Other Names:
Ecchymosis

Symptoms:
Frequent and easily made bruising, when others around you do not seem to have this problem.

Cause:
Low fiber diets, containing little fruit and vegetables. In other words, junk foods such as coffee, tea, white flour products, and soft drinks.

Treatment:
• Improve your diet. Take alfalfa tablets and a good vitamin-mineral supplement 2-3 times a day.

• Frequent bruising indicates that the body's clotting factors are not strong. Take more vitamin K. Vitamin D is another natural clotting factor. Take care of yourself—and don't bang yourself against things!

• Some people are more prone than others to produce bruise spots. That can be a sign of kidney and liver disorders.

• Anemia can also cause bruising, as well as allergies.

• Other factors that make one more susceptible to bruising are overweight and the time of menstruation.

• Purplish bumps under the skin which do not heal and look like bruises could be a sign of AIDS. Leukemia can also cause frequent or large bruises.

• Aspirin causes internal bleeding, and can increase surface bruise marks. Also beware of anti-clotting drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, asthma medicines. Alcohol and hard drugs will weaken the clotting factors also.

• Helpful herbs include burdock, aloe vera, cayenne, kelp, and white oak bark.

• Garlic, alfalfa, and rose hips are useful.