Stopping blood clots before they happen

Blood clotting, or coagulation, is an important process that prevents excessive bleeding when a blood vessel is injured. Platelets (a type of blood cell) and proteins in your plasma (the liquid part of blood) work together to stop the bleeding by forming a clot over the injury.

Signs and Symptoms of Blood Clots: Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

and Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

Deep Vein Thrombosis:

Signs and Symptoms

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins of your body, usually in your legs, but sometimes in your arm.  The signs and symptoms of a DVT include:

• Swelling, usually in one leg (or arm)
• Leg pain or tenderness often described as a cramp or Charley horse
• Reddish or bluish skin discoloration
• Leg (or arm) warm to touch

These symptoms of a blood clot may feel similar to a pulled muscle or a “Charlie horse,” but may differ in that the leg (or arm) may be swollen, slightly discolored, and warm.

Pulmonary Embolism:

Signs and Symptoms

Clots can break off from a DVT and travel to the lung, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE), which can be fatal.  The signs and symptoms of a PE include:

• Sudden shortness of breath
• Chest pain-sharp, stabbing; may get worse with deep breath
• Rapid heart rate
• Unexplained cough, sometimes with bloody mucus

Call an ambulance or 911 immediately for treatment in the ER if you experience these Pulmonary Embolism symptoms.

Blood clots form when platelets (blood components) and plasma proteins thicken, forming a semisolid mass. This process may be triggered by an injury or it can sometimes occur inside blood vessels that don't have an obvious injury.

Once these clots form, they can travel to other parts of your body, causing harm. Factors and conditions that can cause troublesome blood clots, as well as serious conditions that are associated with blood clots, include:

• Antiphospholipid syndrome
• Arteriosclerosis / atherosclerosis
• Certain medications, such as oral contraceptives, hormone therapy drugs and some breast cancer medications
• Deep vein thrombosis(DVT)
• Factor V Leiden
• Family history of blood clots
• Heart arrhythmias
• Hiatal hernia
• Heart failure
• Obesity
• Peripheral artery disease
• Polycythemia vera
• Pregnancy
• Prolonged sitting or bed rest
• Pulmonary embolism(blood clot in an artery in the lung)
• Smoking
• Stroke
• Surgery

Video: How cots form

https://youtu.be/ac_om5HCjvg

Here Are Recommendations To Help Reduce The Risk Of Blood Clots:

• Increase physical activity:Maintain a healthy weight
  • Exercise your legs frequently while you’re sitting
  • Exercise regularly (goal: at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, 5-days per week)
  • Get up and walk around every 2 to 3 hours
• Stop smoking! (and avoid second-hand exposure)
• Reduce stress (read how stress increases inflammation on our prior blog post)
• Limit alcohol consumption to 1 serving per day (preferably red wine)
• Consume an anti-cancer/anti-inflammatory diet
• The active ingredient in aspirin is a plant-derived compound called a “salicylate.” Instead of taking a baby aspirin, you could simply consume foods that have high salicylate content (as well as many anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients):

• Fruits:
  • apricots
  • oranges
  • blackberries
  • pineapple
  • blackcurrant
  • plums
  • blueberries
  • prunes
  • raspberries
  • strawberries
  • grapes
  • cranberries
  • tangerines
  • tomatoes
• Spices, herbs and others:
  • curry
  • cayenne
  • paprika
  • thyme
  • turmeric
  • ginger
  • dandelion
  • gingko
  • licorice
  • peppermint
• Wine
• Vinegar
• Honey
• Cider

• 
• Consume foods that are rich in vitamin E or omega-3 fatty acids (both of which have blood thinning properties and may reduce the risk of blood clots):
  • Sources of omega-3 fatty acids include:
    • Fatty fish (i.e.  anchovies, salmon, lake trout, herring, mackerel) and fish oil
    • Plant sources (i.e. flaxseed, sunflower seeds, canola oil, corn oil, safflower oil, soy)
  • Vitamin E rich foods include:
    • Nuts (i.e. walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
    • Vegetable oils (i.e. canola oil, sunflower oil, palm oil)
    • Lentils (i.e. chickpeas)
    • Oats and wheat
  • Other foods and supplements that reduce blood clotting:
    • Curcumin
    • Polyphenol-rich foods
    • Vitamin C
    • Nattokinase(a compound produced during soy fermentation; found only in natto, which smells like very dirt socks, so unless you can stomach that scent I suggest taking nattokinase supplements)
    • Garlic
    • Gingko biloba

LINK: FOOD THAT REDUCE INFLAMMATION