Someone taking Coumadin wanted to know why her INR was so different every time she had it checked at her doctor’s office. It is probably because she ate different amounts of green leafy vegetables from day-to-day, and week-to-week. The Vitamin K in green vegetables counteracts the effect of the medication. Green leafy vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, but doctors frequently tell their patients taking Coumadin to avoid greens.  That is one way to deal with the problem. Or, you can eat greens, but you need to take in the same amount of Vitamin K every day so that the dose of Coumadin can be adjusted.  Well, even people who love spinach will get tired of eating spinach every day. They might like to eat kale instead of spinach every once in a while!

It is not easy, but it is possible, to  eat the same amount of Vitamin K every day.  It just takes a bit of extra thought when you are preparing your meals. The USDA web site has a list of the Vitamin K content of foods, so that you can estimate the amount of greens you can eat from day to day, and still keep your Vitamin K intake level. This first link is sorted by Vitamin K content , and this second link is sorted alphabetically.

If you do choose to eats greens every day, take it seriously and be careful. There is a very, very good reason why you are on Coumadin, and it is simply not worth the risk if you cannot be consistent.

In the diet wars, the benefit of one diet over another is bantered back and forth. In this study, Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet*, 322 people went on one of 3 diets: low-carb, Mediterranean, or low-fat. By looking at the difference in outcomes between the three groups, it might help you decide which diet is right for you.  Read more…