Hematocrit is the percentage of blood volume that is composed of red blood cells. This level differs in men and women: it should be at around 45% of blood for men and 40% women. Increased blood hematocrit levels involve the risk of thrombosis due to the accumulation of red blood cells, so you run the risk of suffering a heart attack or a stroke. The ideal is to have a normal hematocrit level, so if your levels are high, you should take action now. On OneHowTo, we'll explain how to lower your hematocrit levels with a few simple steps.
If you are a smoker, the first step to lower your hematocrit levels is to stop smoking. Tobacco alters the oxygen carrying red blood cells, so the flow is then altered in a negative sense. A smoker, having low oxygen levels, will force the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells, thereby increasing the blood hematocrit.
Do physical activity on a moderate and gradual basis. Whenever you're doing any sports activity do not reach a state of exhaustion. This is when the body uses more oxygen from our blood. If you feel dizzy, stop exercising immediately.
Donating blood is one of the measures to lower the hematocrit levels. By donating your blood, you are cleaning and renewing i, while you remove excess iron in your body. This is highly recommended if you also want to decrease your hematocrit levels.
Maintain adequate hydration. Dehydration causes increased hematocrit levels along with a larger volume of blood and plasma because there is less body fluid to dilute the blood. So, it is very important that you are well hydrated for your hematocrit levels not to skyrocket upwards. Increase your fluid intake in your daily diet to prevent this from happening. It is recommended that you drink a minimum of eight glasses of water on a daily basis.
You must avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine as they are diuretic and they stimulate urine, thus causing dehydration. To lower the hematocrit it is best to drink water or unsweetened juice.
Take an aspirin a couple of times a month. Aspirin helps dilute the blood and it prevents clot formation. When you have a high hematocrit level, the blood becomes thicker, so aspirin helps prevent this from happening. Nevertheless, you should not abuse the consumption of aspirin, two per month will be more than enough. Overdosing on aspirin is not beneficial because the blood becomes far too thin to and small cuts could bleed too much.
Change your regular diet and adapt it to make it easier to lower your hematocrit levels. You can do this by taking following these tips:
- Increase your consumption of antioxidant foods because they facilitate the transport of oxygen in your body. Antioxidants help in supplying oxygen to the blood to flow normally. Excellent antioxidant foods include prunes, beans and berries.
- Avoid foods that are high in iron since this mineral provides your body with haemoglobin. Avoid eating foods that are high in iron like spinach, broccoli, fish, beef, turkey, chicken, clams and mussels.
- Consume grapefruit daily because according to recent studies, eating half a grapefruit per day lowers hematocrit levels because naringin, a flavonoid that facilitates the process of natural elimination of red blood cells.
It is considered that living above 2,000 metres from sea level increases the level of hematocrit in the blood, given that the bone marrow produces more red globes to compensate the low oxygen levels in these zones. For this reason, avoid altitudes and move to lower areas.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
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