Know your platelet                        Health Tip # 25

 

Know your platelet is very important for every person . Platelets are blood cells . These blood cells help promote blood clotting and help to stop bleeding. Consuming foods high in certain vitamins , increase platelet count naturally. In this article, we will talk about platelet , deficiency of platelet count, its symptoms and how to increase your platelet count. It is important to know your platelet and try to keep them in healthy levels.

 

Contents:

• What are platelet ?
• Low platelet count.
• Symptoms of low platelets.
• Foods to increase platelet.
• Supplements to take.
• Foods to avoid.
• Papaya leaf extract.
• Supplements to avoid.

 

 

What are platelet :

If you watch T.V, or read a news paper, you will come to know that many people are being killed/injured in many road accidents. A dead person in the accidents, may not require any medical treatment. But injured people needs urgent medical assistant. Such injured people could be bleeding severely. Here come the platelet . The platelet  block  the bleeding by making clots at bleeding spot. It happened naturally.  Platelet are colourless blood cells .If the platelet count is below 150,000 platelet per ul of blood, they will not be able to help to stop the bleeding. Keeping platelet count at high level will keep you healthy. Beside that it is also important to keep your blood pressure under control. To know about blood pressure, pl. read our article ” Homeopathic clinic-High blood Pressure, A to Z, Part-1″

 

Low platelet count.We should

By nature, platelet play a vital role in blood clotting. Platelet count must be in a range of 150,000 to 450, 000 platelet per microliter  (ul) of blood. Below this range , platelet will not be able to clump together to form a seal  over the injured blood vessel and blood bleeding will not stop. Doctors call such condition as Thrombocytopenia . Thrombocytopenia is a condition that occurs when the platelet count in our blood is too low. Platelets are tiny blood cells that are made in the bone marrow from larger cells. When we  are injured, platelets stick together to form a plug to seal our wound. This plug is called a blood clot. We urge to know your platelet and keep them in healthy levels.

Symptoms of  low platelets

Platelets are a must for blood clotting. Any one having platelets count 150,000 or below this amount, will be more liable to suffer from bleeding.

A mild thrombocytopenia often does not cause  any symptoms. Symptoms usually appear in a routine blood test. When a person’s platelets levels are particularly low, following symptoms will appear :

• Long time bleeding, , following even a small injury.
• Bleeding gums.
• Nose bleedings.
• Blood in the stool. Stool may appear bright red, dark or tarry.
• Blood in urine.
• Heavy menstrual bleeding.
• Bruising easily.
• Petechiae, ie small, flat, red or brown spots beneath the skin, because of blood vessels leakage.
• Purpura, ie a purple, red or brownish yellow skin patch due to bleeding beneath the skin.

People having above symptoms, must contact a doctor immediately. If not treated, thrombocytopenia will cause sever complications. Try to know your platelet and make sure they are at maximum count.

Foods to increase platelets

Our creator is very kind to human being. When  , due to our mistake or aggressive behavior, we get sick, our creature has grown many foods/vegetables/ fruits etc to heal up our sickness. In the same way there are many foods, supplements which can increase our platelet levels. Some of them are :

Folate rich foods :

Vitamin B9 known as Folate is a necessary B vitamin to keep blood cell healthy. Folic Acid is the synthetic form (made by chemical synthesis, especially to imitate a natural product ) of folate.

According to National Institutes of Health, an adult needs at least 400 mcg of folate every day. The pregnant women need 600 mcg every day. Know your platelet and be healthy.

Food having folate or folic acid include :

• Beef liver.Food having folate or folic acid include :
• Black eyes peas.
• Dark leafy vegetables like spinach and Brussels sprouts. .
• Dairy alternatives and fortified breakfast cereals.
• Yeast
• Rice.

Be careful ;

PEOPLE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO CONSUME EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FOLIC ACID FROM FORTIFIED FOODS OR SUPPLEMENTS , AS HIGH LEVELS OF FOLIC ACID CAN INTERFERE WITH VITAMIN B 12 FUNCTION.

Vitamin B 12 rich foods :

Vitamin B 12 play basic role to produce red blood cells. If vitamin

B 12 levels are low in the body, it will effect as low  platelet count.

According to National Institutes of Health, people age 14 years and above need 2.4 mcg of Vitamin B 12 every day. Pregnant or nursing women require vitamin B 12  up to 2.8 mcg every day.

Vitamin B 12 is found in animal -based products such as :

• Beef and beef liver.
• Eggs.
• Fish, such as Clams, Tuna, Trout and Salmon.
•  Those who are  vegetarian or follow vegan diet (A vegan diet is based on plants (such as vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits) and foods made from plants. Vegans do not eat foods that come from animals, including dairy products and eggs) can get vitamin B 12 from the following ;
• Fortified cereals
• Fortified dairy alternatives , like almond milk or soy milk.
• Supplements.

Vitamin C-rich foods ;

Vitamin C has an important role in immune function. Beside that , it helps the function of platelet in a right way . It also increase body’s ability to absorb iron . Iron is another essential  nutrient that keeps healthy platelet count. Know your platelet well , try to maintain their maximum count all the times.

Vitamin C is found in the following fruits and vegetables:

• Broccoli.
• Brussels sprouts.
• Citrus fruits , specially orange and grapefruit.
• Kiwifruit.
• Red and green bell peppers.
• Strawberries.

Vitamin D-rich foods :

Vitamin D is essential for proper functioning of bones, immune system, muscles and nerves.

According to the Platelet Disorder Support Association, vitamin D also play an important role in the function of bone marrow cells . These cells are responsible to produce platelets and other blood cells.

A natural way to get vitamin D is  from sun exposure. Human body can produce vitamin D from sun exposure. People living in colder climates or regions which are farther away from the equator , will not be able to get enough sunlight exposure.

Adults aged 19-70 years need 15 mcg of vitamin D every day. Whereas people over 70 years of age will need 20 mcg of vitamin D every day. These information will let you know your platelet in a better way.

Sources of vitamin D are :

• Egg yolk.
• Fish liver oil.
• Fortified milk and yogurt.
• Oily fish, such as salmon, tuna and mackerel.

Vegan diet followers can get vitamin D from the following :

• Fortified breakfast cereals .
• Fortified dairy alternatives such as soy milk and soy yogurt.
• Fortified orange juice.
• UV-exposed mushrooms.
• Supplements.

Vitamin K-rich foods;

Vitamin k is necessary for blood clotting and bone health. Vitamin K’s injection is used in the hospitals, when bleeding  does not stop after any  operation.

During an informal PDSA study , the participants were given Vitamin K. Among the participants  27 %  participants reported improvement in their platelet count and 32 % reported improvement in bleeding symptoms.

For adults aged 19 years and above , 120 mcg of vitamin K  for males and 90 mcg for female is adequate dose for 24 hours.  We advise every one to know your platelet and do not let them to reach at their minimum count.

Food rich in vitamin K are ;

• Leafy greens, such as collards, spinach, kale and turnip.
• Broccoli.
• Pumpkin.
• Soybeans and soybean oil.
• Natto, This is a fermented soybean dish.

Know your platelet thoroughly and make sure ,you maintain their count levels at maximum.

Food to avoid:

Some foods and drinks decrease platelet counts. These include;

• Artificial sweetener.
• Cranberry juice.
• Quinine, a substance in tonic water and bitter lemon.

Based on a 2020 review, regular excessive alcohol consumption may reduce platelet counts.

Papaya leaf extract;

There was a study in 2017 to find out the effects of Papaya leaf extract on platelet count in people who has chemotherapy – induced thrombocytopenia.

The researchers divided the 40 participants in two groups of 20 each group. Every participant completed a round of chemotherapy 7 days before the start of study. 7 day after start of study, the participants showed the following results:

Group  # 1 ;

The participants received   treatment with Papaya leaf extract for 7 days. The researcher examined the participants by day 13 post-chemotherapy.  They found  a significantly increase in platelet counts .

Group # 2 :

The participants of group # 2 did nor received any treatment. Researchers examined the participants and found no significant increase in platelet increase.

These findings suggest that Papaya leaf extract can help boost platelet counts.

Personal experience:

4 years before, i had Dengue fever in rainy season. I went to a hospital. Doctor tested my platelet count. My platelet   count was less than 150,000 per microliter (ul) blood.  One of my relative suggested me to drink Papaya leaf extract.  One of our relative has Papaya trees in 4 acres . My son went there and brought Papaya leaves. We crushed 4 leaves, squeez  them . Very little juice . i drunk that juice. My God. It was so bitter.

I kept  drinking  Papaya leaf extract for 4 day. My platelet count reached more than 450,000.

Supplements to avoid.

As per PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) some supplements may reduce platelet count . Such supplements include : Vitamin B3, Niacin and L-  tryptophan . For other supplements, it is not known if they reduce platelet count. It is better to consult a doctor before taking any supplement.

source:  medicalnewstoday.com

I always pray to Al-Mighty Allah to bless every one with success and good health.