Anemia…

Now-a-days when everyone is busy making one’s life, the time has fallen short. So everyone has to work hard in the limited time to make the most of it. But doing all that, we forget taking care of ourselves and more often fall deficient of blood.

Anemia is basically the deficiency of blood (lacking red blood cells) which results in a reduced ability of blood to transfer Oxygen to the tissues. The three main classes of anemia include excessive blood loss , excessive red blood cell destruction or deficient red blood cell production. It is the most common disorder of the blood.

Anemic people report a feeling of weakness or fatigue and sometimes report shortness of breath in case of severe anemia. Severe anemia also prompts the body to compensate by markedly increasing cardiac output, leading to palpitations and sweatiness which can lead to heart failure in elderly people. Pale skin and mucosal linings are only notable in cases of severe anemia, and is therefore not a reliable sign.

Blood test should be carried out to diagnose the anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia which is caused when the dietary intake or absorption of iron is insufficient. Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, and low iron levels result in decreased incorporation of hemoglobin into red blood cells.

Food rich in iron is essential to prevent iron deficiency anemia, Red meat, green leafy vegetables, dried beans, dried apricots, prunes, raisins, and other dried fruits as almonds are rich with iron. In extreme cases of anemia, researchers recommend use of beef liver, lean meat, oysters, lamb or chicken, or iron drops may be introduced. Certain foods should be avoided that are found to interfere with iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. These include tea, coffee, wheat bran, rhubarb, chocolate, soft drinks, red wine, ice cream, and candy bars . With the exception of milk and eggs, animal sources of iron provide iron with better bio availability than vegetable sources.

There are many different treatments for anemia, including monitoring food intake and iron supplementation; the treatment is determined by the type of anemia that is diagnosed. In severe cases of anemia, a blood transfusion may be necessary.