Grape Juice & Food Seasonings
Grape Juice
Another great beverage for DVT is grape juice—and yes, that even means wine! Purple grapes have been found to contain flavonoids, a nutrient found in plants that seems to offer quite a few potential health benefits. These include controlling platelet build up and fibrin production, both of which can influence blood clotting. A glass of grape juice or wine per day may provide sufficient flavonoids to help keep your veins in order, but don't go overboard with them—excessive alcohol and sugar consumption can lead to health problems of their own.
Food Seasonings
Although you probably want to keep your salt intake low—high sodium consumption isn’t great for the heart—that doesn’t mean your food has to be bland on a DVT diet. Lots of other spices and seasonings have high levels of salicylates, which is a compound that can keep your blood from clotting as much. These include:
- Curry
- Paprika
- Thyme
- Turmeric
- Ginger
- Dandelion
- Gingko
- Licorice
- Peppermint.
Cinnamon is also a natural anticoagulant because of a chemical it contains called coumarin, which promotes blood thinning. However, it’s important to discuss using cinnamon with a doctor beforehand, as it can interact with prescription anticoagulants. Additionally, cinnamon may cause liver damage when used long term.
Finally, garlic is another seasoning with a reputation for keeping blood clots under control. Known for being a natural blood thinner, regular garlic consumption can be great for the cardiovascular system as a whole. Garlic also has great antioxidant properties, which another boon for blood clotting and a healthy heart.
Did you know...
- Does your job make you stressed? We all know that stress is psychologically bad for you, but it also has an effect on…your allergies? A Harvard Medical School study has shown that stress causes your allergies to become worse because your body's defense response loses efficacy when repeatedly triggered by stress. Then, when you really need to physically fight something off, you're less able to!
- Do you know what the strongest muscle in your body is? No, it’s not your biceps or your thighs. It’s actually in your head. The masseter is a muscle in the jaw that is used when chewing. When all of the muscles of the jaw work together, they can exert a force as strong as 200 pounds on the molars. That’s some serious pressure.
- Are you currently or often tired? As contradictory as it may sound, one of the best things you can do is exercise! It gives you more energy by improving your blood flow and increasing your oxygen throughout your body. You don't need to do much; a brisk walk is all it takes!
- A hearty laugh is good for the heart. Laughing can increase blood flow by 20%. Additionally, looking on the bright side can help you live longer. Studies have shown that a more optimistic outlook is linked to a healthier heart, lower blood pressure, and a lower risk for coronary artery disease.
- Have you ever told your husband something and he promptly forgets it? It's not his fault, actually. It really is because he's a man. The hippocampus (the part of the brain that deals with memory) begins to shrink with age faster in men than it does in women. That's why you can remember everything, and he can't!