Know the ways to treat anemia, how it is diagnosed and its symptoms

 

The average volume of blood in an adult human body is between 4.7 and 5 liters. Blood is made up of various components, including red blood cells and hemoglobin, which are responsible for carrying oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body and cells.

The core of the hemoglobin molecule is iron and the structure of red blood cells and hemoglobin is protein. To produce these two bodies need enough protein, iron, copper, zinc (zinc) and vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid. Zinc is needed to help the body produce protein and break down and combine amino acids. Deficiency of any of these nutrients reduces the production of hemoglobin and red blood cells, which is called anemia.



Symptoms of anemia

When a person becomes anemic, he or she experiences symptoms such as paleness, weakness, headache, dizziness, and lethargy, and suffers from shortness of breath and fatigue with minimal physical activity. However, it should be noted that these symptoms are also seen in many other diseases, including hypothyroidism and adrenal glands, and should never be diagnosed based on the symptoms of a disease.
If you experience the above symptoms and think you have anemia, ask your doctor to check the status of blood factors, iron stores and vitamins through tests.



Blood tests to diagnose anemia and its causes:

In a CBC blood test, the amount of blood factors such as hemoglobin (HB), red blood cells (RBC), erythrocyte size (MCV), hematocrit (HCT), etc. are checked and if one of these factors is too high Less normal means that the person has anemia.

Common causes of anemia are deficiencies of vitamins B6, B12, folic acid and iron, so it is recommended to check the amount of iron and vitamins in the CBC test to determine the cause of anemia.

Required tests include: Folic Acid (Folate), Vitamin B12, Ferritin, TIBC, Iron Serum

Contrary to popular belief, the cause of anemia is not limited to iron deficiency in the body and lack of other vitamins is a more common cause and should not be used without a doctor's examination and diagnosis.

Ways to treat and prevent anemia: When it comes to anemia, the first thought that comes to the minds of people, especially women, is to take iron pills and vitamins! If you have a balanced diet, you can easily get enough iron and vitamins needed for blood formation and there is no need to take dietary supplements, except in special cases with a doctor's diagnosis.



How do we get the iron our body needs?

It is enough to eat 4 to 5 servings of legumes such as lentils and beans, 2 servings of red meat and if your cholesterol is not high, 4 whole eggs a week and some spinach, parsley and a little pistachio daily to get the full amount of iron. To meet your needs.

To help absorb iron, you can add a little fresh lemon juice to the mentioned foods, vitamin C increases iron absorption up to 3 times, and foods that are acidic, such as tomatoes, cause more iron absorption.
It should be noted that the amount of iron in 100 grams of parsley is 6.2 mg, which is more than the amount of iron in 100 grams of mutton or beef. Each 100 grams of parsley contains 133 mg of vitamin C, which helps absorb iron, and if If you have iron deficiency, be sure to include it in your diet.



Supply of folic acid required by the body

Folic acid plays an important role in iron metabolism. In simple terms, the body cannot use iron without folic acid.
It is important that the diet is rich in folic acid, including spinach, broccoli, beans, lettuce, avocado, wheat germ, oranges, lemons and other fresh vegetables and fruits.
It is recommended to consume one or two meals a day to make sure you get enough folic acid from your diet.

Vitamin B12 and its relationship with anemia:

Another common cause of anemia is vitamin B12 deficiency, which gets less attention, red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow, and bone marrow activity depends on a sufficient amount of this vitamin.



Vitamin B12 is also essential for energy production, the activity of the nervous system and the brain.

This nutrient is found only in animal food sources such as white and red meat, so vegetarians are prone to severe deficiency of this vitamin.
If you have anemia, the best source of iron and vitamin B12 is beef and sheep liver, which is more suitable than any pill or dietary supplement. You can take 2 meals a week and 100 to 150 grams per meal until the anemia is eliminated. .
Each 100 grams of beef liver contains 30 grams of protein, 6.5 milligrams of iron, 70.6 micrograms of vitamin B12 and 253 micrograms of folic acid.
If you are iron deficient and want to increase your body's iron stores, avoid the following:

Chocolate: Chocolate contains a substance that removes iron from the liver and body.

Whole grains and high-fiber foods: Foods high in fiber block the absorption of minerals, including iron, into the intestines.