Iron deficiency is most common among people of all age groups. The nutrient is critical, because it not just produces haemoglobin, it also protects red cells by providing them enough oxygen. Check out these symptoms to know if you are iron deficient.

1) Exhaustion- Do you feel tired, exhausted all the time? Most women think that it?s because of their frantic life. But it could actually be because your tissues don?t get enough oxygen.

2) Heavy Periods- Heavier blood flow is one of the reasons behind iron deficiency. Women may loose too much of blood and might not be able to replace it faster. Periods should only fill two to three tablespoons each month.

3) Paleness- Have people been telling you that you look pale or sickly. Low levels of protein and iron can suck away colour from your skin. 

4) Shortness of Breath- A flight of stairs seem like a mammoth of a task when you have less iron. If you easily get short of breath, it?s time you consult your doctor.

If you have any of the above symptoms or have more questions on this topic, click on consult privately to ask me.

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Iron Deficiency Is More Dangerous Than You Think. Symptom Checker Inside.

Iron deficiency anemia is a type of anemia, which occurs due to deficiency of iron. Iron is the main component of hemoglobin. So, a decrease in the hemoglobin level results in iron deficiency anemia.
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What are the Signs and Symptoms of Iron Deficiency Anemia?

Signs and symptoms appear when anemia is moderate to severe. In the mild stage, iron deficiency anemia often goes unnoticed. The signs and symptoms of iron deficiency anemia are:

Extreme fatigue (weakness)
Pale skin and brittle nails
Reduced  appetite
Headache, dizziness, or lightheadedness
Cold hands and feet with tingling numbness
Chest pain, palpitations, or shortness of breath
Inflammation or soreness of the tongue
Unusual cravings for indigestible substances, such as ice, dirt, or starch. 
What are the Causes of Iron Deficiency Anemia? 

Inadequate iron intake: Your body gets iron from the food you eat. If you consume too little iron, then your body may become iron deficient. Hence, resulting in anemia.
Inability to absorb iron: Iron is absorbed into your bloodstream from the food in your small intestine. In conditions like an intestinal disorder, this absorption of iron is hampered which results in iron deficiency anemia. Also, when your small intestine is bypassed or removed surgically, absorption of iron is hampered.
Blood loss: Red blood cells in your blood contain iron, and if the blood loss is severe, you can end up having iron deficiency. Conditions, such as bleeding hemorrhoids, colorectal cancer, and heavy menstruation can result in iron deficiency anemia.
Pregnancy and lactation: During pregnancy and lactation period, the iron requirement of the mother is more, and when it is unfulfilled, she may end up having iron deficiency anemia. 
Which Group is at Risk? 

Vegetarians
Women
Infants and children 
Frequent blood donors
How is it Diagnosed?

Diagnosis is made with the help of: 

Patient s history  
Blood tests, such as CBC and serum ferritin
Some additional tests, such as colonoscopy, endoscopy, and sonography to diagnose the underlying cause
Treatment

Treating the underlying cause is the primary step. 

Severe cases: When the iron level is too low, blood transfusion and even intravenous iron is given
Mild to Moderate Cases: Iron and vitamin C supplements are given in mild and moderate cases of iron deficiency anemia.
Can you Prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia?

Yes. You can prevent iron deficiency anemia by including iron-rich foods in your diet, such as:

Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, peas, and beans
Dry fruits, such as raisins and apricots
Red meat, pork and poultry, and seafoodIron-fortified cereals, bread, and pasta
Include vitamin C-rich foods in your diet to enhance iron absorption. Vitamin C is found in Grapefruit, oranges, strawberries, lemons, and melonsLeafy greens, broccoli, peppers, and tomatoes

Iron Deficiency - What Are The Possible Signs And Symptoms?

World Sickle Cell Day is observed each year on June 19th to raise the public awareness regarding this disease and its treatment methods. Sickle Cell disease is an inherited transmitted deformity/abnormality of haemoglobin. It is an inherited form of anaemia. This abnormality generates changes in the shape of red blood cells from round to crescent, which reduces the oxygen carrying capacity and slows down the flow of blood to various parts of the body. 

Generally, red blood vessels are round and flexible, passing easily through the blood vessels. The red blood cells become sticky and rigid in sickle cell anaemia. Sickle cells last 10 to 20 days, which causes anaemia because of the disorder of red blood cells, while healthy red blood cells could live up to 120 days.

Millions of people around the world are affected by Sickle Cell Anemia. There is no specific cure for this disease as Sickle cell anaemia is not contagious, it is hereditary. Sickle cell anaemia is named so for the reason that red blood cells are crescent-shaped or sickle-shaped, and anaemia signifies lack of blood. There is a difference between iron-deficiency anaemia and sickle cell anaemia.

Symptoms

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) has many symptoms which includes: serious anemia, episodes of suffering, additionally a range of complications, heart failure, dizziness, chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute chest syndrome (ACS), chest pain, gallstones, pulmonary hypertension, immune deficiency, paralysis or stroke, splenomegaly, joint damage mainly in the hip joint, foot ulcers, delayed puberty, retinopathy, and endocrine disorders.

Diagnosis

Sickle Cell Disease is diagnosed by blood tests.

Treatment

Bone marrow transplant or stem cell transplant in patients usually below the age of sixteen is the only available cure for the disease.

Aim of the World Sickle Cell Day

The aim of the World Sickle Cell Day is to support and promote research for the patients in order to help them upgrade their overall quality of life to the maximum possible extent. It also aspires to increase awareness for sickle cell disease disorder in the general public so that they know how to deal with patients suffering from the disease. Moreover, the World Sickle Cell Day has the objective of raising awareness of the importance among generations of pre-marital screening to lessen the transmission of Sickle Cell Disease.

Target Groups for Awareness Programs

Though it is desirable that everybody knows about Sickle Cell Disease, the target groups for the awareness programs include health decision-makers, sickle cell anaemia sufferers and their families, health organizations and associations, people who are planning to get married, and the health workers including health educators, physicians, and nurses.

On the World Sickle Cell Day, different societies provide advocacy, information, and advice for raising awareness. They also provide educational and welfare grants, support services, annual children s holiday, home help, hospital visits, mentoring and befriending through holding talks, assisting into research and training, lobbying for better service provision, patient education seminars, and campaigning.

World Sickle Cell Day - What Should You Know?

Anemia (or anaemia) is a medical condition which generally occurs in a human body because of the lack of required healthy red blood cells (RBCs) or hemoglobin in the blood. Diagnosis of anemia is done through a blood test, a man is anemic when his hemoglobin level is less than 13.5 gram/100 ml and a woman is anemic when her hemoglobin level is less than 12.0 gram/100 ml.

Risk factors: People suffering from long-term or chronic diseases such as cancer are more susceptible of developing anemia. Hemoglobin is the salient constituent of red blood cells and is an iron rich protein. It provides the red color to the blood and binds oxygen. Red blood cells carry this oxygen to all the vital tissues and organs of the body. Due to lack of appropriate amount of red blood cells, the amount of blood required in a body to function normally is also low. One of the most prominent causes of occurrence of anemia is the deficiency of required amount of nutritional iron, vitamin B-12, and folate in the body. This iron is needed for the formation of hemoglobin. Apart from these causes, the other causes of anemia comprise of the following:

Loss of blood
Insufficient production of red blood cells (inadequate intake of iron, vitamin B-12)
Fast rate of destruction of red blood cells (disorders of liver and hemorrhage)
Diagnosis: It is relatively easy to detect an anemic person. The symptoms of anemia include pale appearance, complaint of cold, giddiness, unsteadiness, laziness, particularly when the person is in action or is standing up. Sometimes people suffering from anemia crave for eating clay, ice, or even dirt. Also, there are complains of exhaustion along with issues of constipation and concentration. Other indications of anemia are brittle nails, gasps for breath even in mild activities, and pain in the chest. Since the level of oxygen in the blood is low, there could be even scope of a heart attack.

A person suffering from anemia is usually diagnosed on the basis of a complete blood count. The blood test brings out if serum folate levels are quite low. In case the anemia is severe, sometimes doctors take the help of erythropoietin injections so as to foster the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. In case there is bleeding or if the level of hemoglobin is low, it might become essential to carry out blood transfusion.

Treatment: Anemia is straightforward to diagnose and treat, but at the same time could prove to be deadly if it is left undiagnosed. Proper heed should be paid to the intake of adequate and required food which is rich in vitamins and minerals, dietary iron, folic acid, including other vitamins and minerals.

Anemia- How Does It Affect a Person's Health?

Your body goes through drastic changes when you are pregnant. Your body makes more blood during pregnancy; for instance, prior to pregnancy, your body made approximately 5 litres of blood, but now it produces 7 to 8 litres of it.
Producing excess red blood cells requires haemoglobin, which in turn requires plenty of folate, iron and vitamin B12. If there is a deficiency in any of these requirements, you might develop anaemia.
Anaemia is a condition, which is characterized by a lack of red blood cells in the body. The risks of becoming anaemic during pregnancy include:
1. Being extremely fatigued
2. Miscarriages, premature birth, or low birth-weight
3. The baby can inherit anaemia from the mother
4. The child can have certain developmental delays
5. Postpartum depression (post-childbirth depression)

How it can be prevented?
To prevent such risks, it is important to implement the proper diet. Here are some dietary tips to prevent anaemia during pregnancy: 
1. Consume iron-rich foods: Foods that provide you with the best source of iron are 
i. Poultry and eggs
ii. Dark green and leafy vegetables (for example: spinach, broccoli and kale)
iii. Seeds and nuts
iv. Beans and lentils
v. Tofu
vi. Beetroot
vii. Ripe bananas

2. Don't forget the supplements: Foods are great sources of the nutrients you require, but they may be lacking at times. Ask your doctor for supplements like vitamin, folic acid and iron supplements mostly. Consuming supplements before pregnancy can go a long way in preventing anaemia.

3. Folic acid is important: Folic acid is very important for pregnant women. You must consume 400 milligrams of it to prevent anaemia and birth defects in babies. Foods that are rich in folic acid include:
i. Beans
ii. Muesli
iii. Broccoli
iv. Brussel sprouts
v. Asparagus

4. Vitamins are crucial: Vitamin C helps in iron absorption which boosts haemoglobin production. Some foods rich in vitamin C include
i. Citrus fruits
ii. Strawberries
iii. Kiwis
iv. Tomatoes
v. Bell peppers

5. Be vigilant while cooking: Sometimes while cooking foods, the wrong method can strip them of their iron content. So be careful not to fry, boil or stew such foods too much. Certain foods are best consumed raw; read the labels properly if in doubt.

6. Abstain from certain habits: Alcohol, tea, cigarette and coffee hinder iron absorption. So stop consuming them if you are trying to conceive or have conceived.

Dietary Tips to Prevent Anaemia in Pregnant Women

Anemia is a condition where the red blood cell count is reduced due to deficiencies within the system. This is usually caused by a lack of iron, folate and other related nutrients in the diet. Anemia is a major public health concern in India as over 50 percent of women are known to be anemic. This pushes up the mortality rate of young mothers and even children.

Some symptoms of Iron deficiency anemia
Anemia has a wide range of symptoms which varies from person to person. However there are some generic symptoms which can be noticed in most people. Some of these are
1. Pale appearance of skin - Many people exhibit this symptom where their skin appears to be pale as there is a reduced amount of oxy - hemoglobin in the skin.
2. Physical weakness, light headedness and fatigue - This is a general symptom, which many tend to suffer from and complain about. Fatigue and weakness may come in very quickly even with the slightest effort.
3. Hair loss - Many women may complain about hair loss due to Iron deficiency  anemia.

Some other symptoms are -
a. Breathlessness
b. Constipation
c. Missed or irregular periods
d. Numbness or burning sensations
e. Depression
f. Tinnitus among others

Causes of Iron deficiency anemia
The primary cause of Iron deficiency anemia is the lack of iron in the diet which causes the hemoglobin in the blood to be reduced. Some of the patients may still have Iron deficiencyanemia as they have developed gastrointestinal disorders which prevents the absorption of nutrients like iron within the body.

How to treat Iron deficiency anemia
Diet related anemia can be easily cured or controlled with changing diets. Inclusion of certain foods within the diet can easily reverse the Iron deficiencies. Some of the food items that help with deficiencies are:
1. Fortified cereals
2. Green dark leafy vegetables
3. Poultry items
4. Eggs
5. Meat
You may also require certain iron supplements if you have certain underlying conditions which is causing issues with iron absorption.

How to prevent Iron deficiency anemia
It is important, especially for women to go for regular checkups to your doctor and also a hemoglobin check up. Your doctor or dietician can tell you to include certain foods in your diet that include folate, iron and vitamin B 12 so that the level of hemoglobin in your blood can be maintained at healthy levels.

All About Iron Deficiency - Anemia

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