Blood clots are made up of blood cells that clot to form lumps. It is a normal phenomenon and useful in case of cuts, but clots can also form inside the body in the absence of external injuries. In these cases they are dangerous because they can cause a stroke or heart attack. Unfortunately, it is not possible to eliminate them naturally without medical treatment. Blood clots need to be treated urgently, so if you have symptoms, see your doctor right away. He will likely prescribe anticoagulant therapy to dissolve them, or he may offer you a minor surgery to remove the solid mass. Next, you should take some steps to reduce the risk of the problem coming back.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Stimulate Blood Circulation
A sedentary lifestyle or inactivity exposes you to a higher risk of thrombosis because it favors the accumulation of blood in certain areas of the body. If you are forced to stand still for health reasons or have to go on a long journey where you can't move much, do your best to keep yourself active in order to stimulate circulation. This will not eliminate existing blood clots, but may prevent new ones from forming.
Step 1. Train every day to get your blood flowing
Regular exercise helps prevent blood buildup and clot formation. If sport is not part of your daily routine, change your lifestyle and try to move 5-7 days a week. It is best to do aerobic activity because it speeds up your heart rate, so focus on running, biking, swimming or cardiovascular training for best results.
- You don't have to overdo it. Even a walk a day helps you reduce the risk of thrombosis.
- In general, experts recommend doing 30 minutes of sport at least 5 times a week, for a total of 150 minutes in 7 days. They should be sufficient to decrease the risk of blood clots that can occlude large arterial vessels.
Step 2. Start moving right away in case of surgery
People who have undergone surgery or have suffered a major injury run a higher risk of developing blood clots because they are forced to remain immobile for a certain period of time. As soon as you feel able, get up and move around every day to decrease the risk of blood clots.
It's a good start even if you can only get up and walk to the bathroom or another room in the house
Step 3. Get up and walk every 30-60 minutes if you have to spend a lot of time sitting
Whether it's working at a desk or sitting still for a long trip, a sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of thrombosis. Get up, walk and do some stretching once or twice an hour to stimulate blood circulation. Even 5 minutes of walking every hour reduces this risk.
- If you have suffered from thrombosis in the past, you should move more often. Consult your doctor for his opinion.
- The reverse is also true. The risk also increases if you stay on your feet for a long time. In this case, try to sit down every hour or stretch your muscles regularly to combat the stagnation of fluids.
Step 4. Flex your feet and legs if you can't get up and walk
If you can't get up - maybe you're on a plane - try taking some steps to stimulate blood circulation. Move your toes, flex your ankles and move your legs up and down. Even these small maneuvers help prevent clots from forming.
If there is enough space, try to bring your legs closer to your chest in order to stretch your entire lower body
Step 5. Change your position more often if you need to remain seated
It is an effective remedy for moving when there is no possibility to get up. Try to change your position, move the pressure from one side of your body to the other, lean on the armrests, lift one leg and so on. This will prevent the blood from stagnating in one place.
Part 2 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle
In addition to staying active, you can reduce the risk of blood clots by making additional lifestyle changes. These tips allow you to improve blood circulation, avoid stagnation of liquids and reduce the risk of thrombosis.
Step 1. Get slim if necessary
Overweight and obesity increase the risk of developing solid masses in the venous or arterial circulation. If you are overweight, consult your doctor to determine how much you should weigh. Then plan a training and nutrition regimen that suits your health needs to achieve this goal.
- Weight loss also helps to lower blood pressure and consequently reduce the risk of blood clots near major arterial vessels.
- Avoid drastic and extreme diets. They are bad for your health and later, once you stop, you regain all the lost kilos.
Step 2. Wear graduated compression stockings if you have suffered from venous thrombosis in the legs
They promote blood circulation in the lower limbs. Doctors generally recommend them to patients who are at high risk of having blood clots or who have suffered from venous thrombosis in the past. If your doctor recommends them, follow their advice on the correct use of this product.
- Usually, those who have to sit for a long time - like on an airplane - wear graduated compression stockings. Even if you don't always wear them, your doctor may instruct you to wear them on a flight as well.
- Graduated compression stockings only serve to prevent clots from forming, not to treat existing ones. Wait for the clot to dissolve completely before using them.
Step 3. Avoid crossing your legs
By keeping your legs crossed, you block blood circulation to the lower limbs and consequently the risk of leg thrombi increases. Sit over them for just a few minutes, then bring them back to a parallel position for circulation to resume.
After crossing them, move your feet slightly to stimulate the blood supply again
Step 4. Raise your legs above heart height to stimulate circulation
By holding them up, you help the circulatory system and prevent blood from pooling in your legs. If you are sitting on the sofa, try lying down and placing your feet on an armrest or pillow.
You can also put a shim under the area of the mattress that your legs rest on to keep them elevated while you sleep. However, do not put a pillow under your knees as it may impede circulation
Step 5. Stop smoking
In addition to numerous other problems with climbing, smoking increases the risk of thrombosis. If you smoke, you should stop as soon as possible. If not, never get into this habit.
Passive smoking can also cause health problems, so don't allow anyone to smoke indoors
Part 3 of 3: Changing Your Eating Style
A single change in diet is not enough to prevent blood clots from forming. However, a healthy diet helps keep fit and maintain cardiovascular health, thus also reducing the risk of thrombosis.
Step 1. Eat a healthy and balanced diet
A healthy diet helps you maintain normal body weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and improve cardiovascular health. All of this helps prevent the risk of thrombosis, so adjust your diet to eat right if necessary.
- Include a variety of foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in your diet. Consume at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day.
- Get protein from lean sources, including fish, chicken, beans, and nuts.
- Opt for whole grains to reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates.
- Avoid fatty foods, fried foods, salty or processed foods as much as possible. They can increase body weight and blood pressure.
Step 2. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration
Dehydration prevents blood from circulating properly, thereby increasing the risk of thrombosis. Drink plenty of water every day to keep yourself hydrated and limit this danger.
Generally, to promote body hydration, it is recommended to drink about 6-8 glasses of water per day. However, if you are thirsty or if your urine is dark yellow, you need to consume it in larger quantities.>
Step 3. Get at least 1g of omega-3s per day
Omega-3s improve cardiovascular health and help prevent blood clots. The main sources of these nutrients are fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring. You can also get them by eating nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils.
If your intake of these essential fats is insufficient, you can also take fish oil or a seaweed supplement to increase the dose. Consult your doctor and follow his recommendations on the best supplement for your health needs
Step 4. Follow a low sodium diet
Salt constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure, promoting the risk of thrombosis. Therefore, avoid very salty foods, such as fried foods or processed foods, and do not add more salt to your dishes in order to keep your sodium intake under control.
Generally, it is recommended to keep sodium intake below 2300 mg per day. If you have suffered from thrombosis in the past, your doctor may limit it further
Step 5. Limit your vitamin K intake to 90-120mcg per day
Although necessary for the body, this nutrient promotes the formation of blood clots. If you've already had this problem, too much vitamin K could increase your risk of thrombosis. So, try not to exceed 90-120 mcg per day to avoid relapse.
- Green leafy vegetables are very high in vitamin K, so eat only 1 serving per day. Choose vegetables that are low in this vitamin, such as beans and carrots.
- A high level of vitamin K could interact with blood thinners, such as warfarin. Consult your doctor if you are taking this drug to establish a safe intake of vitamin K.
Step 6. Drink alcohol in moderation
Alcohol can dehydrate the body and therefore increase the risk of thrombosis. If you like, limit yourself to 1-2 drinks a day to keep the problem from getting worse.
- Even a hangover is harmful. You risk getting dehydrated even if you consume 6 drinks in a single day, despite the fact that for the rest of the week you manage not to touch a drop of alcohol.
- If you have suffered from thrombosis in the past, your doctor may advise you to completely eliminate alcohol from your diet. In this case, follow its instructions.
Health Tips
While there are many ways to reduce the risk of developing blood clots, there are actually no do-it-yourself remedies. This is a health issue that needs to be treated urgently, so see your doctor if you have this suspicion. Once you have a prescription, you can take some steps to decrease the risk of relapse.
Advice
Common symptoms of thrombosis include swelling, redness, warmth, pain, and tingling in the area where the blood clot forms. For example, if you have a thrombus in the knee area, you may notice redness and swelling on the tibia
Warnings
- Thrombosis is a disease that involves immediate treatment, so don't try to treat it yourself.
- If you complain of a fast heart rate, shortness of breath, chest tightness, stabbing pain, confusion or dizziness, call the emergency room right away.
