Q: Isn't there a specific diet my mother should be following to make sure that her Coumadin is working correctly?

Dear Dr. Gourmet,

My mother has been taking Coumadin since her last stroke to keep her blood thin. She previously only was taking 1 mg., and her last protime test revealed that her blood was thickening, therefore the doctor now has her on 2 mg. a day. Isn't there a specific diet that she should be following to help keep this pill working correctly for her? She was supplied with a list of foods to eat and not to eat when she started taking this pill, however, she has since lost it. Can you help me? Thank you for your prompt response.

Concerned Daughter of almost 90 year old Mom

Q: Dr. Gourmet Says...

Diet can have a profound impact on how Coumadin® works in the body. The main issue is the amount of Vitamin K contained in foods. Those people who take Coumadin need to eat a consistent amount of Vitamin K.

There is information that you and your mother can use on the Dr. Gourmet website in the warfarin guide section.

There are also three lists on the website based on increasing levels of detail about the Vitamin K content of foods. I hope that this will help you.

Brief : A short list of commonly-used foods with their relative Vitamin K levels (Low, Medium, High)
Medium : A much longer list of foods, with their relative Vitamin K levels (Low, Medium, High)
Extensive : The same longer list as the Medium document, but with exact levels of Vitamin K in mcgs.

Thanks for writing.

Eat well, eat healthy, enjoy life!

Dr. Gourmet