Looking like a battered woman these days!

[EverLosing]

I'm literally looking like a battered woman these days! My job has always brought it's share of bruising to my body but it's getting ridiculous!! I have a bruise from every bump now. I know I get several of them lifting weights and working around the weight bench. It's not the easiest most expensive bench by any means. It's design is lacking.

My iron might be really low. I haven't had blood work in quite some time although I'm thinking about a complete blood work up at the end of June after 6 full months on this WOE.

I'm curious though, has anyone else noticed they bruise more easily now? I'm wondering if we have a propensity to bruise more easily or if I should get my iron checked.

[FwL]

I smacked the ball of my thumb with a hammer pretty good yesterday. It's nice and sore today but no visible bruising.

[Desertthorn]

Take some vitamin C and see if that helps, it strengthens the small capillaries. Don't take any iron as this diet provides plenty.
And quit beating yourself up

[momtomany1]

EXACTLY my thought. Vitamin C. You would have to take huge amounts to take too much, so double dose for a bit. If you get diarrhea, then that is too much, and back off.

[EverLosing]

I take LOTS of supplements and my vitamin C intake is crazy high!! I can proudly say I haven't been sick since starting this WOE but I've really downed the vitamins and supplements! I'll get the iron checked too when I do blood work. I'm pretty excited about getting it done. While I don't know what my starting numbers were, I'm sure they'll be good by June. I eat on plan and exercise and that should produce nice results.

[SunnySmile501]

My blood was always thin and I bruised easily, but there are lots of changes made if you do Atkins right, whereby you might cause your blood to thin even more.

Lots of the foods we eat are natural blood thinners and the healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E both thin the blood.

While we should get enough iron from our food, many people don't absorb it well from food (too little stomach acid). You could still have low iron.

Even the extra exercise can lower your vitamin K enough to thin the blood.

Here's some information on Atkins legal (some not) foods and exercise that could be causing a problem.

Salicylates
One type of natural blood thinners are substances that block vitamin K. These include salicylates. The most well known of these is aspirin, but many foods, such as preservatives and flavorings, also contain salicylates or aspirin like substances. Some individuals are known to be aspirin or salicylate sensitive. I'm one of those salicylate sensitive types, but I have found that I can eat more salicylates as long as I eat a balanced amount of vitamin K foods, too. (Vitamin K plays an important role in the body's in blood clotting processes. The "K" in vitamin K gets its name from the Danish word for coagulation.)
Foods that are generally high in salicylates include many spices, most fruit, especially dried fruits, nuts, and also some flavorings and preservatives.

Herbs and spices high in salicylates include:

• Curry powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Ginger
• Paprika
• Thyme
• Cinnamon
• Dill
• Oregano
• Turmeric
• Licorice
• Peppermint

In Ayurvedic (traditional Indian medicine) many of the above spices are known as "warming spices". I think this is because by thinning the blood they increase a person's blood circulation, which in turn speeds up the metabolism and makes a person feel warmer.



Fruits high in salicylates include

• Raisins
• Prunes
• Cherries
• Cranberries
• Blueberries
• Grapes
• Strawberries
• Tangerines
• Oranges

Other substance high in salicylates:

• Chewing gum
• Honey
• Peppermints
• Vinegar
• Wine
• Cider

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antagonist to vitamin K. Some foods and topical substances these days are preserved with vitamin E, so it pays to read labels carefully.

Foods high in vitamin E may not necessarily thin the blood, as many foods high in vitamin E, such as spinach and broccoli also contain significant amounts of vitamin K, which tend to clot the blood.
I was prescribed vitamin E supplements at one time by a doctor for fibrocystic breasts. Afterwards, I developed an increased number of bleeding and bruising problems, including menorrhagia . Then I did some research on my own and realized vitamin E could thin the blood. Most medical articles states that people have to take relatively large doses of vitamin E in order for it to have an effect on coagulation. However, I don't think that is true for everyone. For people like me who are easy bleeders even small amounts of vitamin E can cause bleeding issues.

Omega- 3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids have received a lot of press lately because of their ability to lower cholesterol levels and make the blood less prone to clotting. Fish oil is usually high in omega-3s and can be ingested either through purchasing capsules or by eating fatty fish. Fish with high amounts of omega-3s include:

• Mackerel
• Anchovies
• Salmon
• Albacore tuna
• Mackerel
• Lake Trout
• Herring

Additional Selected Foods With Compounds That Thin the Blood

• Tree Ear
• Jicama
• Garlic
• Onions
• Olive Oil

Garlic and onions are natural antibiotics that can kill the intestinal bacteria that manufacture vitamin K. Many studies have found that long term prescription antibiotic use can cause bleeding problems due to a vitamin K deficiency. However, for people like me who seem to always be short on vitamin K, even small amounts of foods with natural antibiotics properties, like garlic and onions, are problematic. I often avoid eating at Italian restaurants because of their liberal use of garlic. When I do eat Italian food, I also try to have have a salad with lots of leafy green vegetables high in vitamin K as a part of my meal.
James A. Duke, author of several books on herbal medicine, notes that garlic has nine different compounds that are antiaggregants (compounds that prevent the blood platelets from sticking together).

Exercise
Based on studies of female athletes, vigorous exercise seems to lower vitamin K levels. Women who are elite athletes, i.e. those who over exercise, instead of being healthy actually are at risk for hypoestrogenism, osteoporosis and vitamin K deficiency. Vitamin K is necessary to clot the blood, so by logical deduction then it may be prudent to consider the possibility that over exercising may thin the blood since it is known to lower levels of vitamin K.


Natural Blood Thinners

[EverLosing]

WOW, SunnySmile501!! That's a lot of useful information!! Thank you so much! You're not going anywhere, girl, do you hear me?? You're a wealth of knowledge and I appreciate the time you took to share this! I don't think I absorb iron easily. I never knew what my blood count was before I got pregnant in 1995 but after my son was born, it took about 2 minutes for them to figure out I didn't have enough blood left in my body. I've never had a glowing result since and I'm borderline anemic. I've never had to have a transfusion. When the number was extremely low, the doctor still allowed me to refuse a transfusion and try other options. However, we haven't checked anything blood wise for a long long time and it would be a good idea to do it. The dog jerked his leash while outside a little while ago (saw a cat on his turf) and my hand is already bruising.

From your post, it looks like I eat a lot of blood thinning foods! I'm going to pay more attention to that. I like the way my body is looking and I don't want my skin to look like I fight in cage matches! Thanks for the info!!

[Desertthorn]

Who is Sandy SImmons?