Healthy eating won’t cure immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), but there’s some evidence that people with ITP benefit from dietary patterns that help reduce inflammation. Preparing food at home allows you to choose nutritious ingredients that help you feel your best and may protect against other health problems.

In addition, side effects of some ITP treatments (like corticosteroids and prednisone) include higher blood pressure and blood sugar, so it’s a good idea to manage your intake of sodium and added sugars. When you make your own meals and snacks, you can control how much salt and sugar they contain.

Here are five simple recipes that feature whole foods to help improve your diet while living with chronic ITP.

1. Crispy Kale Chips for Healthy Snacking

Leafy greens aren’t just a side dish. You can replace salty snacks like potato chips and pretzels with nutritious and delicious kale chips. Greens — including kale, spinach, and arugula — are a good source of vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting.

Since people with ITP may be prescribed treatments that affect clotting, talk to your hematologist or health care team before drastically changing your diet. They’ll likely be happy to hear that you want to eat more greens.

When making kale chips, look for fresh curly or Lacinato kale — the hearty leaves can withstand the heat of the oven. The 30-minute recipe below includes a version for the microwave.

2. Chia Pudding for a Better Breakfast

Chia seeds are often called a superfood or functional food because they provide plenty of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. They’re also a good source of the minerals calcium and zinc and of omega-3 fatty acids. Healthy fats and omega-3s are anti-inflammatory and promote a healthy nervous system, brain, and heart. Whipping up a batch of chia pudding is a fun, easy way to get more of these seeds in your diet.

The recipe that follows is for a simple and basic pudding, but you can customize it and experiment with different flavors. For the liquid, try using almond, soy, or dairy milk or your favorite 100 percent fruit juice. Include your choice of mix-ins, such as chopped nuts, sliced fresh fruit, raisins, vanilla extract, or cinnamon, to make the recipe your own.

3. Festive Guacamole for an Everyday Staple

Most people think of guacamole as a party food, but there’s no reason this nutritious dip can’t be a staple in your diet. Making guacamole at home lets you control the ingredients and ensure you’ll have a fresh batch to enjoy. Versatile guacamole is great as a:

• Topping for whole-grain crackers
• Condiment in wrap sandwiches
• Dip with freshly cut veggies
• Dressing for salad

Avocados are high in beneficial monounsaturated fats, which are anti-inflammatory and support heart and circulatory health. Adding healthy fats to your meals also helps you feel full and enhances the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from other foods on your plate.

The garlic in the recipe below adds a burst of flavor to guacamole, but it may also affect blood clotting. Talk with your doctor to find out how much garlic is good for you.

4. Salmon Cakes for a Quick Seafood Dinner

Your pantry and fridge might already hold all the ingredients you need to throw together a tasty seafood dish — salmon cakes. Salmon is rich in healthful omega-3 fatty acids.

Stock up on canned salmon and other ingredients when they go on sale so you’re always ready to prepare a quick meal at a reasonable cost. There are plenty of ways to make salmon cakes, but you can start with this basic recipe from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

5. Stuffed Dates for a Healthier Sweet Treat

Dates offer a nutritious way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Although they’re high in natural sugar, dates beat out processed desserts by providing plenty of heart-healthy potassium and fiber — ingredients that promote overall health and may help fight fatigue from ITP. You can stuff dates with nuts and other healthful ingredients when you want a pick-me-up for yourself or a special dessert or appetizer to share with others.

One of the easiest ways to make stuffed dates is to fill pitted dates with peanut butter. You can sprinkle them with cinnamon for added flavor. This nonperishable snack is great to take when traveling or add to a packed lunch.

The recipe below from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers a more savory take on stuffed dates, using fresh herbs and mascarpone cheese.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On myITPcenter, the site for people with immune thrombocytopenia and their loved ones, people come together to learn more about treatment options and lifestyle changes for ITP.

Have you made any dietary changes to support your platelet count, immune system, or bleeding symptoms? What are some of your favorite healthy recipes? Post your thoughts in a comment below.