Text taken from the Natural Remedies Encyclopedia (America's Master Book of Hopme Remedies) by Vance Ferrell and Harold M. Cherne, M.D (4th Edition completely revised and expanded).  Contains over 11,000 inexpensive home remedies and covers over 730 diseases and disorders (Harvestime Books).

NATURAL REMEDIES--DIET--RAYNAUD'S 

 * Drink enough WATER, but NOT SOFT DRINKS.

* Eat a HIGH-FIBER DIET which includes some PSYLLIUM SEED, to help clean the colon.  Eat slow-cooked GRAINS and a LOW-PROTEIN diet.

 * Take VITAMIN E (80-1,200 units per day), UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS (wheat germ oil, etc.), TRYPTOPHAN.  Take CALCIUM (2,000 mg daily) and MAGNESIUM (1,000 mg daily).  Get enough IRON in your diet. 

* Sprinkle a small amount of CAYENNE on your food to increase circulation.  Other helpful herbs include GARLIC, GINKGO, GINGER, BIOBA EXTRACT, and PAU D'ARCO.

* Eat a warm soup which includes CAYENNE, GARLIC, AND GINGER.  It will really warm you!  The warming power of cayenne is legendary.  A research study found that garlic improves blood flow in the legs.  Chinese herbalist give ginger to treat cold fingers and feet.

* Spinkle CAYENNE in your shoes, to keep your feet warm.

* AVOID FATTY, FRIED, AND JUNK FOODS.  At least 50% of your diet should be RAW FOOD.  Avoid food items which tend to bother you (ALLERGENIC FOODS).  Avoid caffeine (CAFFEINE, TEA, SOFT DRINKS, CHOCOLATE).  Caffeine restricts blood flow.  Use a FAT-FREE, SUGAR-FREE DIET.  Sugar increases blood viscosity as well as triglycerides.  Avoid food SEASONINGS. 

* Do not take any TOBACCO product or use ALCOHOL.  Nicotine causes constriction of the blood vessels and it produces plaque in them, both of which reduce blood flow.  Do not even be in the same room where someone is smoking. 

OTHER HELPS

* KEEP HANDS AND FEET WARM.  This is important.  It might be well to select a WARMER CLIMATE in which to live.  DRESS WARMLY at all times.  Always wear GLOVES in cold weather (mittens will keep you even warmer).  Wear SHOES.  Do not walk without them when it is cooler, even in the house.  Wear extra warm SOCKS in the winter.  Gloves, mittens, and shoes should be warm before putting them on, since it is difficult for one with this problem to warm them.  Wear SHOES which breathe, so you do not end up with damp, cold feet.  If you have a tendency for your socks to become damp, try to change them halfway through the day.  It is important that you wear a WARM HAT in cold weather.  An uncovered head loses a lot of heat. 

* Avoid contact with COLD OBJECTS, even for brief moments.  While preparing meals, use TEPID, not cold, WATER.

* Whan an attack occurs, IMMERSE THE BODY PART in warm (not hot) water, no warmer than 90 degrees (F).  Why not warmer water?  During an attack, without realizing it, one's skin can more easily burn.

* MASSAGING THE HANDS AND FINGERS every evening helds reduce the severity of the attacks, by stimulating blood circulation in that area.

* STRESSFUL SITUATIONS produce a spasm of the blood vbessels.  As much as possible, avoid such situations.  KEEP CALM, CHEERFUL, AND RELAXED.  PLAN AHEAD and avoid scheduling pressures.  Trust in God and belive He will care for you.  VIgorous outdoor EXERCISE will strengthen the entire body and also relax it.  Exercise tends to neutralize the attitude and effects of stress.

* Medicinal drugs for Raynaud's do not seem to help.  The side effects outweigh the benefits (ergot, beta-blocking drugs, cytotoxic agents, etc.).  Do not take BIRTH CONTROL PILLS.

* Avoid MACHINERY WHICH VIBRATEES the hands.  In one study, 50% of pneumatic drill workers had Raynaud's, compared with 5.6% for the average population.  Such equipment includes chain saws, metal grinders, stone cutters, lathes, and manual typewriters. 

* SUNBATHING is helpful; for it strengthens both the body and the blood. 

* One physician (Donald McIntyre) suggests occasionally SWINGING THE ARMS IN CIRCLES, 80 twirls per minute, to throw blood into the hands.  He says to do it as a pitcher does it:  swinging the arm up from the back and then hard downward in front.  It has been found that those with back problems can swing their arms entirely in front of the body with the same beneficial effect on the hands (upward from the trunk and donward to the side). 

* Here are several PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS during cold weather:  Before driving to work in the morning, start your car.  Turn on the heater and let it warm up.  Arrange for parking close to your employment.  Dress warmly, including warm hat and gloves, outdoors.  Even indoors, put on extra clothing if you need to.  Purchase thermal gloves and socks.  Try not to touch cold metal with your bare hands.  Cover outside door knobs and keys with rubber caps.  Wash produce in lukewarm, not cold, water.  Check wheather you are taking drugs which interfere with your circulation.  Do not drink cold drinks.  Drink enough fluids, to maintain a good blood volume and circulation.

ENCOURAGEMENT--Talk with Jesus as though He were right by your side.  If there is a place you cannot go with Jesus, then do not go there.  If there is anything you cannot watch or listen to with Him, then turn away from it immediately.  John 1:12.