I have a feeling the answer is "that's just the way it is," but ...

I have always bruised very easily. Combine that with an active lifestyle and a taste for contact sports, and I always look like a domestic abuse victim -- bruises up and down my legs after every mtb ride, for example.

Granted, they're great conversation pieces, and they make it seem like I'm a lot more bada$$ than I probably am, but still ... it's getting to be tiresome.

Is there anyone on these forums who also bruises easily and has been able to find any info on why that would be the case and maybe even (dare I hope?) nutrition, etc changes that might minimize the bruising?