Your blood has to flow through your veins and arteries, but compounds called clotting factors help you stop bleeding if you get a cut or other injury. If you don't have enough of these clotting factors, you have a bleeding disorder and can bleed to death. Some bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia, are hereditary. Some medications can also cause bleeding disorders. If you have a bleeding disorder or take medication to prevent your blood from clotting, your doctor may tell you to avoid eating certain foods.
Fish and Omega-3
Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, partly because they help thin the blood. If you have a bleeding disorder and take in too much omega-3, you could make the problem worse. Even healthy individuals who consume too much omega-3, usually from supplements, can be at greater risk for bruising.
Vegetables and Vitamin K
Vitamin K deficiency, particularly in newborns, can lead to a bleeding disorder treated by administering doses of vitamin K. Conversely, if you take warfarin, a drug used to thin the blood, your doctor may advise you to avoid foods high in vitamin K, which could enhance the effect of warfarin and lead to a bleeding disorder. Foods high in vitamin K include dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, and vegetable oils such as soybean oil and olive oil.
Citrus and Vitamin C
Vitamin C deficiency can cause you to bruise more easily and can lead to bleeding, especially from the nose and gums. To get more vitamin C into your diet, consume more citrus, strawberries, spinach, tomatoes and peppers, or cereals fortified with vitamin C.
Other Considerations
The most important consideration when you have a bleeding disorder is to get regular treatment and to eat a varied, healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits, whole grains and lean protein. Most people can eat almost any food, in moderation. Follow your doctor's advice about your diet and exercise.
References
- Rush University Medical Centers: What Are Bleeding Disorders?
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University; Vitamin K; Jane Higdon; May 2004
- Net Wellness; Hemophilia and Inherited Bleeding Disorders --- Bruises; Madeline Heffner; December 2006
- Harvard School of Public Health: Vitamin C
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