In the event of an injury, such as a cut, a blood clot will allow your body to begin the healing process. In other instances, a blood clot can become life threatening, particularly when it occurs in the brain or lungs, Mayo Clinic reports. It is important to remain under the care of a doctor in order to determine the most effective and safe treatment for the development of your blood clots. Diet may play a role in your health, as well. Avoiding certain foods may help to prevent your blood clots from getting worse.
Cheese
While cheese is a good source of protein and calcium, it also contains a large amount of saturated fat, which may be dangerous if you have a blood clot, Jean Carper, notes in her book, "Food -- Your Miracle Medicine." Saturated fats slow your blood flow and may cause your blood platelets to stick together more easily. Sluggish and sticky blood will prevent your blood clots from dissolving, so restricting your intake of saturated fat may help to keep your blood flowing more quickly and easily. Ask your doctor about replacing full-fat cheeses with low-fat or part-skim varieties so you can still enjoy the taste of cheese in your diet without all of the saturated fat.
Cookies
Foods that contain high amounts of sugar, such as cookies, can lead to blood clots and prevent proper treatment of blood clots, Jean Carper reports in another of her books, "100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss." Rapid spikes in blood sugar, which happens when you eat cookies, can lead to the formation of blood clots because your blood is not able to move as efficiently as it is supposed to. Restrict your intake of cookies as well as other high-sugar foods such as cake, candy, pie and doughnuts. Foods made with white flour, such as white bread or white pasta, can cause similar problems and should be limited as well, Carper recommends.
Meat
Meat can lead to the formation of blood clots or can prevent an already existing blood clot from dissolving because it is high in fat, which causes the blood to stick together rather than flow through your vessels appropriately, Carper notes. Steak is a common culprit because many of the most desirable cuts of steak contain fat marbling for flavor. Other high-fat meats such as greasy hamburgers or fried chicken are additional meat sources of food that may prevent a blood clot from healing properly because they encourage your platelets to stick together. Replace high fat meats with lean beef and skinless chicken to help reduce your intake of fat.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Blood Clots
- "Food -- Your Miracle Medince"; Jean Carper; 1994
- "100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer's and Age-Related Memory Loss"; Jean Carper; 2010
