Blood clots are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that affect up to 600,000 Americans each year, claiming about 100,000 lives annually. While in some cases, blood clots occur unexpectedly and without symptoms, many clots can be avoided or treated quickly enough to avoid permanent damage.

There are certain lifestyle choices that we can make to minimize our risks for developing these dangerous clots, which range from small actions while traveling to major lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, losing weight, and getting active. Among the steps you can take to minimize your risk for a blood clot:

Know Whether You’re At Risk.

Being aware of your risk level for a blood clot can help you make informed decisions regarding your overall lifestyle decisions and help you heed early warning signs if a clot does develop. Among the factors that can put you at an increased risk for developing a blood clot:

●    Age: If you’re over the age of 65, you’re at an increased risk for developing a blood clot

●    Being Bedridden: If you have been bedridden as a result of a hospitalization, injury, chronic illness or other condition, your chances of a clot rise

●    Travel: If you travel frequently for work or leisure, especially if you spend extended periods of time on airplanes, trains, or on car trips, there is an increased risk for developing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a clot which typically develops in an extremity, which can dislodge and travel to the heart, lungs or brain.

●    Smoking: Being a smoker puts you at risk