Potatoes & Peppers
Potatoes
Keeping your weight under control is essential for fighting DVT and promoting cardiovascular health. And supplementing your diet with plenty of vegetables is one of the best ways you can accomplish this. In fact, one study showed that an increase of fruits and vegetables reduced the risk of clots by nearly half. There’s such a wide range of vegetables that have good things in them, it’s hard to pick just a few that are exceptionally great for DVT. However, B vitamins, B-6 in particular, seem to be good for clotting. Potatoes are a great source of vitamin B-6—in a just one cup of you'll receive about a third of your recommended daily amount.
However, be sure to monitor your potato intake carefully. They're a bit higher in calories than most other vegetables, which may give you problems in terms of maintaining a healthy weight.
Peppers
If you like to keep things spicy, peppers are a great addition to your DVT diet. Peppers tend to be high in vitamin C, which we already know is good for the veins—cayenne pepper is especially good for improving blood pressure and circulation. Bell peppers have a decent amount of vitamin E and vitamin B-6, and both of these can promote healthy clotting. They're also a decent source of fiber, which some experts theorize is good for DVT and clotting because it reduces the need for you to strain while going to the bathroom. This keeps excessive amounts of pressure off the veins in the lower half of the body—the exact place where DVT occurs.
Did you know...
- 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.
- Need a quick cool down? Try drinking some hot liquid. It's true! As counterintuitive as it may seem, the heat from hot liquids will raise your body temperature. This will heat you up and cause you to sweat. The increased perspiration will wind up helping you feel cooler as it evaporates. Try it out!
- There are many factors that contribute to your body odor, but one of the strongest links is our diet. This may be some bad news for meat-lovers because many studies have shown that those who refrained from or ate less red meat were judged as being more pleasant smelling. The meat sweats are real, and they don’t smell great!
- Just saying the words "thank you" can measurably improve your mood. Researchers can actually measure happiness and changes in brain structure when people practiced regular "grateful thinking." This included things like writing thank you notes, writing gratitude journal entries, mindfully counting their blessings, and thanking friends. It may be helpful in overcoming depression!
- 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!