight microns.

Through the capillaries, tissues receive oxygen and essential substances. That is why Zalmanov’s approach pays so much attention to the condition of the smallest blood vessels. When blood circulation weakens, congestion may occur in deeper tissues, while blood flow near the body surface and in the limbs may slow down.

I look at this topic not as a separate procedure, but as part of an overall routine. Blood circulation, lymph, breathing, and movement are connected. That is why, when there is prolonged loss of energy, I recommend looking at the bigger picture rather than explaining everything through one symptom.

If you are also concerned about heaviness, swelling, and other signs of circulatory problems, it is also useful to read Kidneys: Early Signs of Hidden Disorders. In a systemic approach, the condition of the excretory organs is considered together with metabolism.

What happens to capillaries with inactivity and cold

Inactivity is one of the factors highlighted by Zalmanov’s system. When a person moves very little, capillaries may contract and tissue metabolism may slow down. The books also describe blood congestion in deep tissues when there is insufficient physical activity.

Cold acts differently, but it is also connected with the blood vessels. When a person is constantly cold, small blood vessels contract. This is especially noticeable in blood flow near the body surface and in the limbs.

There is another extreme — stuffiness and overheating. The systemic approach speaks not only about cold, but also about overheating in a stuffy room. So the point is a reasonable thermal environment, not constantly raising the body temperature.

Shallow breathing is also considered together with movement and warmth. In this approach, lung ventilation and regular physical activity are important. I find it useful to start with simple things that can be built into an ordinary day.

How is movement connected with blood circulation

The simplest form of movement is walking. The system describes brisk walking with an individually increased workload. This is not a call for a sporting record. It is more important to take your own abilities into account and not turn physical activity into exhaustion.

Movement is also particularly important for the lymphatic system. In the books, it is described as an open system in which muscles act as the main pump. Lymphatic fluid moves through muscle contraction.

Therefore, prolonged lack of movement does not create good conditions for normal lymph circulation. I prefer regular activity to occasional excessive effort. Brisk walking is convenient because it is easy to include in an everyday routine.

The article gives a guideline of 30–40 minutes of brisk walking every day. With more intensive exercise, the increase in pace should be individual. There is no need to push through pain or pronounced fatigue.

Why do capillaries need warmth

Warmth has a special place in Zalmanov’s system. The point is not uncontrolled overheating of the body. Thermal exposure is considered a way to affect skin capillaries and blood circulation near the surface.

For a simple home routine, you can use a warm bath or warm shower lasting 10–15 minutes. After that, it is reasonable to stay warm and rest quietly. The procedure should not become a test of endurance.

The descriptions of the system include more complex thermal procedures. These include baths, wraps, and other methods that require specific conditions to be followed. I do not recommend assembling such procedures from separate sentences.

The books describe the sequence of methods in greater detail. Therefore, in my approach to this topic, you should first understand the general principle and only then study complex procedures in full. An individual passage does not replace the complete method and its limitations.

Why are warmth, movement, and breathing combined in the system

These areas are considered together in Zalmanov’s system. Movement is connected with muscle activity. Warmth affects the skin vessels. Breathing exercises and walking are used to increase lung ventilation.

The books describe the idea of opening a large number of closed capillaries in the alveoli of the lungs. Breathing exercises and brisk walking with an individually increased workload are mentioned for this purpose. I present this principle here without expanding the method with additional exercises.

For a simple routine, the article uses a calm breathing practice. Three times a day, you can take ten slow, deep breaths and exhalations by an open window. The exhalation is suggested to be longer than the inhalation.

At night, it is better to ventilate the bedroom so that the air remains cool and clean. Regularity is important to me here. The body does not need constant changes of methods or excessive effort.

How are capillaries connected with digestion

Blood bathes the intestines through a huge number of tiny vessels. Therefore, in Zalmanov’s system, the condition of the capillaries is considered not only in connection with the skin or limbs. The connection with the work of internal tissues is also important.

With little physical activity and constant cooling, capillaries may contract. The books connect this with slower digestion. This view explains why warmth and movement have a place in the overall system.

I do not recommend looking only at the diet if loss of energy persists for a long time. In the systemic approach, attention is given to the intestines, liver, kidneys, blood circulation, and lifestyle. At the same time, complex cleansing courses should not be carried out independently.

I write in more detail about the connection between nutrition, physical activity, and the condition of internal organs in Overloaded Liver: Signs and How to Relieve Its Load. This topic is considered there in a broader context.

What juice mixtures are described in the system

In the books, juice therapy is considered one element of the overall system. They contain vegetable mixtures designed for a large glass of about 480 ml. If necessary, this amount can be prepared at half the volume.

The first mixture consists of carrots, beetroot, and cucumbers: 300 ml of carrot juice, 90 ml of beetroot juice, and 90 ml of cucumber juice. The second includes 210 ml of carrot juice, 120 ml of celery juice, 60 ml of parsley juice, and 90 ml of spinach juice.

The third mixture consists of 240 ml of carrot juice, 120 ml of spinach juice, 60 ml of turnip juice, and 60 ml of watercress juice. These formulas belong to the described juice-therapy system. I do not call them a treatment for any specific disease.

Juice mixtures should not be taken out of the general context of the system. In the books, they are considered together with other areas. With chronic diseases, the diet and any dietary changes should be discussed individually.

The condition of the excretory system should also not be overlooked. That is why I discuss Acidosis: What Is Acidification of the Body and Its Causes separately.

What does the system say about the power of mindset

The systemic approach places great emphasis on a person’s mindset. The book presents the idea that fear can affect the condition of blood vessels. A frightened person may become pale, and this example is used to explain the connection between emotional state and the vascular response.

It is suggested to replace the constant thought “I am sick” with a calmer one: “I am recovering.” I do not regard this phrase as a promise of healing. Rather, it is a way not to turn every sensation into a new reason for anxiety.

It is important to me that a person acts calmly. Regular walking, reasonable warmth, breathing, and a normal routine require consistency. Constantly changing methods only makes work on the routine more complicated. At the same time, mindset does not replace medical care. If there is a disease or persistent complaint, emotional calm does not replace an examination. It is important to keep these things separate.

What are chest wraps

Chest wraps have a separate place in Zalmanov’s system. In descriptions of the method, they are connected with restoring circulation in capillaries, arterioles, venules, and lymphatic vessels. They are also said to increase lung ventilation and affect the small vessels of the lungs.

But such a procedure requires following a specific sequence. I do not recommend performing complex wraps based on a few lines from an article. The books describe the order of actions and the conditions in greater detail.

The same applies to other intensive thermal methods. The system includes contrast showers, baths with infusions, sea-salt baths, brush massage, and turpentine baths. According to the description of the system, turpentine baths should be carried out strictly according to a schedule.

Hyperthermic baths are separately described as procedures performed under medical supervision. This is fundamentally important for safety. Intensive methods from older descriptions should not be transferred into home practice without understanding the contraindications.

Can age affect blood circulation

As people age, they often become less active. They sit more, walk less, and do physical work less often. Therefore, I would not connect changes only with the number in a person’s passport.

Zalmanov’s system focuses on lifestyle and the condition of the capillary network. Regular movement and reasonable warmth have a noticeable place in it. At the same time, I do not promise that several procedures will restore any type of disorder.

Cold feet, heaviness, or other unpleasant sensations can have different causes. A diagnosis cannot be made from a single sign. If complaints persist, especially with a chronic disease, the cause needs to be determined with a doctor.

I always distinguish between a preventive routine and treatment of a disease. Capillaries are important for the body, but an article about them does not replace an examination or prescribed treatment.

How I recommend starting to work with the capillaries

You can start with the simplest things. Daily brisk walking for 30–40 minutes, comfortable warmth in the evening, and regular ventilation do not require complicated equipment. The breathing practice can be performed three times a day, with ten calm, deep breaths and exhalations.

Then I look at the person more broadly. How are the intestines working? Are there problems with the liver or kidneys? Is there enough movement? Does the person spend the whole day in the cold or in stuffy conditions?

That is why I talk about Zalmanov’s system rather than one procedure. Warmth does not replace movement. Breathing does not cancel out a normal routine. Each area in this system is considered in connection with the others.

If capillaries and blood circulation have been bothering you for a long time, you should not try to perform all the methods at once. Start with a clear routine and study the complete system step by step. I explain the detailed sequence in my books, especially in “The ABC of Health.”

Caution

Thermal procedures are not suitable for everyone. In the description of the system, hypertension, myocarditis, myocardial infarction, acute phlebitis, and a number of other conditions are listed among the contraindications to certain hyperthermic baths. Therefore, people with heart and vascular diseases should agree on thermal procedures with a doctor.

The same applies to varicose veins and hypertension. The temperature, duration, and type of procedure should take the person’s condition into account. Particular caution is needed with intensive methods that require supervision.

Prescribed treatment should not be stopped in favor of capillary procedures. If there is a chronic disease, pronounced weakness, or persistent complaints, the routine should first be discussed with a doctor. I prefer to start with simple actions: movement, comfortable warmth, and calm breathing. Complex baths and wraps should not be chosen based only on a general description.

When do you need a doctor

If heaviness in the legs, circulation problems, weakness, or other complaints persist, the cause needs to be determined. Such symptoms should not automatically be attributed to “closed capillaries.” Different conditions can have different mechanisms.

With heart and vascular diseases, it is especially important to receive a medical assessment before thermal procedures. This applies both to hypertension and to conditions in which thermal stress may be undesirable.

My task in this article is to show the general principle of Zalmanov’s system, not to make a diagnosis. I believe it is useful to start with simple habits and not use them as a substitute for necessary medical care.

Boris Wydoff — naturopath and author, Ph.D. in nutrition. For over fifty years I have helped people restore health through nutrition, cleansing and the power of the mind — in Europe, America and Asia. About the author →

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