12 Effective Ways to Increase Blood Platelets
Platelets are one of the cells in the blood which is in charge of clotting blood especially when bleeding occurs. Platelets blood chips have an important role for the body.
Therefore, when the platelet level decreases, it should be increased immediately. In general, platelets can survive in the bloodstream up to 9 days. After that it is replaced by new cells formed by the spinal cord.
If platelet levels are low then the blood clotting process that occurs when bleeding will also be slow. Read more about How To Treat Back Pain With Exercises
This will be bad if the bleeding is very serious. Keep in mind that bleeding does not only occur externally due to injury on the outer body, but can also occur internally.
Blood Platelet Function and How it Works
- Blood platelet function – as a blood clotting system in case of bleeding. If the platelet count is low, then the bleeding will last a long time so that the body has the potential to lose a lot of blood. The condition is certainly not good for the health and even potentially could threaten the safety of one’s life. Read more about Dangers of Wearing Tight Pants For Health
- How blood platelets work- when a wound causes the body tissue or blood vessels to be damaged, chemical substances in the body will be released where the substance will activate the platelets. The platelets will stick to each other and it will close the wounded tissue. After a while, the bleeding will be hampered by the presence of platelet-derived clots which will stop the bleeding.
Causes of Platelet Reduction
- During the process of finding out the cause of thrombosis decreased, usually the medical team will make efforts to restore the platelet levels in the body to be normal as quick as possible. This act needs to be done in order to prevent the existence of complications such as shock or even leakage of blood plasma. Normal platelet counts range from 150,000-450,000 per micro liter of blood. Another term for this kind of conditions is thrombocytopenia. Here are some causes platelets to decrease
- infections by virus in patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF)
- The Spinal cord is unable to producing platelets optimally
- HIV / AIDS
- Leukemia or Blood Cancer
- Lymphoma disease
- Drug consumption (Heparin)
Here are some ways to increase the number of blood platelets:
- Consume Vegetables and Fruits
A variety of healthy foods contain substances that are needed by the body, which is also can be useful for the process of producing platelets in the blood. Try to eat various kinds of fruits such as oranges, guava, and kiwi regularly. In addition, green vegetables can be a complement to improve blood platelets as well.
We recommend that you consume vegetables and fruits that are produced organically. Read more about Early Symptoms of Heart Disease
- Consume Foods that Contain High Vitamins and Minerals
Foods that are high in vitamins and minerals are very important substances to increase blood platelets. This fibrinogen will be able to make the blood freeze so the body does not lose much blood when the wound occurs.
Low platelets level will make bleeding difficult to stop. It could be avoided by increasing the intake of foods containing vitamins A, C, D, and K every day. Types of vegetables that have high vitamin K content of cabbage and lettuce.
The consumption of a cup of cooked cabbage a day will increase the amount of vitamin K in your body. In addition to the required intake of vitamins in an effort to increase platelet count, we also must consume foods that contain high minerals.
Various foods that contain zinc minerals are instrumental in raising the blood cells in the body. When we eat foods that are rich in zinc, our immune system will also increase. It will make the blood cells in the body work more to protect the body itself. Zinc intake required by adults is 15-25 mg / day. One type of foods that has high amount of zinc is oysters.
- Avoid Consuming Unhealthy Food
In addition, reduce the consumption of refined sugar, coffee with high caffeine and alcohol or liquor. Those foods and drinks are not good for your digestive system which will also affect your spinal cord.
As we know, the platelets are produced by the spinal cord. That being said, if the spinal cord has problems then surely the production of platelets in the blood will also disrupt.
- High Food Consumption of Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid
When the amount of platelet decreases, you should eat foods high in vitamin B12 and folic acid in order restores your platelet level to be normal again. Read more about Dangers of Eating Noodles Everyday
Types of foods that contain high vitamin B12, among others are: eggs, milk, cheese, liver, and mutton. While the types of foods that rich in folic acid content are spinach, citrus fruits, and dried beans. To keep the amount of vitamin and folic acid in the foods, you should also pay attention to the way of processing the foods.
- Consume High Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Other than helping the forming process of the brain for fetus, Omega 3 fatty acids is also capable of increasing the amount of platelet in the blood. Our body basically requires the intake of foods containing omega 3 fatty acids every day.
When we eat foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids, the body will naturally experience an increase in the immune system.
Types of foods which contain high in omega-3 fatty acids, including: tuna, salmon, fish oil, and linseed oil. We can combine these types of foods with a variety of vegetables and fruits in order to increase the number of blood platelets.
- Consume Supplements or Vitamins
If you are the type of person who has a difficulty in consuming foods that are good to improve blood platelets, try to complete the vitamin intake with the use of additional supplements. Consuming supplements and vitamins that is made for increasing thrombosis is believed to be food for those who have conditions about their thrombosis level.
Supplements and vitamin in the form of tablet or syrup could be a good help for those who doesn’t like consuming certain vegetables or foods, although those foods are good for increasing platelets.
The recommended amount of vitamin C that can be consumed every day is 1,000 IU. You can dissolve it into water and drink it immediately so that it can be absorbed by the body easily. Read more about Foods to Increase Progesterone Hormone
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- Avoid Cold Drinks
Cold drinks can make the body to have difficulties in absorbing the nutrients that enter the digestive system. In other words, when we consume cold water, the digestive tract is slowing down. This will certainly have an impact on the absorption of nutrients in the body.
That being said, we should minimize or not even consume cold water as long as our platelet count is low. It is better to drink warm water instead of cold drink so that the nutrient-absorption process is not affected significantly.
In order to produce blood or platelets, the body also needs a lot of water. Thus, the more water intake, the more blood cells can be produced. In addition, protein intake will also affect the process of formation of blood cells in the body. Therefore, it is necessary to balance the intake between water and protein every day.
- Avoid Consuming Palliative and Pain-Relieve Drugs
The use of certain drugs can make platelet production to be slow which will result in the decreasing of the number of platelets. We should avoid using painkillers and fever drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
Although these types of drugs are sold freely in the market but their use must be accompanied by a doctor’s prescription.
This is because the impact of those drugs use might make the production, function, and performance of platelets to decelerate. Read more about Dangers of Eating Raw Garlic
- Be Aware of Physical Injuries
A person who has platelets conditions will find it difficult to stop the bleeding, even if it from small injury. For that, you should avoid activities that potentially create physical wound.
The condition of having low platelets will make the process of blood clotting couldn’t be done as soon as it should which might result in losing a lot of blood and even death. That being said, always be careful, tries not to get hurt, and seek help immediately if you injured yourself.
- Have Enough Rest
Although we have met the intake of foods that can increase platelet production daily, if the body does not get hours or adequate rest time then platelets will also be difficult to experience improvement. The human body generally takes about 7-8 hours of rest each day.
When these rest needs are met then the body will be more fit and healthy so that later production of platelets will not have any problems.
- Excessive Regularly
Exercise is a physical activity that can improve the health of the human body if done regularly. To produce platelets in greater numbers, of course the condition of the body must also be in good health. For that, the right exercise needs to be done routinely if you want to increase the number of blood platelets.
Cardiovascular exercise is the type of exercise that is good for people who have low platelet. It is because the cardio exercise is believed to be able to make the blood flows more smoothly. However, people who have low platelet counts should pay attention to the safety elements during the exercise so that they will not get hurt.
- Consume Guava Juice and Papaya Leaf Juice
As we know that consuming guava juice can increase the number of blood platelets. That’s why someone who had a dengue fever, which result in platelet to decrease, is highly recommended to consume guava juice. The flavor of the guava juice itself is also tasty when compared to consuming papaya leaf juice. Read more about Dangers of Not Washing Your Hands Before Eating
In recent years, pharmaceutical companies have also produced papaya leaf extract that can increase the number of blood platelets. Papaya leaf extract can be found in capsule or liquid form.
The medical party itself suggests consuming papaya leaf juice as much as 20-25 ml per consumption. We can consume papaya leaf juice twice a day to restore the platelet level to become normal again.
