Keeping Your Heart Safe (Literally) This Valentine's Day

As you read this blog, I'm in the air flying across the US from New York to Las Vegas. But because I don't have a death wish, I won't:

• Have surgery in the days before the flight
• Get pregnant over the weekend
• Sit in the window seat
• Gain 100 pounds
• Down some estrogen-laden oral contraceptives.

That's because obesity, pregnancy, just having surgery, taking high doses of estrogen and not moving enough during a flight (because I'm too nervous about disturbing the folks sitting nearer the aisle)--all of these factors raise a person's risk of getting a blood clot in one's leg, according to a just released study by the American College of Chest Physicians. The other risk factors include being elderly and, not surprisingly, having a previous clotting problem.

What I can do? Tipple. 

The doctors are saying that alcohol and dehydration do NOT increase one's risk of getting clots.

So called "economy class syndrome" is also not a factor, according to the Docs. They say you can develop DVT in business class just as readily as in economy class.

Yes, anyone can develop deep vein thrombosis. The risk is there in particular for flights of six hours or longer. So to stay healthy, doctors recommend walking about the plane and doing calf stretches.

Fly safe!