10 Common Causes of Chronic Conditions: Cause #9
9. Thick blood caused by infections, metals, and/or genetics.
There are a number of situations where the blood becomes "thicker" than it should. This condition is known as hypercoagulability, or thick blood. At a certain point, thick blood becomes very obvious. If you have your blood drawn, and it comes out very slowly, thick blood may be the culprit. If your blood is much thicker than it is supposed to be, it cannot effectively deliver oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Interestingly, a high percentage of people who suffer from thick blood also suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). In one study, 90% of CFS patients were aided dramatically by the use of blood thinners.
Blood thinners prescribed by a healthcare professional may be very effective in resolving thick blood, and may help alleviate chronic conditions. If you decide to use blood thinners, care should always be taken, since blood thinning may cause an inability of the blood to clot and result in excessive bleeding.
Interesting research has also suggested that infectious agents can actually work to create a thick blood condition. When the blood is thick, these agents are able to hide from the immune system. Conversely, the immune system depends on excellent circulation to efficiently move white blood cells throughout the body so it can fight these agents. The immune system cannot attack infection if it cannot deploy its troops to all areas of the body. So when the thick fibrin layers that make up hypercoagulation in the blood are dissolved, the immune system can finally attack the infections that are lurking there.
Nattokinase, systemic enzymes, magnesium, and omega-3 oils are good natural supplements that will help to thin the blood. (But in the case of nattokinase, beware that it is a soy by-product and may cause an allergic reaction in some people. This is rare, but it is possible.) Correcting thick blood can be a major breakthrough for chronically ill people.1
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1Ito, H. Suzuki, T. “Effect of oral administration of nattokinase extract on blood mobility.” The Society of Analytical Bio-Sciences : Vol. 25, No.4 (2002) www.nattokinase.co.jp/en/clinical_study.html Accessed August 2005.
Article ID: 481
