Speaking of Blood Clots

with Val Conley

Invest in these 4 health habits.

They move the big levers on vascular health, navigating menopause, and aging well.

Val Conley, VTE survivor and lifestyle educator
VTE Lifestyle Educator Patient Advocate Blood Clot Survivor, Unprovoked PE ×2 American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Affiliate Member

Four habits. One foundation. Building health after VTE.

After two unprovoked PEs, I stopped chasing quick fixes and started building — one habit at a time, as a partner in my own care. They’re the foundation of everything Speaking of Blood Clots is built on.

I hope you’ll join me. One habit at a time.

Whole-Food Living

Add more plants to your plate. Make them tasty.

Start With This Habit →

Movement & Rest

Move with intention. Rest without guilt.

Start With This Habit →

Mindset & Management

Build a resilient mindset. Manage the mental load.

Start With This Habit →

Connect

Surround yourself with the right humans to support your health goals.

Start With This Habit →

There’s No Roadmap for What Comes Next After VTE

The initial focus after a blood clot diagnosis is exactly right — the clot, the anticoagulation, the follow-up appointments. But what comes next? No one hands patients a plan for rebuilding their health or becoming an informed partner in their own care.

“Patient and caregiver education is equally essential. Programs that support self-efficacy, teach evidence-based interventions, and promote supportive care will empower families and foster shared decision-making. A comprehensive educational ecosystem — one that spans trainees, providers, patients, and caregivers — is critical to sustainable implementation.”

Drs. Krisstina Gowin & Urvi A. Shah — ASH Clinical News, 2025

Speaking of Blood Clots connects evidence-based lifestyle education with VTE survivorship, giving women the tools to build a solid foundation as a partner in their care.

Read the full commentary →

Even among people with high genetic risk for VTE, improving lifestyle habits was associated with up to a 35% lower risk of a first clotting event.

Lifestyle & VTE: The Connection →

Navigating menopause with a VTE history requires a different conversation.

Menopause has taken a front seat in women’s health care, but having a history of blood clots can make a lot of women feel left on the side of the road. This series was created after seeing women like me struggling to have an informed conversation that validated their VTE history.

And no surprise — lifestyle plays an important role here as well.

Explore This Series →

Walk into your next appointment ready.

The free lifestyle guide that gives you the exact questions to bring to every provider on your care team.

  • How to start the lifestyle conversation with your care team
  • How to raise the menopause conversation safely
  • The scripts and questions to walk into every appointment prepared

Get the free lifestyle guide

Explore the other pillars.

Every piece of content on this platform lives inside one of these four areas. Find the pillar that's calling you next.

Whole-Food Living

Build a nutritional foundation that supports vascular health, the menopause transition, and the journey of healthy aging.

Movement & Rest

Take a sustainable approach to strength training that supports blood flow and vascular health. Build the mobility, bone density, and power you need to age well.

Mindset & Management

Manage stress and prioritize restorative sleep, which helps protect your cardiovascular and cognitive health for the decades ahead.

Connect

Shift from the loop of "what ifs.” Connect with a care team and peers focused on shared goals that help you rebuild your health and your life after VTE.