Weekly Message Weekly Gems from Ronda Gates.

Recently, in preparation for elective surgery, I was told to avoid aspirin for 2 weeks prior to the event. Aspirin interferes with our blood's ability to clot--something that's useful to prevent heart disease but not good if you're going to be cut when it can prolong post surgical clotting times.

There are other drugs AND herbs which should be on this pre-surgical warning list. These include steroids (taken for rheumatoid arthritis or asthma), NSAID's (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxyn), and vitamin E, garlic, fish oil, ginger and Ginkgo biloba.

To reduce bruising from surgery or any trauma (including a bump that might turn into a bruise) use cold compresses, frozen peas (in the bag) or ice. Once the swelling from a bruise goes down a warm compress may help the blueness disappear faster.

And, for those of you who are older and think you are bruising more easily, you are. Skin "thins" with age and the blood vessels become more fragile as the tissues that support them get weaker. Sunshine can exacerbate this problem which is more evident in thin people.

I discovered early in life that bruising can run in families and that some of us have a "for no apparent reason" ability to spontaneously develop harmless bruises on the upper arms, thighs and buttocks.

So, although ibuprofen works great for my sore muscles and aches and pains it's the non blood thinning Tylenol (acetaminophen) that's been in, and will remain in my medicine cabinet.

Have a knockout but bruise-free week.

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