Preventive measures

First of all it is important to understand that show the real state of the blood at the moment helping analyzes. They will be able to identify an increased platelet count. For these patients requires treatment to reduce dangerous increase in their number.
If all tests are normal, a little too relaxed, too, not worth it.

Platelets can collapse and start to stick together due to narrowing of blood vessels on the background of stress, dehydration, improper diet. Some drugs thicken the blood and become a health hazard. For example, hormonal contraceptives very often cause the formation of thrombi in women. If your doctor has prescribed oral contraceptives, a woman should be extremely cautious.

Danger of women smoking, which is ten times increases the risk of the formation of a conglomerate of platelet cells. In this case, even dehydration on the background of physical activity can be threatening. When the plasma is sufficient platelets float quietly and do not stick to each other. When they begin to dehydration as the magnets attract and form clots of various sizes. If at this point in the blood are also destructive chemical properties, such as alcohol, thrombotic practically avoided. The fact is that alcohol affects the platelet surface and makes the blood clot more than stable, which is very difficult to break down the body itself.

Especially need to be careful in infectious diseases and to monitor their condition, because the infection may adversely affect the rheological properties of blood and cause a blood clot in the heart or brain.

Proper blood circulation

If there are problems with the vessels, the mechanical impacts may cause blood clots. Too tight clothing, by displacement of one leg the other - are cases when as a result of slow blood platelets can settle and close. Stagnation of blood for patients with varicose veins can lead to the formation of blood clots in the deep veins. This clot can behave quite "relaxed", but after a while he can advance through the bloodstream to the lungs, brain or heart.

To maintain normal blood circulation need to move more. Very good help to normalize the blood flow swimming, walking. If signs of impaired blood circulation in the form of numbness, bruising, bluish spots needed urgent hospitalization.

Products, thickening the blood

From the diet should be excluded thickening blood products. These include:

- Fatty foods;
- sausages;
- Bananas;
- Soups, jelly;
- Herbal innocuous at first glance, but capable of provoking dangerous blood density. For example, the diuretic herbs to eliminate swelling may eventually become instigators of thrombosis;
- Salt. Do not forget about the limitations of the salt. Although she holds a liquid and, in fact, increases the amount of blood, but it adversely affects the vascular condition, can negatively affect the state of platelet walls.

What is surprising is that the blood clot in the blood - probably the only significant factor in determining whether you have a heart attack, stroke, or blood vessel damage. Now experts know that the thrombotic factors - blood fluidity, the viscosity and stickiness, tendency to form blood clots and increase them - play a crucial role. And food has on these factors have a huge impact. Experimental evidence suggests that the major effect on the power development of heart disease is associated primarily with thrombotic factors, not with cholesterol in the blood. And the benefit from the use of products that affect these factors, is quite significant.

The famous French physician, Dr. Serge Renaud S., argues that the prevention of the formation; blood clots can dramatically reduce the chances of a heart attack during the year, while lowering cholesterol needs more time to achieve the same effect. However, many products also affect what and to another (eg, onion and garlic), so you'll get a double benefit.

Everyone knows that killing a person is not cholesterol. It can kill a blood clot that forms on cholesterol plaque in the arteries. Dr. David Krichevsky, Wistar Institute, Philadelphia
Once cardiologists believed that heart attacks are caused by cardiac arrhythmias, which are due to narrowing of the arteries due to accumulation of plaque. But now it is widely believed that the immediate cause of 80-90% of heart attack and stroke - a blood clot.

Thrombus formation depends on several factors, the power supply to a large extent. One of them - this is how platelets - the smallest blood cells - tend to accumulate, forming clots, and sticking to the vessel walls. Another factor - fibrinogen, a blood protein that is a raw material for blood clots. High levels of fibrinogen in the blood - a key sign of heart disease and stroke.

The important role played by the fibrinolytic system that breaks down and dissolves the unnecessary and dangerous blood clots. The extent to which this system is active, as well as fibrinogen level - "the first determinant of heart disease," says Harvard cardiologist Dr. Victor Gourevitch.

How food can control the process of thrombosis

The doctors always warn patients not taking aspirin before surgery. They are afraid of "blood thinners", deterioration of its coagulation. From this may be difficult to stop the bleeding, causing complications and jeopardize the recovery. Blood should be phased out quickly to close the wound made by the scalpel.

But say if you ever the surgeon before the operation is not Chinese dishes? Or to avoid large doses of ginger, garlic, black mushrooms and fatty fish like salmon and sardines? The fact that these products - also anticoagulants, which can dramatically reduce blood clotting, often following the same biological mechanism as aspirin. They block the action of a substance called thromboxane, which slows down platelet aggregation (important stage of formation of blood clots).

Fatty foods such as cheese and steak make the blood thicker, because due to their platelets are more sticky and easier to gather in blood clots.

Furthermore, some products can increase or decrease the level of fibrinogen plays an important role in the formation of blood clots, as well as slow down or accelerate the process of dissolution of blood clots. There are also products which affect the viscosity and fluidity of blood by promoting thrombus formation, or preventing the appearance of which may cause clogging of blood vessels in the heart, brain, legs, and lungs. Sure, the regular use of some of them, even in very small quantities can have powerful pharmacological effects on the propensity to thrombosis of blood, and thus saved from cardiovascular catastrophe.

One of the most important means of combating heart attacks and strokes - if not the most important - is to eat foods that are beneficial to thrombus formation factors. Here's what you need and what not to eat.

Bow - a formidable opponent fats


To keep your blood does not form clots, eat onions as raw and cooked. Dr. Victor Gurevich Harvard advises all his patients with coronary artery disease every day to eat onions because substances in its composition slows down platelet aggregation and accelerate the process of dissolution of blood clots. Bow has a truly remarkable ability to resist the action of thrombogenic fatty foods. N. Gupta, a professor of medicine at the Medical College of CG in Lucknow (India) conducted a study: first he gave male subjects were very greasy lunch with butter and cream and found that the body's ability to dissolve blood clots have declined sharply . Then he gave them the same meal again, this time adding to its 60 g onions - raw, boiled or fried. Blood tests after two four hours showed that the bow completely blocked the harmful effects of fatty foods. To this was sufficiently lower half cup of onions.

As in the onion prevent the formation of blood clots? Possibly, quercetin, a powerful antioxidant with a wide spectrum of action. It helps block the formation of blood clots and the processes leading to the clogging of arteries. One Finnish study found that subjects who consumed the greatest amount of bioflavonoids, mainly quercetin, are least likely to become victims of fatal heart attacks. Most of quercetin found in red and yellow onions. In white it smaller. Incidentally, soon people will get at the disposal of heavy duty variety of onion. At the University of Wisconsin and the Cancer Research Center at MD Anderson The University of Texas scientists deduce grade, containing a large amount of quercetin and other nutrients. Many of quercetin in red wine, broccoli and tea.

Conclusion: eating fatty foods, do not forget the onions. Slice onion hamburger, pizza or omelet could have a counter thrombogenic properties of these fatty foods.

Dr. Jain Tips on how to thin the blood with the help of garlic



One of the most powerful and well-known part of anticoagulants in garlic called ahoenom. Here's how to get the greatest amount of garlic ahoena, according to Professor Mahendra K. Jain.

Do not chop the garlic, and push it. It releases enzymes and allicin, which turns into ahoen.
Lightly fry the garlic. Thermal treatment also helps.

Cook the garlic with the tomatoes and add it to the other acidic foods. Even a small amount of acid promotes the release ahoena.

Add the crushed garlic a little vodka to cover it with a horse, and let it brew for a few days without a cover. It also frees ahoen.

Yes, the old Russian folk prescription for blood thinners really helps, as the experiments of Dr. Jane showed. In addition, he found that many ahoena allocated and when mixed with crushed garlic, feta cheese and olive oil (this is known Greek remedy for heart disease).

Would you like a little bit of fish paste?


Fish - the best way to block the formation of blood clots, because it contains a lot of useful fatty type of omega-3 fatty acids. Almost all scientists explain the benefits that brings the fish's heart, its remarkable properties affect blood clotting. Since the cause of 80% of strokes are blood clots, oily fish can help prevent them, because it acts as a weak anticoagulant, inhibits the formation of blood clots. According to a recent Dutch study, men who consumed 20 or more grams of fish per day, half as likely to become victims of attacks than those who do not eat fish. Most likely, the fact that they produce less blood clots.

When you eat fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna or any other with a certain amount of fat, the fat begins to attack blood clots from different sides. It thins the blood, inhibiting platelet aggregation process and the action of fibrinogen, as well as facilitating the dissolution of blood clots. Paul Nestel, head of Human Nutrition Research Center in the Scientific and Technical Research Organization Union in Australia, and his colleagues found that consuming about 150 grams of salmon or sardines a day reduced the level of danger of fibrinogen by an average of 16% and increased bleeding time by 11% in thirty-one men. Interestingly, during the same study fish oil capsules had no effect on thrombus formation factors. One explanation, according to Dr. Nestela can be that fish contains substances other than fat that affect thrombotic factors.

Similar results were obtained by Harvard researchers. They suggested that the consumption of 195 grams of canned tuna can "thin the blood" is not less effective than aspirin. The antithrombotic effect was observed about four hours after eating tuna. In addition, this study also tuna proved more effective than fish oil capsules.

Wonderful Secret of fish oil, "blood thinner"

Eating oily fish literally changes the shape of platelets in the blood, and they can not engage with each other and form unwanted thrombi. It was opened by scientists from the US Department of Agriculture. When you eat fatty fish, your platelets secrete much less tromboksa-on, which gives them the team to come together. So says the researcher from the Agricultural Department, Ph.D. Norbert Chesnais.

Even more surprisingly, it becomes the cause of thromboxane platelets sticky. He causes them to turn into little balls and grow thorns which they cling to other platelets. In this state they are "activated" or "tapes", willing and able to come together in clots.

Thus, fish, thromboxane suppressing effects, maintains healthy platelet discoid shape, and they can not meet and form clots, bridging your arteries.

Conclusion: useful antithrombotic effect can be achieved by eating about 105 g of oily fish (mackerel, herring, salmon and sardines), or about 180 grams of canned tuna.

Wonderful anticoagulant in red wine



A couple of sips of red wine often thins the blood and inhibits the formation of blood clots. It is not only in alcohol but also in the other complex constituents of red wine. French scientists Senor Martin and Jacques Bonnet, MD, from the Cardiology Hospital in Pijesak, had a classic study, tested the effects of three alcohol on blood clots in fifteen healthy men.

Every day for two weeks, they drank half a liter of red or burgundy, white or burgundy or synthetic wine from water, alcohol and flavorings. Here are the results: Synthetic wine increased platelet skaplivaemost and reduced the level of "bad» LDL cholesterol. White wine is slightly increased level of harmful LDL and significantly increased the content of HDL good cholesterol, but had no effect on platelets. Red wine won a clear victory! It and reduced platelet skaplivaemost, and increased HDL cholesterol levels. Thus, according to the researchers, red wine has a unique anticoagulant properties that help protect the heart.

These results are supported by the French experiments on animals, which showed that the hazards of thrombosis (platelet adhesion or accumulation) inhibited red and white wine and a simple alcohol. However, fourteen hours later, the researchers found "rebound effect" after the white wine and alcohol. After the red wine the blood's ability to thrombosis was still reduced by 60%, while those who drank white wine, blood stickiness rose by 46%. For those who drank plain alcohol, the figure was 124%.

A possible exception is the one kind of white wine - champagne. It looks like it has anticoagulant and antithrombotic properties-mi, according to Dr. Serge Renaud, the famous French scientist. He explains that in the production of champagne the skin of the grape is often at fault for longer than the production of other varieties of white wine.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean Dr. John Folts of the Medical School of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and found that eating two and a half glasses of red wine reduces platelet stickiness, and hence their ability to form a life-threatening Rams by 40% during the forty-five minutes. Helps and red grape juice, he says, but to achieve the same effect, it requires three times as much.

What explains the opposition of red wine and grape juice blood clots? The French said they were not sure whether it is necessary knowledge, arguing that "the drug is already available in a highly digestible form." Scientists at Cornell University have suggested that the main active ingredient of wine, in this case - the resveratrol contained in the skin. Other researchers attributed antithrombotic effect of nitric oxide and some other antioxidants called polyphenols or flavonoids.

Why grapes affects the blood clots?


Bunch of grapes brings us joy. Every time on the vine gets a fungal infection, the berries are protected, highlighting a natural pesticide, just as the human body produces antibodies to fight infections. This pesticide plant also is an excellent remedy for people. Japanese researchers say that the substance - the main active ingredient in the ancient branch of Chinese and Japanese folk medicine dealing with diseases of the blood. Japanese made of this material, resveratrol, medication and tests have shown that it slows down the process of platelet accumulation and reducing body fat in the liver of animals.

If you drink red grape juice or red wine, you enter into the body a certain amount of resveratrol, says Leroy Creasy, Ph.D., professor of agricultural college at Cornell University. Dr. Creasy found high concentrations of this substance in red wine but not in white. Here's how he explains it: the production of red wines crushed grapes are fermented with the skins. In the production of the white wine grapes are pressed, and the peel, rich in resveratrol, discarded. Analysis conducted by Dr. Creasy thirty wines showed that most of resveratrol found in red Bordeaux, France, and the least - in a white burgundy.

In addition, Dr. Creasy found this anticoagulant in red (but not white) grape juice. He also believes that it requires three times greater than burgundy red wine, for the administration of the same amount of substance. Table grapes, sold in supermarkets is likely to contain little resveratrol because it is grown, carefully guarding against fungal infections and disease. However, according to Dr. Creasy, 450 g of grapes home may be the same amount of resveratrol as in two cups of red wine.

Conclusion: The regular intake of red wine in moderation for food, apparently, it promotes protivotrom-boticheskim processes and prevents heart disease. This means that women should drink a glass, and men - two per day. The use of alcohol in large amounts, as well as irregular are drinking wine, on the contrary, to promote the formation of blood clots and damage to blood vessels, and increase the risk of breast cancer. It is important to drink red wine with a meal so that it counteracted the harmful factors in other products.

Drink tea to keep arteries healthy


As unlikely as it may seem, but the tea really protects arteries from blood clots. In 1967, the British scientific journal «Nature» published unique pictures aortas of rabbits fed diet with high content of fat and cholesterol, as well as drinking water or tea. rabbit aorta who consumed tea, were much less damaged fat diet. Tea as the researchers concluded from laboratory-Lawrence Layvermora in California, almost completely protected the artery. In these experiments they inspired the observation that the artery in Chinese Americans who regularly drink tea, in a better condition than those of European Americans, prefer coffee. Coronary arteries are preserved better in the third, and cerebral - by two-thirds. Scientists are ahead of their time, supposing that the tea contains some mysterious substance without giving clog arteries.

Research presented at the first international scientific conference on the physiological and pharmacological effects of tea, which was held in New York in 1991, show that tea protects the arteries, affecting factors of thrombosis. The substances in its composition reduces blood clotting, and prevent the activation of platelet aggregation and stimulate the process of dissolution of blood clots and reduce the deposition of cholesterol in arterial walls. All it protects the arteries. During animal studies the equivalent of three cups of tea for a man causes a reduction in platelet accumulation and prevent the formation of blood clots.

One of the first researchers of tea due to atherosclerosis, Lu Fu-King, MD, professor and head of the department of internal medicine at the Medical University Zeydzhanga in China studied the effects of myocardial components of tea people. Dr. Lu said at the conference that the pigment of the usual black tea or green Asian reduced platelet accumulation in patients (as well as the production of thromboxane) and stimulated the process of dissolution of blood clots. Surprisingly, he said ordinary black tea, which is drunk Americans, and Asian green are equally effective. Scientists from the Japanese Central Research Institute of Itoen also noted that one kind of tannin called catechin contained in green tea inhibits platelet aggregation is not less active than aspirin. Furthermore, tea, apparently slows LDL cholesterol stimulation of cell proliferation of smooth muscles in the arteries. This reproduction contributes to the appearance of arterial plaques.

Vegetables - enemies of blood clots



To get rid of the likelihood of blood clots, eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C and fiber. Those who eat lots of fruits and vegetables, it is better to cope with the problem of blood clots, as demonstrated by one Swedish study of 260 middle-aged adults. Those who eat less fruit and vegetables, it turned out to be slower to dissolve blood clots. Other studies have shown that vitamin C and fiber, concentrated in fruits and vegetables, stimulates the process of dissolution of blood clots and help to slow down the accumulation of platelets.

In addition, the lowest level of fibrinogen, which causes blood clots seen in vegetarians, particularly strict, that do not consume any animal products, including eggs and milk. Probably, the reason is that in fruits and vegetables contain substances which lower the levels of fibrinogen, and animal fats and cholesterol increase it. In addition, vegetarians less viscous blood, than in meat eaters. The lower viscosity associated with lower blood pressure. So here is another way by which fruits and vegetables prevent heart disease.

Action fiery red pepper


Burning red chili peppers - the perfect remedy for blood clots. Proof of this came from Thailand where people eat as a condiment and appetizer, appetizing, red peppers and saturated with the blood of substances from it several times a day. Thai scientists have suggested that this is the main reason that among the Thais are so rare thromboembolism (life-threatening blood clots).

To confirm this theory, hematologist Cloth Visudhifan, MD, and his colleagues from Sirirayskoy Hospital in Bangkok, conducted an experiment. They are seasoned homemade pasta rice hot pepper at the rate of 2 teaspoons freshly ground cayenne hot pepper 200 g pasta (about a third of a cup). Then they gave the pasta with pepper sixteen healthy medical students. Subjects in the control group ate a simple pasta. Almost immediately the process of dissolution of blood clots in the first group of blood increased, but returned to normal after thirty minutes. In the second group of blood, evshey simple pasta, nothing happened.

Thus, the effect of hot peppers proved short-lived. However, Dr Visudhifan believes that frequent stimulation of the body in a similar way to purify the blood by blood clots, and so Thais are generally less likely to suffer from clogged arteries.

Other useful spice


Protect against malicious clots will help you and other spices. Krishna Srivastava of Odense University in Denmark studied the eleven kinds of spices and found that seven of them inhibit platelet aggregation. The most powerful were cloves, ginger, cumin and tumeric. "Carnation in this respect more effective aspirin", - said Dr. Srivastava. The main active ingredient in the nail - is, likely, eugenol, which also helps to preserve platelets original shape even after they "accumulated". Dr. Srivastava says that spices act on the prostaglandin system, about the same as aspirin, garlic and onions.

All these spices have reduced the production of thrombotic-Ksana - a powerful stimulator of platelet aggregation. Substances composed of ginger, according to Dr. Srivastava, more effectively slowing prostaglandin synthesis than the powerful drug indomethacin.

Ginger - is really a well-known anti-coagulant. It is discovered and Charles Dorsey MD from the Medical College of Cornell University. He ate a large amount of ginger brand «Crabtree & Evelyn» with grapefruit marmalade, which consisted of 15% of the ginger. When the changes in blood clotting, it is analyzed by mixing their blood platelets with an amount of ground ginger. The platelets become less sticky. Dorso doctor believes that the active substance in this case - dzhindzherol, part of ginger and aspirin-like chemical composition.

Warning: if you after a meal with spices stomach ache, do not use them. If you are taking anticoagulants, prior to adding to the diet of a large amount of ginger, blood thinner, check with your doctor.

Chinese black mushrooms - failsafe means

To protect yourself from blood clots, blood fill your medicine from the Asian black mushrooms called my-er, or "wood ear" (auriculariaceae mushrooms). These fungi are well known in Chinese medicine for their positive effect on the blood. Some consider them to be "invigorating elixir of longevity." And it is quite reasonable, according to Dale Hammerschmidt, MD, a hematologist from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Once he ate a large amount of "Mapo doufu" - Asian dishes with spices, beans and cheese, and then noticed a dramatic change in the behavior of their platelets. They are much less prone to congestion. The scientist concluded that this action on them had black fungus.

It appears, black mushroom (but not all, namely Chinese) contain a number of components of blood thinners, including adenosine, is also present in garlic and onions. Dr. Hammerschmidt suggests that the combination of such a large amount of blood thinning products in the Chinese diet - garlic, onions, ginger and black mushrooms - may explain why they have so rare coronary artery disease.

Olive oil - the enemy of blood clots


In addition to all the other virtues, even olive oil reduces the stickiness of blood platelets, which may explain its benefits to the arteries. For example, British researchers from the Royal Free Hospital and Medical School, London, were asked to volunteer to take three-quarters of a tablespoon of olive oil twice a day for eight weeks as a supplement to a normal diet. The ability of platelets to accumulate dropped sharply. Scientists have found that the platelet membrane contain more oleic acid (fatty acid in the basic composition of olive oil) and arachidonic fatty acid is less conducive to tackiness.

Upon receipt of the olive oil platelets also produce less of thromboxane A2, a substance provoking platelet aggregation. Thus, the researchers concluded that olive oil is good for the state of platelets, adding that this is one more explanation for why the people of the Mediterranean who use a lot of olive oil, suffer less from heart disease.

Large amounts of fat - the cause of blood clots

Do not abuse the fat, if you do not want to prevent the occurrence of blood clots in their blood. Undoubtedly, fatty food, not only increases the level of cholesterol, but also harms the blood in many other ways. Too much fat can also increase blood clotting and a tendency to form clots. So, a new study by researchers at the University Center of Southern Jutland in Denmark has shown that large amounts of saturated animal fats and polyunsaturated vegetable fats such as omega-6 (such as corn oil) increases blood levels of fibrinogen thrombogenic. In their study, healthy adults usually fed on fatty foods, for two weeks switched to different diets with a low-fat diet (32% of calories). All these diets reduce the tendency of blood clots by 10-15%. Many studies also confirm that fat, especially animal, slow down the dissolution of blood clots.

One experiment recently showed that fat from fatty meat remains in the blood stream and causes damage to four hours.

Breakfast, destroys clots

Scientists have long wondered why the majority of heart attacks occur in the first few hours after the victim wakes up. One reason may be that people skip breakfast, suggests a cardiologist Renata Sifkova of Newfoundland Memorial University in St. John's. She found that the refusal of breakfast increases the chances of blood clots is almost three times that makes a person more susceptible to heart attacks and strokes. Dr. Sifkova explains that the stickiness of blood clots following all night, and after you wake increases. But due to some mysterious reasons the use of food again makes platelets less sticky.

To test these hypotheses, as measured by activity of platelets in the blood, called beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) twenty-nine healthy men and women in those days, when they had breakfast and lunch. Beta-TG is an indicator of the ability of platelets to form clots. Dr. Sifkova found that the content of beta-TG in the days of skipping breakfast is on average two and a half times. It seems that one way to prevent platelets from becoming too sticky and make you a member of the risk of morning heart attacks - is breakfast.

Tips on nutrition to fight blood clots

Power, aimed at combating the formation of thrombi is probably the most important dietary measure that can be taken for the prevention of heart disease and strokes, even more important than the control of cholesterol levels. This is what will help you best:

- Eat oily fish, garlic, onions and ginger and drink red wine (in moderation). All this dilutes the blood and prevents blood clots formed;
- Limit fat intake, especially saturated animal and vegetable type of polyunsaturated omega-6;
- Try to eat the food at the same time, promotes the formation of blood clots, the products that prevent their appearance. These successful combinations include eggs with onions and smoked salmon, red wine with cheese, Mexican dish "chili con carne" (meat in a spicy sauce with red peppers and beans).

Warning: do not overdo it. If you are taking anticoagulants, or suffer from bleeding in your family had a brain haemorrhage, we need to eat food that thins the blood, in moderation. When a cause for concern, ask the doctor to check properly whether your blood clots.