Anemia is a disease which occurs due to the lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin in your body. The body transports oxygen and the nutrition you get from food, to various body parts through hemoglobin, and a deficiency can cause lower supply of these important elements to the body. Which is why, the patient may feel a lack of energy, dizziness and even exhaustion. Most people don't realize its existence, so it's important that you know the symptoms, causes and cures of this blood disease. And, the foods one should eat to avoid anemia.

Lack of iron: There are various forms of this illness, and one of it is iron deficiency anemia. The red blood cells in the blood contain hemoglobin, which requires iron for formation. If the diet is not adequately loaded with iron, the person can have iron deficiency anemia. This is the most ordinary one that occurs to people, but with adequate care through food, exercise, and medicines, you can tackle it.
The root cause: Faulty production of red cells (hereditary conditions like sickle cell anemia, bone marrow disorders, etc. is the common cause of anemia. Excessive destruction of red blood cells, which is not compensated by normal production (spleen disorders, thalassemia, etc.) can be another reason. People with blood loss conditions (ulcers, gastritis, internal bleeding, excessive menstruation, childbirth, etc. and the ones who consume a poor diet can also get this blood disease.
Know the symptoms: There are essentially nonspecific symptoms of anemia, but overall fatigue with very low energy levels as the body does not receive enough nutrition to perform various functions can be one of them. Reduced heart rate, fainting, and pallor of skin and whites of the eye are common indicators of this illness. Check with your doctor if you face any of these issues.
Foods for prevention: If you follow a healthy diet that is full of nutrients like iron, you can keep anemia at bay. Remember, weight is not an issue here. If you have a good diet intake, you need not worry about being slim. Often, women who are thin get labeled as anemic, which is far from truth. When it comes to nutrients, iron-rich foods should be eaten along with vitamin C to improve its absorption. Vitamin B12 also plays a significant role in absorption. Meat including red meat, lamb, pork, chicken, beet, ham, turkey, and seafood including salmon or tuna can be included in your diet. Other foods like legumes, soybeans, veggies (dark green leafy vegetables, spinach, peas, broccoli), dried fruits and nuts, tofu, pumpkin and eggs are rich sources of iron that can be consumed by vegetarians. Cereals like red rice, brown rice or fortified cereals with a good source of iron can also be included in the diet.
Don't miss out on iron, ladies! Women are likely to be anemic (with symptoms like fatigue and paleness) and hence they should constantly monitor for iron levels and shift to a diet rich in iron. Furthermore, iron supplements can be consumed in the form of tablets, syrup, or tablets with the guidance of a doctor. In severe cases, where there is a significant blood loss, especially with childbirth or internal bleeding, the sufferer may require transfusion. All in all, anemia is definitely manageable with planning of diet, especially during times the like menstruation and pregnancy. So, taking care on time is a vital step.

Anemia - What Diet Should You Follow?

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 medical condition in which the red blood cell count or hemoglobin is less than normal. Haemoglobin is the main part of red blood cells and it binds oxygen. If you have few or abnormal red blood cells, or your hemoglobin is low, the cells in your body will not get enough oxygen. Anemia can last temporarily or for a long-term, and it can range from mild to severe. If you suspect you have anemia, see your doctor immediately because it can be a warning sign of a serious illness. A person who has anemia is called anemic.

Sign and symptoms of anemia: Because a low blood cell count decreases oxygen delivery to every tissue in the body, anemia can cause a variety of signs and symptoms. It can also worsen the state of any other underlying medical condition. If anemia is mild, it may not cause any symptoms. If anemia is chronic, the body may adapt and compensate for the change. In this case, there may not be any symptoms until anemia becomes more severe. Anemia signs and symptoms may vary depending on the cause of the condition. These may include fatigue, weakness, pale or yellowish skin, irregular heartbeats, breathlessness, dizziness, chest pain, cold hands and feet, and headache.

Causes of anemia: Anemia occurs when your body doesn t have enough red blood cells. This can happen if: 

Your body doesn t make enough red blood cells: The bone marrow is essential for the creation of red blood cells. A number of diseases can affect the bone marrow, including leukemia, where too many abnormal white blood cells are produced. This disrupts normal production of red blood cells.
Bleeding causes you to lose red blood cells more quickly than they can be replaced: Iron deficient anemia is the most common type of anemia which often falls into this category. It is caused by a shortage of iron, which most often results due to blood loss. Blood loss can be acute and rapid or chronic. Rapid blood loss can happen at the time of surgery, childbirth, trauma, or a ruptured blood vessel. 
Your body destroys red blood cells: Red blood cells have a lifespan of 120 days in the bloodstream but they can be destroyed or removed beforehand. In one type of anemia, the body s immune system mistakenly identifies its own red blood cells as a foreign substance and attacks them. Excessive red blood cell breakdown can also occur due to infections, the use of certain drugs, snake or spider venom, severe hypertension, and in the case of clotting disorders.
Treatment of anemia: The treatment of anemia varies greatly. First, the underlying cause of anemia needs to be identified and corrected. Most of the times, iron supplements will be needed to correct iron deficiency. In severe anemia, blood transfusions may be necessary. Vitamin B12 injections are necessary in some cases who are suffering from a specific type of anemia.

Prevention of anemia: Many types of anemia can t be prevented. But iron deficient anemia and vitamin deficient anemia can be avoided by having a diet that includes a variety of vitamins and nutrients, including iron, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin C.

Anemia - What Causes It?

The lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood is termed as anemia. You may also be diagnosed as anemic is your red blood cells do not have a high enough hemoglobin count. Since hemoglobin is responsible for the amount of oxygen in our blood, being anemic results in a decreased flow of oxygen in the blood. 

There are 5 different types of anemia. These are:
1. Iron deficiency anemia: when the iron levels of the blood are lower than normal. 
2. Sickle cell anemia: when the red blood cells are shaped like a'sickle' and hence more fragile. This is an inherited condition. 
3. Thalassemia - when the body does not produce enough red blood cells or hemoglobin. This is also an inherited condition.
4. Megaloblastic anemia - when the blood does not have enough vitamin b12 and hence cannot transport hemoglobin through the body. 
5. Hemolytic anemia - when the red blood cells are rapidly removed from the blood due to an infection, medication or disease. 

Lack of oxygen can have a serious effect on the organs of the body. Hence the symptoms of anemia are also the effects of the disease. 
Some of these are: 
Lack of energy
Fatigue
Dizziness
Chest pain
Difficulty breathing
Abnormal heartbeat
Reduced attention span
Numbness of the hands and feet. 

Anemia can also lead to a number of major health problems such as:
1. Heart disease: anemia is directly linked to heart disease. When the blood carries less oxygen, the heart needs to work harder to pump it to the rest of the body. Thus, people who are anemic are at a higher risk of having a heart attack than a non anemic person. Anemia can also lead to arrhythmia or a condition where the person suffers from an irregular heartbeat. 

2. Pregnancy complications: one of the first and most vital supplements prescribed to a pregnant woman is iron. Iron is essential not only for a healthy baby, but also for your own body. Anemia caused by a lack of iron can result in premature birth and a number of other complications at the time of pregnancy. 

3. Increased risk of infections: lack of oxygen in the blood can affect your immune system by lowering its ability to fight infections. This makes the body vulnerable to diseases. 

4. Cognitive damage: anemia in children can result in a greatly reduced attention span and weaken their memory. Sometimes, even when treated, this can result in permanent scarring and reduced iq levels. 

Fighting anemia is not hard. Consult your doctor instantly if you recognize any of its symptoms and start eating food rich in iron to fight this disease.

Anaemia and How It Can Affect Your Health

Thalassemia is a genetic (which is passed from parents to children through genes) blood disorder. People with Thalassemia disease are not able to make enough hemoglobin, which causes severe anemia. Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen to all parts of the body. When there is not enough hemoglobin in the red blood cells, oxygen cannot get to all parts of the body. Organs then become starved for oxygen and are unable to function properly.

Symptoms

The symptoms depend on the type of thalassemia:

Thalassemia Minor: Thalassemia minor usually doesn t cause any symptoms. If it does, it causes minor anemia.
Beta-thalassemia: Beta-thalassemia comes in two serious types, which are thalassemia major, or Cooley s anemia, and thalassemia intermedia. The symptoms of thalassemia major generally appear before a child s second birthday. The severe anemia related to this condition can be life-threatening. Other signs and symptoms include:
fussiness
paleness
frequent infections
a poor appetite
failure to thrive
jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
enlarged organs
This form of thalassemia is usually so severe that it requires regular blood transfusions.

Alpha-thalassemia: Alpha-thalassemia also has two serious types, which are hemoglobin H disease and hydrops fetalis. Hemoglobin H disease can cause bone issues. The cheeks, forehead, and jaw may all overgrow. Hemoglobin H disease can cause:
jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes
an extremely enlarged spleen
malnourishment
Hydrops fetalis is an extremely severe form of thalassemia. It occurs before birth. Most individuals with this condition are either stillborn or die shortly after being born.

Thalassemia - Symptoms Based on Types of Thalassemia 

What do we mean by the term Anemia?

It is described as a decrease in the total number of red blood cells, or hemoglobin in the blood, or a decreased oxygen-carrying capacity of blood.

How to know if an individual has Anemia?

An individual with anemia may show one or more of the following signs or symptoms:
Shortness of breath, chest pain, and headache are especially seen with exercise as the oxygen supply decreases
Difficulty in concentration which is mostly seen in children
Easy tiredness, fatigue, and loss of energy
Dizziness because of low blood volume leading to hypotension
Hair loss especially while combing, washing hair. Also, hair becomes brittle and dry due to anemiaInsomnia (lack of sleep)
Cramps in legs especially calf muscle 
Rapid heartbeat with exercise as the demand for oxygen increases during exercise, so your heart beats faster than usual
Craving for indigestible substances, such as pica, paper, mud, ice, dirt, etc.
Koilonychia (spoon-shaped nails or upward curvature of the nails)
Soreness and cracks at the corners of the mouth
Very heavy menstrual periods or irregular bleeding because of low hemoglobin count
Pale skin is especially seen over the palms of your hands and under your nail beds. Also, the conjunctiva looks pale
Anemia due to Deficiency of Vitamin B12 Dementia (loss of memory)
Tingling sensation in the hands or feet
Loss of the sense of touch
Difficulty in walking
Stiffness in the arms and legs
Delayed growth and development in children
Swelling of the hands and feet
Episodes of severe pain in the joints, abdomen, and limbs as the red blood cells obstruct capillaries
Anemia by Chronic Red Blood Cell Destruction/Hemolytic anemia

Jaundice (yellowish or greenish pigmentation of skin and sclera of the eyes)
Brown or red colored urine due to the destruction of red blood cells
Fever due to the destruction of red blood cells
Small bruises under the skin
Abdominal pain because of enlargement of the spleen and liver
Black stools due to the destruction of the red blood cells
Anemia Caused by Chronic Lead Poisoning
Level of lead in blood is higher than 50  g/dLA blue-black line is seen on the gums. It is also known as a lead line
Abdominal pain
Constipation
Vomiting
Investigations 

Complete blood count: This test will help an individual know the percentage of hemoglobin in blood as well as red blood cell count. Also, mean cell volume (MCV) is used to categorize anemia.
Serum Ferritin Test: Ferritin levels below 15 20 micrograms/L in a person confirms iron-deficiency anemia.
Total Iron-Binding Capacity: It measures the blood's capacity to bind iron with transferrin.

How Can Anaemia Be Diagnosed?

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