DVT is a condition where the veins deep inside the body have blood clots. These happen most in the legs and pelvis. When it comes to flying sit up and take notice, because DVT loves finding people to play with and when DVT plays, it plays rough!

Blood travels from the heart to our toes and fingers via arteries. After the nutrients have been delivered to our cells the blood travels back to the heart through veins. The arteries have the beating of the heart to move the blood outward, but the veins don’t have this advantage. Rudolf Virchow, a nineteenth century German doctor noted that if the blood in the veins become sluggish then it tends to clot. Clotting is when the blood sticks together in a lump rather than flowing freely.

Once a clot forms it can go a number of ways. If you are fortunate it will dissolve, and the blood will flow freely again. But it can also grow big enough to block the vein and cause your arm, leg, finger or toe to swell up. It can travel through your body and reach the heart, then move into your arteries and clog one of them. It can then block the blood flow to the heart or lungs. If it blocks the blood to the lungs it can cause breathlessness, a bloody cough, permanent lung problems, or even death. As you can see DVT can be a serious problem.

Anything that makes your blood more sluggish can contribute to DVT. One thing that studies show makes blood sluggish is sitting still. When you sit for long hours on an airplane it is even worse. Not only are you being still, but your legs are bent at the hips and knees, further slowing your blood flow. Dehydration makes it worse. Most of us limit our beverages before and during a flight. Who wants to be running to the bathroom all the time? When we do drink something it might be coffee, or even worse is an alcoholic beverage. All of these add to dehydration, and to the possibility of a blood clot.

Other things that can make this even worse include being overweight, smoking, being pregnant, certain medicines, artificial hips, having cancer, or having a family history of blood clots. So does wearing the wrong clothing. Wearing clothing that is tight can restrict the blood flow. A pair of socks that compress the soft area behind the knees can even cause problems.

Symptoms:

DVT can sometimes start with a painful swelling and redness in an arm or leg. It can also start with shortness of breath. Because there are a lot of other things that can cause this you may want to see a doctor fast if you experience them right after a long airline flight.

Prevention:

Avoid tight clothing when flying. Make sure you get enough fluids, even if it is irritating to have to get up and go to the bathroom. Move your legs during the flight. If you can’t get up and walk around (you would if you had your fluids) you can bend and straighten your legs, feet, arms, hands, even fingers and toes while sitting in your seat. If you have a history of blood clots invest in some compression stockings. This is where the rule of tight clothing is thrown out the window. Compression stockings are designed to keep the blood from pooling in the lower leg, thus discouraging clotting.

If you are a regular user of Enriching Gifts Plant Enzymes you will have a lot less worry about DVT. This is because by cleaning out the food particles and other garbage that collects in our blood Enriching Gifts Plant Enzymes have been shown under a microscope to encourage our blood to stay free flowing. Even with the Enriching Gifts Plant Enzymes you will want to take the other precautions, but they will be a help.