Juicer Recipes Now

We got an email today asking about what juices are best for people taking the anticoagulant medication Coumadin (also known as Warfarin). It is a good question because many people are using this blood-thinning drug, so I thought it would be important to cover this topic. Before I go any further, here is a medical disclaimer:

The statements and products referred to throughout this site have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. If you have a health condition or concern, consult a physician or your alternative health care provider. Always consult a medical doctor before modifying your diet, using any new product, drug, supplement, or doing new exercises.

If you are taking Coumadin then you will have already been informed by your physician of the foods and drinks to avoid or cut down on. These are foods and beverages that are high in vitamin K, and drinks such as cranberry juice and alcohol. Green leafy vegetables, some vegetable oils, liver and green tea are on the hot list since they are all high sources of vitamin K.


So what’s the deal with vitamin K?

One of the key functions of vitamin K is to to help the blood clot. This is a natural, healthy thing and we would bleed to death without it, especially if we cut our selves badly. However, for anyone with thick blood that has the potential to be life threatening, leading to possible strokes or a heart attack, they are prescribed a medication like Coumadin by their doctor. Coumadin is a blood-thinning medication and has the opposite effect to vitamin K in the body. While it is important to still have vitamin K in the diet because it is an essential vitamin, those taking Coumadin need to limit their intake so that this vitamin doesn’t counter its effects.


Vegetables High in Vitamin K
Drinking vegetable juice recipes can have some very beneficial effects for those with cardiovascular disease and can help lower blood pressure, promote a healthier blood cholesterol profile, detoxify the blood, and even help slow down or reverse the progression of atherosclerosis. So it is a great idea for those using Coumadin to drink fresh juice everyday, providing the juice is made from vegetables low in vitamin K – but first things first, let’s list the vegetables to avoid:

• broccoli
• brussel sprouts
• butternut squash
• cabbage
• celery
• chinese broccoli
• kale (huge amounts of vitamin K!)
• spinach
• parsley
• collard greens
• mustard greens
• chard

Vegetables Low in Vitamin K
Here is the list of ‘Coumadin friendly’ vegetables that contain the smallest amounts of vitamin K.

• beetroot
• carrots
• cauliflower
• cucumber (without the skin)
• green pepper
• sweet potatoes
• lettuce
• celery

I especially recommend using celery because it contains antioxidants called phthalides that are shown to have relaxant effects on the muscles of major arteries. This helps arteries to expand more when pumping blood, helping to lower blood pressure.

Here are two great resources if you want some great reference charts for vitamin K food content:

Vegetable nutrition chart
Vitamin K content of all foods


Fruits and Vitamin K
No fruit is high in vitamin K! They all have low levels of this vitamin except for pomegranate and green apples (red are low) which contain moderate amounts, however they are still not high. Apples juiced with their skins on is recommended because numerous studies show that apple juice helps to lower “LDL” bad cholesterol blood levels and lower blood pressure. While apple juice made from peeled apples is also shown to help, apples juiced with their peels on are more effective.


Cranberry Juice, Alcohol and Green Tea
Cranberry juice and alcohol should be cut down to a very minimal amount or cut-out of the diet all together. They have strong blood-thinning effects and may thin the blood too much in combination with Coumadin. Green tea, as wonderfully healthy as this beverage is, is unfortunately a drink high in vitamin K. This is a shame, since green tea is otherwise beneficial for heart health!

To your health
Darren Haynes

High blood pressure, otherwise referred to as hypertension, is a common condition that affects many people today who live into their sunset years. Blood pressure is the force of blood pressing against the arterial walls. When the pressure is too high, it raises the workload of the heart, which eventually damages the arteries. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure. This condition is sometimes referred to as a silent killer as it may not have external visible symptoms, hence the need to eat healthy and watch your diet.

Juices for high blood pressure can help you maintain and keep your condition under control. Keep in mind that hypertension is a life-long condition; hence it is important to formulate a life-long dietary plan that would be complimented by regular exercises, to help keep the condition under control, thereby reducing the risks of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. These juices work by:-

First and foremost, juicing for hypertension works by calcium channel blockers which will significantly slow down the movement of calcium from what you consume to the cells of the blood and heart vessels. Because calcium is known to cause strong heart contractions, the juices can ease contractions of the heart and help relax your blood vessels. It is to be mentioned that most fruits and vegetables contain calcium in substantial amounts, so it would be best to avoid those that are potent in calcium. Apples, lemons, honeydew melons, tangerines etc can make good juices for high blood pressure.

The other characteristic that you should look out for in good juices for high blood pressure should be ACE inhibitors. ACE inhibitors work by reducing the supply of angiotensin II in the body, a substance that leads to narrowing and contraction of blood vessels. The result is relaxed, well dilated arteries and low blood pressure meaning less pressure on the heart. Good examples of these juices are carrot and grapefruit juice.

Spinach juice is also great for controlling high blood pressure. Spinach is a known potent source of magnesium, hence will play a significant role in preventing heart diseases. Spinach juice will also contain folate which will help protect the body from homocysteine, a compound which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.

Brocolli juice has also been associated with hypertension, thanks to its high source of potassium and chromium that are known to help in insulin and blood sugar regulation. Another important juice, although a little controversial as to the amount of juice that one should take, is tomato juice. Tomatoes are a potent source of potassium, vitamins A, C, and E, and calcium.

As previously mentioned, the last thing you would want for a hypertension case is calcium. But on the flip side of the coin, Tomato juices are potent sources of lycopene, a very powerful antioxidant known to reduce heart disease risks. So ensure you consult a dietitian or nutritionist before relying on tomato juice as a natural way of controlling yoru high blood pressure condition.

This article has been written by Isabelle Walker who is a writer for MethodsofHealing where you can get some useful information on sleep apnea .