How to Prevent Blood Clots Naturally: Four Doctor-Backed Tips for Better Circulation
Plus learn if aspirin should be part of your daily regimen
Blood clots are a common—and potentially serious—medical condition that affects up to 900,000 U.S. adults every year, according to the CDC. If you have a family history of clots or an underlying health condition like heart disease, you may be wondering how to prevent blood clots and stay healthy. The good news? A few little lifestyle tweaks can make a big difference in reducing your risk of developing clots. Read on to find out how to get started.
What is a blood clot?
“A blood clot occurs when blood changes from its typical liquid state to a gel or almost semi-solid state through a process called coagulation,” explains Adjoa Boateng Evans, MD, MPH, a critical care anesthesiologist and assistant professor of anesthesiology at Duke University School of Medicine. “It’s a natural part of healing. When you get a cut or injury, your body forms clots to stop the bleeding and seal the wound.”
But sometimes blood clots form due to poor circulation or when there’s damage to the blood vessels’ inner lining, Dr. Evans says. If this happens, it can stop blood flow to important parts of the body, increasing the risk of a pulmonary embolism (more on that below), a heart attack or stroke.
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3 common types of blood clots
There are several types of clots, but the most common ones include:
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
DVT is a type of blood clot that forms deep inside a vein, typically in the legs. “They can partially or completely block blood returning from the leg or arm back to the heart,” Dr. Evans explains. “That causes swelling and pain. But if the clot breaks off and travels through the bloodstream, it can be life-threatening.”
Superficial vein thrombosis (SVT)
Also called superficial thrombophlebitis, Dr. Evans says SVT occurs when blood clots form in the veins just beneath your skin’s surface. “These clots usually happen for reasons like prolonged immobility, injury or trauma,” Dr. Evans notes. “But they can also form because of varicose veins. Varicose veins form when the valves in the veins become weak,” causing blood to pool.
Pulmonary embolism (PE)
PE is the most serious type of venous blood clot, and it typically forms in the deep veins of the legs. If a PE breaks loose, it can travel through the bloodstream and get stuck in the pulmonary arteries. “If a PE stops blood flow to the lungs, oxygen levels in the blood get dangerously low, which damages the lung tissue and reduces oxygen supply to other organs,” Dr. Evans says. “If the blockage is severe, it can actually obstruct the heart’s ability to pump at all.”
“If you start to have unexplained swelling, especially in one leg, never hesitate to get it checked out immediately,” advises Mohanakrishnan Sathyamoorthy, MD, aka: “Dr. Mo,” Chair of Internal Medicine at the Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.
How to prevent blood clots
Considering their potentially life-threatening risks, you likely want to do everything you can to prevent blood clots. Here’s how:
1. Understand your family history
If you’re concerned about blood clots, one of the best things you can do is research your family history. That’s especially true if you have a first-degree relative (a parent, sibling or child) who’s been treated for blood clots. Your doctor can help you determine your risk (and an appropriate treatment plan) by referring you to a hematologist.
He or she will review your health history and test for your inheritable risk by running a large panel of blood and genetic tests, including something called a factor V Leiden test. This test analyzes your DNA for a mutation that increases the risk of abnormal blood clots.
Tip: Don’t panic if your test comes back positive. Most people with the mutation never develop clots, according to the Mayo Clinic.
2. Exercise regularly
“One of the best things you can do to reduce the risk of blood clots is stay active,” Dr. Evans says. “Physical activities like walking, cycling, swimming and jogging improve your circulation and can help prevent blood clot formation.”
Dr. Mo echoes this advice and recommends three exercises during long stationary periods (like road trips or long plane flights) to keep blood from pooling in the legs: calf raises, ankle pumps and isometric exercises.
Calf raises
- Stand behind a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart and place your hand on the back of the chair for support.
- Push onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high off the floor as you comfortably can.
- Squeeze your calf muscles as you hold the position for a few seconds.
- Relax your calves and return your heels to the floor.
- Repeat 10-15 times.
Ankle pumps
- Ankle pumps can be done sitting or lying down with your legs straight in front of you.
- Once you’re in position, keep your knees straight and flex your toes toward your shin.
- Then point your toes away from your body.
- Repeat 10-20 times.
Isometric wall squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your back against a wall.
- Gently slide your back down the wall, keeping your core muscles (abs) tight.
- Bend your legs until your knees make a 90-degree angle and hold the position for 20-30 seconds.
- Stand back up, take a two or three-minute break, then repeat.
3. Quit smoking
Dr. Evans says smoking damages blood vessels and increases the risk of clot formation. Nicotine increases the number of platelets in your blood, making them more likely to clump together and affect blood flow. Similarly, smoking makes your blood stickier, which is another risk factor for clotting.
Although quitting smoking takes time and effort, it’s one of the best decisions you can make. Dr. Evans says it can decrease your risk of blood clots and help you manage other chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, too.
4. Drink more water
“Staying hydrated, drinking fluids throughout the day and drinking water when thirsty are key,” Dr. Mo says. “The amount of fluids [you need] depends on your body weight, composition and the medications you take.”
As a general rule of thumb, Dr. Evans recommends drinking at least six to eight cups of water daily. She says you may want to drink more if your urine is dark, which can indicate dehydration. (Clear or pale yellow urine means you’re hydrated.)
Can taking aspirin prevent blood clots?
While aspirin does help with blood thinning, Dr. Mo says most professional physician societies don’t recommend taking it as a broad preventive strategy. That’s because long-term aspirin use can increase the risk of internal bleeding and other problems. Dr. Mo recommends talking with your doctor to determine if aspirin is right for you or whether you should take a different approach to prevent blood clots.
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