6 Diet Tips to Help Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis

"Some foods do increase the risk for blood clots," says Steven Masley, MD, the author of The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up. On the flip side, he says, adding certain other foods to your diet can help prevent DVT.

Below are seven dietary tips to fight DVT.

1. Drink Up to Keep Blood Flowing Smoothly

“I recommend a lot of hydration, at least 1.5 to 2 liters a day of fluid liquid,” says Chadi Alraies, MD, MPH, a cardiologist at the Detroit Medical Center. “But we recommend them not to be carbonated or high carbohydrate drinks.”

2. Flavor Food With Garlic to Stop Trouble Before It Starts

3. Avoid Unhealthy Fats, Sugar, and Salt to Keep Circulation Moving

The same foods that in excess cause plaque buildup in blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, can also increase the risk of DVT, Dr. Masley notes.

That means you want to stay away from things like sugar and excess salt. "These are all foods that increase inflammation," Masley explains.

4. Use Virgin Olive Oil

5. Make Leafy Greens a Routine

If you take warfarin, an anticoagulant, then foods high in vitamin K, which plays a role in forming blood clots, can interfere with your medication.

"Too often, doctors tell patients to avoid all green leafy veggies," Masley says. "Instead, eat leafy greens consistently every day." The important thing is to eat the same amounts of vitamin K–rich foods each day to maintain a consistent level of the mineral in your body.

For patients who are on novel anticoagulants such as rivaroxaban and apixaban, no such restriction is in place.

6. Limit Animal Fats in Your Diet

Masley says the saturated fats in full-fat dairy and fatty meats have also been linked with increased inflammation.

Alraies agrees. “Fatty food we eat, like burgers, deep-fried food, red meat, or a high cholesterol diet, is pro-inflammation,” he says. “It creates an inflammatory process in the body and this process can be an added risk for patients who develop blood clots.”

The Takeaway

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious condition in which blood clots form in deep veins, usually in the legs.
• You can reduce your risk of developing DVT by staying well-hydrated, eating a well-balanced and plant-focused diet, adding garlic to your food, and swapping saturated animal fat for extra-virgin olive oil.
• Limit sugar and salt intake as these can cause plaque buildup in your blood vessels.