Can birth control pills increase blood viscosity?
Women have a specific risk factor – the use of contraceptives. The hormones they contain simulate the onset of pregnancy and, due to this effect, ovulation is suppressed. Nature provides a mechanism to protect the woman’s body from excessive blood loss during childbirth. It also manifests itself in blood thickening. Tablets reproduce a similar effect when used regularly.
Groups of women who have a tendency to increase blood viscosity have been identified:
- age after 35 years;
- obesity;
- hereditary predisposition to thrombosis;
- injury or surgery;
- smoking;
- high blood pressure;
- increased blood cholesterol;
- diabetes;
- systemic lupus erythematosus;
- renal failure.
Blood thinning with folk remedies
A few slices of lemon a day helps reduce blood viscosity and this is not a myth. The fruit has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and has blood-thinning properties due to the content of ascorbic acid.
Baking soda is considered a universal remedy not only in the kitchen, but also in medicine. Drinking baking soda helps eliminate blood viscosity and reduce alkalinity in it.
Experts recommend consuming cranberries for blood thickening. You can make fruit drinks or juices based on berries. Cranberries contain salicylic and benzoic acid, which perfectly thin the blood and strengthen blood vessels. Calcium and copper in the berry tone the heart and relieve spasms.
Nutmeg will help bring the blood condition back to normal. You can add it as a seasoning to your food or drink a glass of spices at night. It dilates blood vessels, improves heart function and lowers blood pressure.
One of the most popular folk recipes for reducing blood density is mumiyo. It contains components of organic and inorganic origin that normalize the cardiovascular system. You can take it in courses, diluting 1 gram per 1 liter of warm water.
Prunes contain a large percentage of iodine, fiber and vitamins A, B and E. Dried fruit normalizes metabolism, the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.
Signs of violation
Increased blood viscosity usually does not give clear clinical symptoms at the initial stages of development or with mild changes in the rheological properties of the blood. It may be discovered accidentally during examination. This is due to the fact that the first signs resemble banal overwork or age-related changes:
- dizziness;
- noise in the head;
- headache with a feeling of heaviness;
- blurred vision;
- numbness in the fingers, tingling in the legs;
- dry mouth.
If the factor that caused blood thickening acts for a long time, then the pathology is accompanied by the following manifestations:
- itching of the skin, especially after water procedures;
- daytime drowsiness and nighttime insomnia;
- heartache;
- frequent appearance of bruises on the body;
- rapid blood clotting during cuts, and at the advanced stage - bleeding due to the massive consumption of coagulation factors;
- renal colic.
Ginkgo biloba will thin the blood.
Ginkgo biloba reduces blood viscosity, dissolves blood clots and prevents their formation. With the help of this amazing tree, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis , impotence, vegetative-vascular dystonia, headaches, depression and much more are treated. Tincture: 50 grams of dry leaves pour 0.5 liters of vodka. Leave for 2 weeks, take 1 tsp. 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. The course is a month, a week break, then repeat. Take 3 courses, break for 6 months, then repeat.
Why is thick blood dangerous?
The main complication caused by increased blood viscosity is the formation of clots in the bloodstream (thrombosis). They block movement through deep veins, vessels of the extremities, internal organs, and brain. The consequences of blood thickening are:
- venous thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, when part of the blood clot breaks off, pulmonary embolism develops;
- myocardial infarction, unstable angina;
- encephalopathy;
- stroke;
- abdominal toad, ischemic colitis;
- kidney infarction;
- obliterating atherosclerosis.
Acute disorders of coronary and cerebral circulation, pulmonary thromboembolism become causes of death if a predisposition to thrombosis is not detected in a timely manner and treatment is not started.
Watch the video about the causes of thick blood:
How can you thin your blood?
In the presence of underlying diseases occurring with high blood viscosity syndrome, therapy is required aimed at compensating for their manifestations. For preventive purposes, special nutrition and folk remedies are used. If circulatory and microcirculation disorders are detected or there is a high risk of thrombosis, antiplatelet agents are indicated that prevent clots from forming.
Products
The main factor in thinning the blood is sufficient drinking regimen. You need to determine your individual fluid norm. For people without a tendency to edema and congestion, the norm is 30 ml per kilogram of weight. To prevent thrombosis, it is important to drink it correctly. For convenience, the entire amount of water for the day should be poured into one container in order to control the volume drunk.
Drinking regime for blood thinning
A single dose is 100 ml. The largest part should be drunk from morning to 18 o'clock in the afternoon, and before bedtime, take the remaining 100 ml. If the menu includes coffee or strong tea, then for each cup you need to drink an additional half glass. For heart failure and renal edema, the dose is calculated individually, usually it averages 1-1.2 liters. The best option is ordinary purified water without gas.
Products that improve blood flow include:
- lemons,
- grapefruit,
- ginger,
- garlic,
- vegetable oil,
- fish fat,
- nuts,
- seafood,
- Apple vinegar,
- tomatoes,
- dark chocolate (bitter),
- bell pepper,
- cherry,
- cranberry,
- melon,
- blueberry,
- Strawberry wild-strawberry,
- wheat sprouts,
- pumpkin,
- cucumbers,
- zucchini.
Thicken the blood: meat and meat broths, smoked meats, sausage, canned food, marinades, fatty sour cream, cream and cottage cheese, sweets, white flour products, salty, spicy and fried foods, offal, semi-finished products. They should be excluded from the diet as much as possible to prevent thrombosis. There are also foods that need to be limited. This means that they should not be on the menu every day. This list includes:
- buckwheat,
- legumes,
- bananas,
- mango,
- white grapes,
- cabbage,
- leafy greens.
The optimal diet for the prevention of vascular diseases and thrombotic complications is the Mediterranean diet and vegetarian diet.
They provide for the limitation or exclusion of meat and decoctions, the predominant introduction of vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, vegetable protein and unsaturated fatty acids into the diet.
Traditional methods
Medicinal plants that improve blood flow include:
- raspberry leaves, black currant, ginkgo biloba, fireweed, lemon balm;
- clover and chestnut flowers;
- sweet clover grass, meadowsweet;
- bark from willow and cherry branches.
A decoction of black currant leaves to thin the blood.
They are brewed separately or included in the collection. To improve blood circulation and prevent coronary thrombosis, the following phytocomposition is recommended:
- lemon balm leaves – 20 g,
- valerian root – 30 g,
- clover flowers – 20 g,
- hawthorn fruits – 30 g.
Prepare a decoction from a tablespoon of the collection and a glass of boiling water in a water bath for 15 minutes. Strain and take 40 minutes before lunch and dinner.
In the morning, tonic tea is useful. To prepare it, you need to grate 5 cm of fresh ginger root and pour in a liter of boiling water, cook for 10 minutes, add half a coffee spoon of cinnamon and 3 clove buds, cook for another 5-7 minutes, leave and filter. The resulting tea is drunk with lemon juice and half a teaspoon of honey.
Watch the video about ways to thin thick blood:
Herbal medicine, herbs for blood thinning
Blood thinning at home can be achieved without medications. Herbal medicine - herbal treatment - will help with this.
Peppermint contains a component - salicylate, which affects blood clotting. In addition, the herb has a beneficial effect on the intestines, having a calming effect. Salicylate contains not only peppermint, but also licorice, providing a therapeutic and preventive effect on thrombosis.
A plant called Melilot officinalis has a blood-thinning effect due to the active substance dicumarol. Meadowsweet and white willow bark contain salicylic acid, which has the same effect as an Aspirin tablet. The herb Ginko biloba reduces blood clotting and thins it, dilates blood vessels and strengthens their walls.
Drugs “Aspirin”, “Cardiomagnyl”, “Thrombo ACC” and others
Acetylsalicylic acid and drugs based on it (Aspirin Cardio, Lospirin, Trombo ACC, Cardiomagnyl, Magnicor) are effective means for improving blood rheology. They are indicated for the prevention of ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction, as well as after their occurrence, to prevent recurrent vascular accidents.
They are also used during coronary artery bypass surgery and a stent installed for the prevention of thromboembolism. Contraindicated for gastric ulcers, severe kidney failure, liver failure, and blood diseases. Use with caution for allergies and bronchial asthma.
In addition to acetylsalicylic acid, the following may be prescribed to reduce blood viscosity:
- "Curantil": recommended after operations, including on blood vessels, to prevent cerebrovascular accidents;
- Plavix: the antiplatelet effect appears later than acetylsalicylic acid, but it is stronger and lasts longer. Recommended for obstruction of the arteries of the lower extremities, in vascular surgery and for the prevention of stroke. Can replace aspirin if it is intolerant;
- "Ipaton": similar in action to "Plavix", is used to prevent acute disorders of cerebral and coronary blood flow.
We recommend reading the article on prothrombin time. From it you will learn about factors affecting accuracy, taking plasma for analysis, and Quick indicators. And here is more information about blood acidity.
Increased blood viscosity occurs with an increase in the number of red blood cells, a decrease in the plasma part or its increased density. Occurs due to illness, drinking and eating disorders, smoking, and the use of contraceptives in tablets. It manifests itself as vascular thrombosis, blockage of the arteries of the lungs and extremities, infarction of internal organs and myocardium, and stroke.
For treatment and prevention, it is recommended to follow a diet, sufficient water intake, folk remedies and medications.
Features of blood thinning after 50-60 years
Elderly people are at risk and most often suffer from poor blood clotting. This is one of the common complaints that is the cause of many diseases. After 50-60 years, the blood becomes more viscous and blockage of blood vessels occurs. Proper nutrition and blood thinning medications will help restore blood properties and improve the situation.
Causes of poor blood clotting in pensioners:
- frequent exposure to heat;
- poor quality nutrition;
- accumulation of toxins in the body;
- Sedentary lifestyle;
- poor metabolism.
These facts have a detrimental effect on the condition of the skin and can provoke blood viscosity. In case of lethargy, memory loss, insomnia, muscle weakness, phlegm and fatigue, it is best to consult a doctor.
