I suffer from bruising all over my body, but especially my legs and arms. It seems to get worse if I go for a bike ride or when I've been at work (filling shelves at a supermarket). The bruises are usually quite small and a yellow/brown colour. I try to be careful not to knock myself, but the bruises keep appearing. Do you have any advice for me or is it a hereditary problem? My mother also suffers from this.

Bruising happens to everyone when blood vessels are damaged through trauma and leak blood into the surrounding tissue, but some people are prone to excessive bruising. This is often due to fragile capillary walls, especially if the bruises are mild and appear after knocks or physical exercise. However it can indicate an underlying health problem so a visit to your GP to rule this out is strongly recommended. There are hereditary disorders that cause bruising but these are usually accompanied by symptoms such as frequent nosebleeds or bleeding gums. Blood thinning medications can also cause easy bruising.

The commonest cause of fragile capillaries is a straightforward deficiency of Vitamin C, E and bioflavonoid nutrients. Vitamin C is essential for healthy collagen which forms the strengthening matrix in the blood vessel walls. Vitamin E and Bioflavonoids also help to maintain blood vessel structure and reduce permeability. To help rectify this include 5-8 daily servings of colourful fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus and kiwi fruit, berries, broccoli and avocado. I would also recommend taking therapeutic levels (1-2g daily) of Vitamin C for a few weeks, try Vitamin C Powder by Biocare or all natural Pure Radiance C from Xynergy www.xynergy.co.uk Also worth trying is VascularGuard by Biocare, a Vitamin E and bioflavonoid complex specifically designed to strengthen blood vessels.

Vitamin K deficiency (common following antibiotics) is also a possibility as this promotes blood clotting and re-absorption of tissue-bound blood i.e. bruises. Boost levels by including 1-2 daily servings of green leafy vegetables, or try Vitamin K-rich Spirulina, also from Xynergy.

There are many homeopathic remedies that can help with a tendency to bruise easily including Arnica, Lachesis, Phosphorous and Sepia but for best results seek constitutional treatment from a registered homeopath – see the Society of Homeopaths www.homeopathy-soh.org for a practitioner near you.

Stella New RSHom MBANT is a registered homeopath and nutritional therapist with clinics in Midhurst and Farnham, and technical consultant for Xynergy Health Products. Prior to her training she spent many years as an expedition leader, taking groups into some of the most challenging parts of the world, where she was inspired by the use of natural remedies for treating all manner of ailments. Email stella@stellanew.co.uk