A person is anemic when the hemoglobin concentration or oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is lower than usual. Hemoglobin deficiency can result from a reduction in red blood cells or a decrease in hemoglobin within the red blood cells.
What are the causes of anemia?
Anemia is a disease that affects more than 24% of the world’s population. Preschool children and non-pregnant women are the social groups that suffer the highest incidence. There are different types of anemia that are differentiated according to their origin:
- By blood loss
- Excessive destruction of erythrocytes.
- Due to an alteration in the erythrocyte production mechanism (lack of iron, vitamin B12, folic acid or vitamin C).
- Anemia resulting from other diseases such as infections, cancer or cirrhosis.
What is nutritional anemia?
This type of anemia arises as a consequence of an inadequate intake of certain substances. The body needs a certain amount of iron and, if it is not ingested in sufficient quantity, it causes iron deficiency anemia.
This type of anemia often occurs during menstruation, multiple pregnancies or ulcers. In the case of young children, iron deficiency anemia is caused by a lack of iron during the growth period. The most frequent symptoms are tiredness, dyspnea on exertion and pale nails and mucous membranes.
How is anemia treated?
Treatment is based on the oral administration of iron, although sometimes the body does not absorb the iron ingested. For this purpose there are substances such as ascorbic acid, although it has some side effects such as diarrhea, nausea or constipation. On the positive side, hemoglobin concentration is restored in a short time.
On the other hand, when the anemia is caused by folic acid deficiency, oral folate treatment is recommended. This type of anemia occurs mainly in pregnant women and infants, although it is also common in patients with liver disease or on dialysis. Sufferers experience fatigue, irritability and dyspnea.
Practical tips to combat anemia
Whatever the type of anemia, it is very important to keep in mind that a varied and balanced diet can improve the situation without the need for pharmacological treatment. In addition, although the degree of iron absorption depends on the initial levels that the person has, there are a series of practices that people with anemia should follow to reduce the effects:
- Distinguish heme iron, provided by foods of animal origin (meat, fish, poultry and seafood) and non-heme iron of vegetable origin (grains, vegetables and fruits), since the absorption capacity of the latter is worse.
- It promotes the consumption of foods such as nuts and seeds, red meat, egg yolk or seafood among others.
- There are components that favor iron absorption such as vitamin C, fructose, citric acid, proteins (especially amino acids such as lysine, histidine, cystine or methionine).
- Avoid or reduce the consumption of foods containing oxalic acid (spinach), tannins (coffee, tea), phytates (cereal envelope fiber) or situations of deficiency of certain vitamins, excess of certain minerals or insufficient protein.
- The integral cereals have more iron, vit B12 and folic acid than the refined ones but due to their content in phytates it is recommended not to abuse.
- Among the ideal desserts are citrus fruits for their contribution of vitamin C or dairy products as they improve the absorption of folic acid.
- When consuming legumes it is good to add some potato or rice to improve the quality of the protein and bell pepper or orange juice / kiwi for dessert for its vitamin C.
If you want to enjoy a good state of health, eat a good, varied and balanced diet with a moderate consumption of all food groups. It will help you to prevent health problems and maintain a healthy weight.