Anaemia & Food

Anaemia & Food

Anaemia & Food

Vitamin C is also found in:

  • Broccoli
  • Grapefruit
  • Kiwi
  • Leafy greens
  • Melons
  • Oranges
  • Peppers
  • Strawberries
  • Tangerines
  • Tomatoes

Diet advice:

  • Eat regular meals .
  • Avoid drinking tea with your meal as it reduce iron absorption.
  • Avoid raw wheat bran as it reduces the absorption of iron.
  • Try not to overcook vegetables. Try to steam or microwave vegetables as this will prevent them from losing folic acid.

Your doctor may prescribe extra supplement of iron and vitamines to treat anaemia or to prevent it from happening again.

References:

Adapted from www.patient.co.uk

  • Guidelines for the management of iron deficiency anaemia; British Society of Gastroenterology. (March 2011)
  • Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of cobalamin & folate disorders; British committee for standards in Haematology. (2014)
  • Folic acid fortification. Food standard agency.

Red blood cells in our blood are made in the bone marrow and released into the bloodstream daily. This is to keep up with the demand and replace the older red blood cells that break down. Red blood cells contain haemoglobin which is made of chemicals and protein, It is important to carry oxygen to different parts of our body for it to function properly. So to make red blood cells with haemoglobin we need a healthy bone marrow and enough nutrients and vitamines like iron and B12 which we get from food.

Anaemia & Food

Anaemia means either fewer red blood cells than normal or less haemoglobin inside the red blood cells. In this case, this will lead to less oxygen carried around in the blood stream to important parts of our body.

Symptoms of Anaemia:

  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Tiredness
  • Palpitations (Thumping Heart)
  • Feeling Faint
  • Looking Pale

Diagnosis:

Anaemia can be diagnosed when your doctor orders a blood test to check your blood cells and haemoglobin. You may need further blood tests to check iron levels and vitamins and any other causes suspected by your doctor.

What is the Normal Haemoglobin level?

  • Females: 12 – 15 gm/dl
  • Males: 13 - 17 gm/dl
  • Children: Depends on age & weight, but around 11 – 16 gm/dl

Anaemia & Food

Causes and types of anaemia

Iron deficiency anaemia:

We need iron to build enough and healthy red blood cells. The following causes may lead to the lack of iron resulting in anaemia:

  • Poor diet can cause iron deficiency such as being on strict vegeterian diet.
  • Pregnancy and growth spurs during puberty and children as they need more iron.
  • Women with heavy periods as they are losing more iron monthly.
  • Poor absorption like coeliac disease.
  • Bleeding from the gut, you need to see your doctor if this is suspected.

Vitmin B12 and folic acid deficiency anaemia:

Vitamin B12 and folic acid are essential as they help to make red blood cells so if not consumed sufficiently, they will cause anaemia.

Other causes of anaemia:

  • Fragile red blood cells so they break down easily for example conditions like thalessemia and sickle cell anaemia (both can be inherited) , also hemolytic anaemias and G6PD.
  • Bone marrow is not making enough red blood cells causing anaemia but sometimes can be associated with leukemia and old age.
  • Anaemia can be with other chronic illneses like rheumatoid arthritis and kidney disease.

Anaemia & Food

Management:

Try to consume plenty of food rich in iron, for example:

  • Red meat like lamp. Beef, liver ( not for pregnant women), heart.
  • Fish and shellfish.
  • Eggs.
  • Fortified cereals.
  • Nuts and seeds.
  • Green leafy vegetables like brocolli, spinach etc.
  • Beans and pulses like chickpeas.
  • Dried fruit.
  • Dark chocolate, cocoa powder, curry powder.

Choose foods containing vitamin C to enhance iron absorption:

You can enhance your body’s absorption of iron by drinking citrus juice or eating other foods rich in vitamin C at the same time that you eat high-iron foods. Vitamin C in citrus juices, like orange juice, helps your body to better absorb dietary iron.