Anaemia

Anaemia Diet

Diet is of the utmost importance in the treatment of anaemia. Refined foods like white bread, polished rice, sugar and desserts rob the body of the much-needed iron. Iron should always be taken in its natural organic form in food, as the use of inorganic iron can prove hazardous. It may cause destruction of protective vitamins and un¬saturated fatty acids, serious liver damage, miscarriage during pregnancy and delayed or premature births.

The diet should be predominantly alkaline.


The em¬phasis should be on raw fruits and vegetables, which are rich in iron. Iron rich vegetables are spinach, green onions, squash, carrots, radishes, beets, celery, yams, tomatoes and potatoes (with jackets). Fruits which are rich in iron are bananas, apples, dark grape, apricots, plums, raisins and strawberries.


Bananas are particularly beneficial as they also contain, besides easily assailable iron folic acid and b 12 both of which are extremely useful in the treatment of anemia.

Other iron-rich foods are whole wheat, brown rice, beans, soyabeans, sunflower seeds, crude blackstrap molasses, eggs and honey. Honey is also rich in copper, which helps in iron absorption.


The diet should also be adequate in proteins of high biological value such as milk, homemade cottage cheese and eggs.

Vitamin B-12 is a must for preventing or curing anemia. This vitamin is usually found in animal protein and especially in organic meats like kidney and liver. A heavy meat diet is often associated with a high haemoglobin and high red cell count but it has its disad¬vantages.


One cause of anaemia is intestinal putrefac¬tion, which is primarily brought on by a high meat diet. Moreover all meats are becoming increasingly dangerous due to widespread diseases in the animals, which are slaughtered. There are however other equally good sources of vitamin b 12 such as dairy products

Like milk, eggs, cheese and peanuts, wheat germ and soyabean also contain some B 12. Vegetarians should include ade¬quate amount of milk, milk products and eggs in their diet. For prevention of anaemia it is essential to take the entire b complex range which includes B-12 as well as the natural foods mentioned above. Eating lacto-ovo pro¬ducts which are complete proteins containing vitamin 8-12 is good insurance against the disease. A liberal in¬take of ascorbic acid is necessary to facilitate absorption of iron. At least two helpings of citrus fruits and other ascorbic acid rich foods should be taken daily. Ention must be made of beets, which are extremely important in curing anaemia. Beet juice contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, iodine, iron, copper, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, B2, niacin, b6 C and vitamin p. With its high iron content beet juice regenerates and reactivates the red blood cells and supplies the body with fresh oxygen. According to dr. Fritz keitel of Germany, "the juice of red beet strengthens the body's powers of resistance and has proved to be an excellent remedy for anemia, especially for children and teenagers, where other blood forming remedies have failed."

The anaemic person should commence the dietary treatment by an exclusive fresh fruit diet for about five days. During this period, he should take three meals of fresh juicy fruits at five-hourly interval. This may be followed by fruit and milk diet for about 15 days. In this regimen, the meals are exactly the same as for all-fruit diet, but with milk added to each fruit meal. The patient may begin with two pints the first day and increase by half a pint daily up to four or five pints a day, after the fruit and milk diet, the patient may gradually embark upon a well-balanced diet based on three basic food groups, namely seeds, nuts and grains vegetables and fruits.

TREATMENT CHART FOR ANAEMIA:

A - DIET

I. An all-fruit diet for five days. Take three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits at five-hourly intervals and use warm water enema during this period.

II. Fruit and milk diet for further five days, adding milk to each fruit meal.

III. Thereafter, adopt the following diet: -

1. Upon arising:

25 black raisins soaked overnight in water along with water in which they are soaked and the water kept overnight in a copper vessel.

2. Breakfast:

Fresh fruit, a glass of milk sweetened with honey and some nuts, especially almonds.

3. Lunch:

A bowl of freshly prepared steamed vegetables, two or three whole wheat wheat tortilla, butter and a glass of buttermilk.

4. Mid-afternoon:

A glass of carrot or apple juice

5. Dinner:

A large bowl of fresh green vegetable salad and alfalfa or green gram bean sprouts.

Note:

An exclusive fruit diet for three days, followed by fruit skimmed milk diet for further three days should be repeated at regular intervals. It is advisable to avoid meats, sugar, white flour, tea, coffee, refined and processed foods, soft drinks, fried foods, condiments and pickles.

B - OTHER MEASURES:

1. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water.

2. Cold water bath twice daily, cold friction and wet abdomen pack once daily.

3. Massage once a week.

4. Brisk walks, yogic asanas, breathing exercises, fresh air and sunbath.

5. Adequate rest and sleep.

Anaemia Diet

A drop in the hemoglobin in blood or a drop in the red blood cell count for a given volume of blood leads to a blood disorder is the definition of anaemia. It is usually diagnosed by conducting a routine blood test. When it comes to anaemia, causes could include any one of the following conditions:  poor nutrition, blood loss, infections, certain diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, and certain medications such as penicillin and acetaminophen. Very often anaemia is a symptom that indicates a disease in the body. There are different types of anaemia, and anaemia treatments and cures vary depending on the underlying causes and the severity of the anaemic condition, which as mentioned earlier, is caused mainly when dietary requirements are not met and through infections and blood loss. Many types of anaemia can be prevented or treated with a well-designed anemia diet plan; an anemic diet is designed to increase the hemoglobin levels in the blood.

To initiate the treatment of anaemia, one must know what causes it. Anaemia treatments aim to increase the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry by increasing the red blood cell count or raising the level of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying iron-rich protein found in red blood cells. Among the most common types are anaemia caused by iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency. If an individual is not getting enough iron in his/her diet, then anemia dietary treatment recommends changes in the diet to include more dark green leafy vegetables, red meat, pork, seafood, tofu, dried beans and lentils, and dried fruits like prunes, raisins and apricots. These are all excellent sources of iron for the body. Breads and cereals fortified with iron may be added to the diet daily. Along with such an iron-rich diet for anaemia, doctors may prescribe vitamin C to help the body absorb the iron from these products. Iron supplements may be given to those who can absorb the iron from their food or if the anaemic symptoms are severe.

When it is caused by internal bleeding, heavy menstrual flow, or tumors, anaemia treatments may vary from prescribing antibiotics for gastric ulcers or hormones to control menstrual flow or surgery to remove tumors. Blood transfusions may be required when the anaemia is caused by the loss of blood in an accident or due to a surgery or due to internal bleeding. Diet for anemia treatment should be carefully planned to avoid foods that block the absorption of iron into the body. Drinks such as coffee, tea, and foods such as bran, egg whites, soy, and milk protein are known to diminish the amount of iron absorbed by the body.

Anaemia in pregnancy is not uncommon, and anaemia diets containing food fortified with iron may be a good treatment option for anaemia during pregnancy as women and growing children have a higher requirement of iron. Vegetarians and vegans may also be anaemic because they do not eat red meat. Heme iron from animal sources is more easily absorbed by the body than the non-heme iron from leafy vegetables and nuts. Infants undergoing growth spurts may be anaemic because they do not consume enough iron rich food to keep up with the demands of a growing body. Women who are nursing also need more than double the normal amount of iron required by other adults since they are their breast milk is the source of iron for their growing baby too. 

Anaemia treatment guidelines would include the implementation of a proper anaemia diet. Anaemia diets should have a combination of foods rich in iron, vitamin C and B12, and folic acid so that the absorption of iron from the food is maximized. Snacks should include nuts and whole grain bread sandwiches with turkey or chicken. Salads at every meal should include iron-rich vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, beetroots, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, red and green bell peppers, etc. Cooked beans and lentils, sardines, pork, liver, and eggs, along with dairy products like cheese, should constitute the bulk of major meals like lunch and dinner. Fruits such as apples, melons, and raisins should be combined with citrus fruits like oranges or tangerines to enhance the absorption of iron in the body. Anemia treatment diets should also include juices that help the body absorb iron from the food and at the same time prevent constipation. Constipation is a common problem faced by those who take iron supplements for anaemia. Combining beet juice with apple juice and honey or eating a banana coated with honey is an excellent way of ensuring you get the iron you need and do not get constipated in the process. Tomato juice and apple juice may be combined too to give your system an iron boost. Infants who are anaemic may be fed the juice of currants that have been soaked overnight in water.

Anaemia diets for the elderly help them cope with the fatigue and muscle weakness that are caused by anaemia and old age. Shortness of breath, cold hands and feet, brittle nails and light headedness are all anaemia symptoms, often dismissed as conditions resulting from advancing age. Anaemia may also be the result of alcoholism or chronic kidney diseases. Red blood cells in the blood are made with the help of a hormone made by the kidneys. When the kidneys are diseased, the production of this hormone goes down, resulting in the bone marrow producing fewer red blood cells into the blood. Folate deficiency resulting in anaemia could also be due to alcohol abuse. Alcohol interferes with the metabolism of folate in the liver, leading eventually to anaemia. Treatment for anaemia that results from a chronic disease requires the treatment of the underlying cause as well as a proper diet that is specific to the disease.

Whatever the causes, treatment for anaemia starts with special anaemia diets and supplements to compensate for the deficiency of iron, folate, and vitamin B12 in the diet. Cooking in iron pots and skillets is also recommended to increase the iron content of food cooked in them. It should be remembered that nutritional anaemia caused by nutrient deficiencies is easily curable, whereas non-nutritional anaemia caused by genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease and changes in the shape of red blood cells need medical advice and care for management. Lastly, iron supplements need to be taken under medical supervision, after consultation with a doctor and only when blood tests warrant it. Excess of iron in the body may be detrimental to health.