Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is recovering from a blood clot located in a dangerous place: in her head, between the brain and the skull. Blood clots so close to the brain can cause neurological damage, but she is now receiving blood thinners and is expected to make a full recovery.

Clinton was hospitalized at New York-Presbyterian Hospital last Sunday, after doctors discovered she had developed a blood clot following a concussion she suffered last month, while on a trip to Europe.

"In all other aspects of her recovery, the secretary is making excellent progress and we are confident she will make a full recovery. She is in good spirits, engaging with her doctors, her family, and her staff", said one of Clinton's doctors.

What are blood clots?

Blood clots form when blood clumps and hardens either because of an injury, clogged arteries, a heart condition, or other health problems. They occur in veins located either in the legs, the neck, the lungs or the brain. If left untreated, blood clots in the head can lead to neurological damage or stroke, but they can also break off and travel to other parts of the body.

The blood clot that Clinton developed, called a sinus venous thrombosis, has been deemed an uncommon complication by her doctors. According to a 2005 article featured in the New England Journal of Medicine, this type of blood clot is more commonly seen in newborns rather than as a result of head injury. With treatment, the recovery odds are about 80 percent.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and circulation problems, pregnancy, birth control medication, stroke, surgery, and even prolonged sitting can increase the risk of developing blood clots.

Natural remedies against blood clots

Strawberries, raising and prunes are high in salicylates, natural substances that can help thin the blood, but also reduce pain. Aspirin, the popular synthetic version of this substance, is sometimes prescribed to prevent stroke and heart attack. Spices such as cayenne pepper, cinnamon, licorice, tumeric, oregano and peppermint are also high in natural salycilates.

What may come as a surprise is that certain healthy fats, like omega-3, can actually help thin the blood. By contrast, hydrogenated fats, commonly found in processed foods, have the opposite effect. Omega-3 is found in cold water fish, but also in flax seeds, hemp, chia seeds, and nuts.

A 2007 clinical study found that vitamin E, a class of fat soluble compounds, is not only a powerful antioxidant, but may also help prevent life-threatening blood clots. While the American Heart Association is not yet ready to recommend vitamin E against stroke, evidence suggests that women who take vitamin E are 21 percent less likely to develop blood clots. The same study showed that women who suffer from a genetic predisposition to blood clots are 50 percent less likely to develop blood clots if they consume vitamin E regularly.

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