Not to be brushed off or ignored, blood clots can be quite painful and block major blood vessels, which can cause a heart attack or stroke and if left untreated, possibly death.

Blood clots can form if you don’t move around a lot. You may also get a blood clot if you:

• Have had recent surgery.
• Are 65 or older.
• Take hormones, especially for birth control. (Ask your doctor about this).
• Have had cancer or are being treated for it.
• Have broken a bone (hip, pelvis, or leg).
• Have a bad bump or bruise.
• Are obese.
• Are confined to bed or a chair much of the time.
• Have had a stroke or are paralyzed.
• Have a special port the doctor put in your body to give you medicine.
• Have varicose (VAR-e-kos) or bad veins.
• Have heart trouble.
• Have had a blood clot before.
• Have a family member who has had a blood clot.
• Have taken a long trip (more than an hour) in a car, airplane, bus, or train.

Here are five ways you can prevent them from happening:

1. Get up and move.

Do not stand or sit for more than an hour at a time. If you travel a lot or if your job requires you to be stuck at a desk for long periods at a time, get up every hour and walk around for a few minutes to get your blood flowing.

2. Know the side effects of your meds.

If you’re on the Pill, you’re at a higher risk for developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Other risk factors include pregnancy, certain cancers (lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers), heart disease, obesity, major surgery, and a family history of blood clots.

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3. Stop harmful activities.

That means quitting smoking, eating less processed foods, drinking lots of water, and making sure you take a visit to the doctor every now and again.

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