The most important foods and drinks to treat anemia

Anemia is one of the health problems that affect many people at different ages, and this health problem also occurs as a result of low hemoglobin in the blood, and a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the body. Anemia treatment.

What is anemia?

Anemia is a decrease in the level of hemoglobin and red blood cells.

New red blood cells are produced and old cells are disposed of in the body by a mechanism called (internal homeostasis), through which the stability of the system and the internal balance are maintained.

The body does not stop producing red blood cells (RBC) continuously in parallel with the continuous death of 120-day-old "old" blood cells.

Anemia occurs when this process is unbalanced.

Types of anemia

There are many causes that can lead to anemia:

• Conditions in which for some reason the production of red blood cells or hemoglobin is reduced or damaged.
• Cases in which bleeding occurs.
• Cases in which the body's need for iron increases, such as pregnancy, lactation, infants and adolescents, and neglecting a healthy diet that meets this need.

What are the symptoms of anemia?

The symptoms that the patient feels are caused by a lack of blood and oxygen supply to the body's organs.

This decrease leads to the following symptoms:

• Fatigue and weakness
• Paleness
• Heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Headache and dizziness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Insomnia and nervousness
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Cold hands and feet
• Impaired immune system function.
• For athletes, one of the first things to appear is difficulty implementing or completing training and a general decrease in physical fitness.
• When there is a disturbance in blood flow, it can damage many organs of the body. For example, it is common for a delay in the menstrual cycle or a decrease in the severity of bleeding in women with iron deficiency, the reason being that the body due to iron deficiency cannot allow itself to lose blood.

Treating anemia with food

Anemia occurs when the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. There are many types of anemia, with iron deficiency anemia being the most common type.

This type of anemia can be treated with iron supplements, which should only be taken after consulting a doctor.

 In addition to eating iron-rich foods, a deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B12 may affect the body's ability to make red blood cells.

 In general, an appropriate nutritional plan for anemia should include: 

• Iron-rich foods.
• Foods rich in B vitamins and vitamin C.
• Foods that can improve the body's absorption of iron.
• Avoid foods that may interfere with iron absorption.

Treating anemia in natural ways

The appropriate nutritional plan for people with anemia includes eating sources of iron and other vitamins necessary for the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells.

In addition to foods that help the body absorb iron better and foods that are beneficial for anemia:

• Iron-rich foods: Iron-rich foods include beef and other meats, beans, lentils, iron-fortified breakfast cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, and dried fruits. 
• Foods rich in vitamin C: Foods rich in vitamin C help to increase the body's absorption of iron, and these foods include: citrus fruits and their juices, peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, melons and strawberries. 
• Food rich in folic acid: Among the foods rich in folic acid are dark green leafy vegetables. Such as spinach and broccoli, as well as asparagus, beans, peas, lentils, bananas, oranges and their juice.
• Foods rich in vitamin B12: such as meat, poultry, liver, fish, shellfish, eggs, cereals, some fortified breakfast cereals, and some yeast.

Tips to treat anemia

In addition to the foods mentioned above that are useful for improving anemia, the following tips can contribute to improving anemia:

• Make sure to drink enough water to keep the body hydrated.
• Exercise regularly, and it should be noted the need to exercise caution when starting to exercise for people who suffer from debilitation as a result of anemia, and it is advised to consult a health care provider about ways to exercise safely. 
• Cooking with iron utensils, where iron particles move from cooking utensils to food, and can provide an important source of iron, knowing that this may not be suitable for all people, as getting large amounts of iron is harmful for health, it is associated with an increased risk of many Of health problems, and it is better to consult a doctor before using these tools.
• Stay away from smoking, because smoking increases the body's need for vitamins, and has a negative impact on health in general.
• Consult a doctor or dietitian if the person is on a plant-based diet; About the appropriate diet for vegetarians, and the potential need for nutritional supplements.