Have you ever felt tired even after you haven’t done anything energy-draining? Were you short of breath for no reason at all? If you think this is normal and just a surge of uncertainty in a specific day, think again. This can be a sign of anemia. Anemia is a condition where your blood lacks the sufficient amount of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is one of the main parts of red blood cells and this traps in oxygen. If you have few or abnormal red blood cells, or your hemoglobin is abnormal or low, the cells in your body will not get enough oxygen. Thus, squeezing in more serious health problems you can possibly imagine.
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What causes anemia in the first place?
In reality, being anemic can be caused by different factors. Although the three (3) main factors of having anemia would be that:
- Your body removes or destroys red blood cells;
- Bleeding causes you to lose red blood cells more quickly than they can be replaced; and
- Your body doesn’t make enough red blood cells
Most usually, anemia is caused by the lack of iron in our bodies. Hemoglobin, being an iron-rich protein that is one of the main reasons why our blood is in red color, is needed to ensure that our blood is healthy. Therefore, insufficient supply of iron in our bodies can make it abnormal.
What are the symptoms of anemia?
Having anemia has different symptoms. Although this is the case, you need to watch out for the following:
- Paleness or yellowish skin;
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Chest pains
- Lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath
- Cold hands and feet
- Headache
Obviously, experiencing these might not just be because you’re anemic. Fatigue can be caused by a lot of factors, having headaches can be caused by different factors, and so on. However, if you feel that you’re experiencing one or two of these more frequent than you think you should, then you better have yourself checked.
What are treatments for anemia?
The usual answer to anemia would be taking iron supplements and diet change. Moreover, if the anemia root is blood loss, other than in the form of menstruation, the outlet of the blood needs to be applied with pressure to make it stop. This however, could require surgery. Lastly, if it’s caused by lack of vitamins, supplementary vitamin intake could be an additional treatment and of course consumption/absorption of vitamin B-12.
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Anemia home remedies
While you can treat anemia in different ways and in taking iron supplements, there actually are different home remedies for anemia.
Fruits
if you think you lack everyday vitamins, taking/consuming fruits should be in your daily diet. You need to consume fruits which are high in vitamin C and B. This way, you know that your immune system is at its finest and will of course defend you with all sorts of abnormalities and insufficiency in nutrients. Unthinkably one of the best home remedies to combat anemia.
Water
Drinking eight to ten glasses of water a day can keep the doctor away. This is true in almost any form. Since one of the things that anemia does is it limits oxygen in your blood, drinking water can be a sufficient answer for this all. Water contains oxygen, which of course our body needs to ensure that it runs accordingly. With water, you get to hit multiple birds in one throw.
Vitamin C
Apart from consuming fruits, taking a sure daily dose of vitamin C could be another home remedy for anemia. Since we have the type of anemia that talks about vitamin deficiency, consuming enough vitamin C might surprise you. Vitamin C improves and increases the absorption of iron. Thus, taking more vitamin C makes your body an iron-magnet.
Healthy Snacks
The word “healthy” is intended to be there because some of you might have a slight misunderstanding. Taking in snacks in between meals, and I’m talking about healthy snacks like nuts, raisins, and dried fruit, increases your body’s ability to absorb vitamin C and iron. Likewise, raisins contain a good amount of iron and vitamin C, making them a perfect combination if you need more iron in your bloodstream.
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Specific food avoidance
Yes, there are certain food or substances you need to refrain from if you’re trying to build up iron in your system. These food are counterproductive when you take in iron so as much as possible, try avoiding these 1-2 hours before taking in iron and 1-2 hours after.
- Coffee
- Teas (Black and Green)
- Antibiotics
- Chocolate
- Dairy products
These foods and beverages interfere with iron absorption with the substances these food have.
Spinach
In all fairness, spinach seems to be the best thing you can consume naturally in terms of iron. This leafy vegetable is highly rich in iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid. A half cup of spinach provides almost 35% of your daily iron needs; 33% of your daily folic acid.
Being anemic is a serious condition; it’s not just about having low-iron, less blood, and less vitamins. It can lead to worse scenarios and can be a root of a deadlier cause. That’s why when you experience symptoms, it’s best to have yourself checked by a medical practitioner and to ask what best things you can do to treat it. But if you still have time, take these home remedies into consideration to try to prevent the condition before it gets you.
