You don’t have to exercise hard. Even a daily walk is good to lower your risk for blood clots. In general, experts recommend getting 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 days during the week, for a total of 150 minutes per week. This should be enough activity to lower your blood clot risk.
Even if you can only get up and walk to the bathroom or another room of your home, that’s a good start.
If you’ve had clots in the past, you may need to move around more often. Talk to your doctor for their recommendation. The reverse is true as well. If you stand in one place for a long time, you could also be at risk for clots. Try sitting down every hour or stretching out regularly to stay mobile.
If you have enough room, try pulling your legs up to your chest as well. This stretches out your whole lower body.
Losing weight can also lower your blood pressure, which reduces your risk of blood clots further. Avoid crash or extreme dieting. This is bad for your health and people often regain weight after they stop an extreme diet. [7] X Research source
People often wear compression stockings if they’ll be seated for a long time, like on a plane. Even if you don’t wear them all the time, your doctor might tell you to wear them during flights. Compression stockings are only meant to prevent clots from forming, not treat active ones. Wait until your initial clot clears to use them. [9] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
After you uncross your legs, try wiggling your feet around a bit to stimulate blood flow again.
You can also elevate the end of your bed to keep your legs up while you sleep. However, don’t place a pillow under your knees to do this. This could cut off circulation.
Secondhand smoke could also cause health problems, so don’t let anyone smoke in your home.
Include plenty of produce in your diet for vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Have at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Get your proteins from lean sources like fish, poultry, beans, or nuts. Switch to whole-wheat products to reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates. Avoid fatty, fried, salty, or processed foods as much as possible. These can all raise your weight and blood pressure.
The common recommendation is for everyone to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day, which should keep most people hydrated. However, if you feel thirsty or your urine is dark yellow, then drink some more water.
If you’re unable to get enough omega-3s from your regular diet, you can also take a fish oil or algae supplement for a higher dose. Talk to your doctor and follow their recommendations for the right supplement.
The official recommendation for general health is to keep your sodium intake below 2,300 mg per day. If you’ve had clots in the past, your doctor may restrict your sodium intake further.
Leafy green vegetables are very high in vitamin K, so only have 1 serving per day. Then switch to vegetables with less vitamin K like beans or carrots. High vitamin K levels could interact with blood thinners like warfarin. Talk to your doctor if you’re on this medication to determine a safe vitamin K level.
Binge drinking is harmful as well. Even if you only have 6 drinks in a week, having them all on the same day will dehydrate you. If you’ve had clots in the past, your doctor might recommend that you cut alcohol out of your diet entirely. Follow these instructions if your doctor suggests this.
