Stress, headaches, fatigue, irritability... These are all common symptoms in summer, but they can hide serious issues.

To check your health condition, you can do a quick and simple test to see if blood clots are circulating in your veins. Clots can be deadly; they can result from diabetes, and cause obesity. If clots reach the heart or lungs, they can cause permanent damage.

So, how do you find out what's happening in your blood vessels?

Fill half a glass with cold water and add some ice cubes. Wait until the ice is half-melted, then dip your index, middle, and ring fingers of your right hand into the cold water for 30 seconds. Make sure the water is really cold.

The color of your fingers after half a minute can reveal more than any check-up. If your fingers are white or blue, then you have circulation problems.

A change in temperature causes the blood vessels in your fingers to constrict, reducing blood flow. Something similar happens in winter with your nose and ears.

If you feel cramps and unbearable pain while your fingers are in the cold water, then there's a risk of blood clots.

And what should you eat to prevent clots?

Onions prevent platelets from sticking together, dissolve existing clots, and inhibit blood coagulation caused by fatty foods. It’s recommended to eat 100 grams of onions a day.

Ajoene, mainly found in garlic, has a similar effect to aspirin.

Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids are also very healthy. Eat especially oily fish: sardines, mackerel, salmon, tuna...

Flavonoids in wine are beneficial for blood health.

Spicy chili peppers contain capsaicin, which quickly breaks down blood clots. Additionally, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cloves are also helpful.

We also recommend foods to lower blood pressure. Eat more fish, persimmons, potatoes, Swiss chard, spinach, celery, artichokes, bananas, elderberries, kale, fennel, raisins, dried figs, yogurt, and foods high in vitamin C.

Avoid stress, alcohol, salty, and sugary foods.