Anemia: How to Avoid It
What is Anemia?
Anemia is not a medical condition, but a symptom wherein there is a decreased number of red blood cells in the body. Anemia is said to be the most common blood disorder and is actually a side effect when other illnesses either disturb the body's ability to produce healthy red blood cells or cause an anomalous increase in the breakdown of the red blood cells. The usual effects of this are paleness of skin, lethargicness, headache and chest pain.
The complex working of the human body requires extrinsic and intrinsic approaches of care and delicacies. There are more than a million cells working in a coherent environment, reaching to satisfy what we call actions and gestures. They require nutrients and oxygen to function properly. The red blood cells are essential components which provide oxygen to these cells, but certain fatal problems like anemia can cause a dysfunction in the red blood cells and create a path of hindrance to the oxygen supply. This absurd behavior of the red blood cells can create some severe health issues including acute pain in the bones, spinal cord and the entire body causing the skin color to turn yellow, the feeling of tiredness, uneasiness every time and in many unfortunate cases, the early stages of tumor.
Anemia also makes women experience some irregular menses and heavy bleeding. Pregnant women also face a lot of blood loss which can make them anemic. Therefore, it is necessary that everyone learns about anemia, how it can be avoided and spreads the awareness.
How Anemia Can Be Avoided?
Anemia can be easily identified through visible signs and symptoms in the body. A person must never hesitate to discuss the signs and symptoms that he/she might incur due to anemia. Even the slightest symptom must be taken into consideration before it turns the other way round to emerge as something more hazardous to the body. An anemic patient must always be honest while giving a report to the doctor about their condition and feelings. Thankfully, there are many precautionary measures that you can take to avoid anemia.
The primary cause of this condition is the lack of necessary vitamins and irons required for the production of blood in the body. While anemia can be cured by following certain medications and changes in the diet chart, the process is usually slow ranging from five to ten years for proper revival and elimination from its roots. In many cases, anemic people who do not seek treatment at the right time experience major organ damage due to oxygen starvation.
The most commonly used procedure to diagnose anemia is a complete blood count (CBC). For this blood test, a small sample of blood is taken and the patient's hemoglobin and hematocrit levels (ratio of the volume of red blood cells to the total volume of blood) are measured. There is a range of treatments available for anemia, all of which ultimately aim at raising the number of red blood cell in the body, thus causing more oxygen to be carried and supplied through the blood.
Many people are oblivious to the fact of foods that contain iron and important vitamins. This is the prime reason why they suffer from such problems. The availability of iron from non-vegetarian food is better than from vegetarian food as only 3-5% of iron gets absorbed from vegetarian foods. Therefore, in order to improve the availability of iron, a small portion of non-vegetarian food items like red meat and egg yolk must be added to the diet.
Related Post: Does Salmon have Iron?
The best way to avoid anemia is by following the traditional method of eating a healthy, nutritious diet. Foods such as liver, fishes like salmon and tuna contain high proportions of iron which build protein in the blood. Kidneys and beef are the large deposits of iron in mammals that can be consumed in many ways. Another innovative approach to avoid this problem is the regular intake of juices made from the combination of different vegetables such as kale, spinach and fruits like tomatoes and cherries. Avoid consuming foods rich in calcium such as milk and dairy products that block the absorption of iron as well as beverages like tea, coffee and colas.
Supplements Can Help People with Busy Lifestyle
Many people do not find the time to eat in their lives. Bankers, doctors and army personnel remain so busy that they often do not find the time to consume a proper meal. Such people with a hectic routine can take supplements to make up for the shortage of necessary nutrients and vitamins in the body. Supplements such as pills filled with iron and vitamin C are available in the market and act as a substitute for nutrients that are found in a balanced diet.
Although no medication or supplement can replace the iron intake that can be gained by consuming natural foods, vitamin B12 which is specifically found in meat products is available as a subsidiary. A man-made version of Erythropoietin
, the hormone responsible for increasing the rate of red blood cell production, can also be useful in treating anemia. Studies have concluded that fully grown adults require around 18 mg of iron every day to function properly, whereas women need around 16-19 mg during pregnancy and menstruation. If these nutrients and vitamins are kept in check, it can help to avoid health problems like anemia.
If lab tests confirm that the Vitamin B12 or Ferritin levels in the body are askew, then supplements may not be as effective in improving anemia. In fact, they may feed on an infection in the body. In such cases, if you notice that iron supplements are not helping, here are 2 important steps to consider:
- Focus on the stomach - to treat vitamin B12 deficiency which is commonly found in individuals with too little stomach acid, heartburn and those taking antacid medications.
- Focus on the gut - by adding more quantities of fermented foods and probiotic beverages in your daily meals which will help to heal and create a balanced inner ecosystem. Anemia is usually caused because of poor absorption or inflammation, but consumption of these foods will support healthy levels of red blood cells.
