Anaemia

Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the haemoglobin concentration within them is lower than normal. Haemoglobin is needed to carry oxygen and if you have too few or abnormal red blood cells, or not enough haemoglobin, there will be a decreased capacity of the blood to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues.

NORMAL HAEMOGLOBIN LEVELS :

  • MALE – 13.5 – 18 g/dl
  • FEMALE – 11.5 – 16.5 g/dl

Symptoms of anaemia

  1. Fatigue
  2. Weakness
  3. Pale or yellowish skin
  4. Irregular heartbeats
  5. Shortness of breath
  6. Dizziness or lightheadedness
  7. Chest pain
  8. Cold hands and feet
  9. Headaches

Causes of anaemia

The most common causes of anaemia include nutritional deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency, though deficiencies in folate, vitamins B12 and A are also important causes.

Nutritional Recommendations

  1. Iron is present in two forms : heme iron & non heme iron
  2. Heme iron comes from non vegetarian sources like seafood, poultry, meat products
  3. Non heme iron comes from vegetarian sources like cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables, fruits & vegetables, nuts & seeds
  4. Heme iron is absorbed two to seven times more efficiently than non heme iron
  5. Include variety of healthful sources of iron like chickpeas, soya, green leafy vegetables like palak, fenugreek leaves, colocasia leaves, lotus stem, legumes, bajra, ragi, rajma, poultry, mutton, liver, sesame seeds, nuts
  6. Include vitamin c rich foods like amla, lemon, tomato,bell peppers, broccoli which can  enhance the iron absorption
  7. Avoid calcium rich foods like milk & milk products or calcium supplements which can hinder iron absorption
  8. Avoid consuming tea & coffee with the meals as it can inhibit iron absorption
  9. Soaking, cooking, sproutings or germinating helps in  reducing the levels of phytates and therefore helps in better iron absorption
  10. Usage of iron utensils also helps in bettern iron uptake