BRUISING
Some people will take a hard hit on the arm or leg and develop a purple bruise that lasts a few days. Other people regularly develop black-and blue marks on their body with just the slightest blow; the marks seem to linger, sometimes for weeks.
A common bruise that results from a blow is normal. It’s simply blood under the unbroken skin that has accumulated because vessels have been damaged. These kinds of bruises are easy to deal with: To lessen the development of the bruise simply apply cold-an ice pack or even cold water-as quickly as possible to the affected portion of skin. Cold will constrict the blood vessels and thus allow less leakage into the surrounding tissue; you’ll still probably get a bruise but it won’t be as large or as painful.
But bruises that develop frequently from minor causes and seem to linger can be troublesome and not just from a cosmetic standpoint. One of my patients, a fifty-year-old woman named Marie, was concerned because she regularly developed bruises on her body and she couldn’t remember any cause for them. In addition, it seemed that the most minor bump would result in a bruise that lasted for days. She was concerned that there was something seriously wrong with her and wanted help. We did a little detective work and soon came up with the answer.
When I quizzed Marie she said it had been about a year since she first noticed the bruises. She wasn’t on any regular dedication. Her nutrition was good. She had no other health problems. For a while I was mystified. And then she remembered that she and her husband had begun taking daily aspirin to lessen their risk of heart disease about a year ago. In her case that aspirin a day was enough to make her susceptible to bruising. When she cut her dose to a baby aspirin (60 mg.) every other day, her bruising disappeared.
Medications are a common cause of easy bruising. Steroids, antidepressants, some asthma medications, and anticoagulant drug therapies may all cause easy bruising, as will the regular doses of aspirin that Marie and many people take to ward off heart disease. If you think your easy bruising could be caused by medications, discuss it with your doctor. That’s probably no reason to change your medication, but at least you’ll know the cause of your problem.
A poor diet will promote easy bruising. Vitamin C plays a major role in preventing, the blood vessels from becoming leaky. If you bruise easily, you should increase your consumption of foods containing vitamin C, and you should take a daily supplement.
Also, I’ve had great success in eliminating easy bruising with quercetin, which is one of the bioflavonids, it is derived from sea algae and has been shown to have a potent effect on the circulatory system. If you can’t get quercetin, you can try the citrus bioflavonoids, which come from the white pulp of citrus fruits. Try one of these supplements for three months; if no improvement, discontinue.
Vitamin K is essential for blood to clot. Not many people are deficient in vitamin K, but, because the vitamin must be absorbed in fat, if you have a problem with fat absorption as in gall bladder disease, celiac disease, or ulcerative colitis, you could have trouble absorbing vitamin K. If you frequently use antibiotics such as penicillin and tetracycline, you could also have trouble absorbing vitamin K. If any of these conditions apply to you and you suffer from easy bruising, you should discuss the possibility of vitamin K supplementation with your doctor. You should take vitamin K only under a doctor’s supervision.
NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR BRUISING
To limit the development of bruises, apply cold to the site of a bump immediately.
If you bruise easily, check your medications, including aspirin, steroids, antidepressants, asthma medications, and anticoagulant drug therapies, which all cause easy bruising, Blood thinners will also cause you to bruise. Discuss this problem with your doctor. If aspirin is causing the bruising, limit your intake to one baby aspirin (60 mg.) every other day (if you’re taking them to fight heart disease). If you regularly take aspirin for some other reason, consult with your doctor.
ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY SUPPLEMENTS, TAKE:
Vitamin C: 1,000 mg. daily.
Quercetin: 600 to 900 mg. daily, or citrus bioflavonolds, 1,000 mg. daily. Take either of these supplements for three months; if there is no improvement, discontinue.
Vitamin K: Use only under a doctor’s supervision. See information above.
