Is My Easy Bruising Linked to My Alcohol Consumption in Any Way?

If you are someone who suffers from easy bruising, you'll discover that you will want to clarify what conditions might make the bruising worse, and this becomes the time when alcohol intake should be brought into the discussion. Many people who have a tendency to bruise easily end up with the suspicion that alcohol use could be a factor, and they would learn that their feelings were right. When you are seeking to find the causes behind bruises that can be gotten from simply bumping against a countertop, or that you can get without any recollection of the source at all, you should determine that it's the right time to examine your alcohol consumption.

In the first place, ask yourself how can alcohol consumption affect your bruising? To begin with, think about what constitutes a bruise. A bruise is generally caused by the breaking of capillaries just beneath your skin. As the blood flows out, it pools or clots underneath the skin, making the bright and livid colors that are the visible evidence of the bruise. While one cause of bruising is thinner capillary walls, this is actually not where alcohol is involved. Instead, alcohol acts as a blood thinner. Much like aspirin and some forms of prescription medication, alcohol causes your blood to become thinner, which can then interfere with clotting and can make you bleed more effusively.

The place where this thinner blood intersects with bruising is due to the fact that when you bump yourself and break some of your capillaries, even if you are not aware of it, alcohol slows your body's ability to keep the blood from flowing so freely. When there is alcohol in your system, your body's ability to staunch the blood flow is going to be impaired, and this can make what would have been a light bruise look much more dramatic. When you want to make sure that your bruises do not look quite so dark, or so dramatic, you should seriously consider cutting back on your alcohol intake.

If you are concerned about the effects of alcohol or any other blood thinner on your likelihood of bruising, you'll find that the solution may be as simple as increasing your iron intake, which is necessary for good blood production for your body. It can also help cause quicker blood clotting, and it will be beneficial for your immune system by helping it to stay strong. Foods that have abundant iron include liver as well as dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli (whats the old maxim about if it tastes good, it cant be good for you?).

Use some time to really study what the connection between your alcohol consumption and easy bruising could be for you. This may require that you simply cut back a little on the quantity of alcohol that you drink, or it could mean a real change to your drinking habits.