Posts Tagged ‘Symptoms Of Anemia’

Say No to Iron Deficiency With Ayurveda

Comments: 0March 11th, 2011 by admin



One of the most important components of the human body, which ensures a normal functioning of the body-system, is iron. As the primary component of hemoglobin, iron acts as the oxygen carrier in the blood and is normally obtained through consumption of certain foods. After calcium, iron is the second most important mineral in the body. Iron is essential for the transportation of oxygen in the blood to all parts of the body. It is highly beneficial for a positive immune activity and also helps in the proper functioning of the liver. Iron provides protection against the free radicals and facilitates in the formation of hemoglobin and certain essential enzymes. Many metabolic processes and the regulation of cell growth and differentiation are also carried out with the help of iron.

Poor absorption of iron in the body could lead to iron deficiency that could further amount to anemia. Inadequate daily intake of iron, pregnancy, blood loss due to heavy menstruation or internal bleeding could also lead to an iron deficiency. People who experience a loss of iron levels in the body undergo a gradual process of having a negative iron balance. This happens when the iron intake does not meet the daily need for dietary iron. This results into depletion of the storage form of iron even as the blood hemoglobin level remains normal. Anemia is triggered once the storage sites of iron are deficient and blood levels of iron cannot meet daily needs.

Symptoms of anemia range from weakness, lethargy, dizziness to palpitations, short breath, sourness of the gums and severe headaches.

Diagnosis of an iron deficiency can be carried out without any fuss. Consulting a doctor would definitely help after which the individual would be required to take few blood tests for red blood cell count and hemoglobin; size of red blood cells, serum iron level, and iron binding capacity in the blood.

Treatment for iron-deficiency can begin at home itself. Consuming iron-rich foods is a must for everyone and it becomes even more critical for someone suffering from a deficiency of iron in the body. Daily multivitamin dosage along with a minimal exposure to lead and other toxic metals such as aluminum, cadmium and mercury would be a great beginning against iron deficiency. Also excess consumption of alcohol and smoking should be avoided.

Another alternate remedy for iron-deficiency and anemia is Ayurveda. Ayurveda recommends the consumption of beets, fenugreek, lettuce, spinach, soya beans, sesame seeds and honey for an iron-filled diet. One of the most successful and highly potent products of Ayurveda is AnemiCare. It is an age-old remedy for the treatment of anemia and fatigue. By creating calmness of mind, it helps the body’s natural autonomic nervous system to be restored with alkaline and acidic balance.

Along with natural Iron, it also contains Emblica Officinalis, which is a rich natural source of vitamin C and Calcium; both beneficial for proper assimilation of Iron in the blood. Ayurveda is the most effective solution to all kinds of problems relating to iron-deficiency in the body.

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Anemia – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Comments: 0January 12th, 2011 by admin



A successful treatment of anemia is to identify and treating the above cause: blood loss, a nutritional deficiency, cancer, bone marrow infiltration, chronic illness, inflammation, or decreased response to erythropoietin. Laboratory test results and a physical examination, a physician can determine the cause of you.

Anemia is a blood disorder that is created when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells. These cells are the main transporters of oxygen to organs. If red blood cells are also deficient in hemoglobin, then your body is not getting enough iron.

Anemia is usually detected or at least confirmed by a complete blood cell (CBC) count. It is the common blood disorder. There are several kinds of anemia, produced by a variety of underlying causes. Anemia can be classified in a variety of ways, based on the morphology of RBCs. It is found in the person when the number of red blood cells in your blood is low. For this reason, doctors sometimes describe anemia as having a low blood count

Symptoms of anemia:

feeling of restless fastly and loss of energy. fatigue — occur because organs aren’t getting enough oxygen Unusually rapid heart beat, particularly with exercise Shortness of breath and headache in exercise also Difficulty in concentrating on something
Types & causes of Anemia

1) Macrocytic anemia: Macrocytic anemia can be further divided into “megaloblastic anemia” or “non-megaloblastic macrocytic anemia”. The cause of megaloblastic anemia is primarily a failure of DNA synthesis with preserved RNA synthesis, which result in restricted cell division of the progenitor cells.

2) Microcytic anemia: Microcytic anemia caused due to hemoglobin synthesis failure or insufficiency. Iron deficiency anemia is the common type of anemia so it has many causes. RBCs often appear hypochromic (paler than usual) and microcytic (smaller than usual) when viewed with a microscope

3) Normocytic anemia :Normocytic anaemia causes when the overall Hb levels are decreased, but the red blood cell size (MCV) remains normal.

Causes include:

Accurate blood loss Anemia of chronic disease Bone marrow failure Aplastic anemia

4) Heinz body anemia: Heinz bodies are an abnormality that forms on the cells in this condition. This form of anemia may be brought on by taking certain medications; it is also triggered in cats by eating onions or acetaminophen (Tylenol). It can be triggered in dogs by ingesting onions or zinc and in horses by ingesting dry Red Maple leaves.

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What is Anemia?

Comments: 0August 6th, 2010 by admin



Anemia is defined as haemoglobin concentration in blood below the lower limit of the normal range for the age and sex of the individual. In adults, the lower extreme of the normal haemoglobin is taken as 13 g% for males and 11.5% for females. New born infants have higher haemoglobin levels and therefore, 15% is taken as the lower limit at birth, whereas at 3 months, the lower limit is taken as 9.5%. Although haemoglobin value is employed as the only parameter for determining whether or not anemia is present, the red cell counts, haematocrit(PCV) and absolute values (MCV, MCH and MCHC) provide alternate means of assessing anemia.

The symptoms of anemia are:

Incoming search terms for the article:

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Icicles and a Crescent Moon – Get The Facts And A Few Practical Tips On Avoiding Sickle Cell Crisis

Comments: 0March 20th, 2010 by admin



This could be the description of things you’d see on a crisp wintry night. But for many these words describe the shape of their red blood cells, a tell-tale sign of Sickle Cell Disease. Sickle Cell Disease is a hereditary condition, occurring in children whose parents both have the sickle cell trait. Sickle cell can be a very painful, sometimes debilitating illness. The red blood cells in individuals with sickle cell are less flexible, and can lose their usual rounded, disc-like shape, to become sickled-shaped, with jagged edges, kind of like an irregularly shaped icicle or a crescent moon. Because these oddly shaped cells do not travel easily through the smaller blood vessels, they tend to gather and cause blockages, which is why these individuals experience pain. The location of pain is directly related to where the ‘sickled’ cells have gathered. When blood flow to the major organs is occluded, pain may feel more generalized, and life threatening complications may occur. During these acute, painful episodes, the condition is known as Sickle Cell Crisis (SCC).

Sickled cells also have a shorter life expectancy than normal red blood cells, which can lead to anemia, hence the term sickle cell anemia. The red blood cells carry oxygen, which the body needs to function, to all the tissues and every organ in the body. If there are too few red blood cells, the patient may experience symptoms of anemia: unusual fatigue and weakness, breathlessness, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and possibly a host of other symptoms, depending on the severity of anemia.

Blood transfusions are given to patients with moderate to severe anemia. Other problems commonly associated with SCC are infection, and severe pain. The treatment includes: rest; antibiotics to fight infection; intravenous fluids for hydration and increased circulation; and narcotics for pain relief. Organ failure is a less frequent, but very dangerous complication, and it requires specific supportive care for the affected body system(s).

September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month. The observance originated in 1975, but President Reagan signed the resolution to designate September as “National Sickle Cell Anemia Awareness Month” in August, 1983. Ironically, September is the perfect month to dedicate to learning about Sickle Cell disease; it’s the beginning of fall–the beginning of the cold season, the beginning of the holiday season…the beginning of the SCC season!
In my experience as a nurse, I’ve noticed that the number of patients admitted to the hospital in sickle cell crisis increases dramatically during these times. Crises can be brought on by anything that leads to constriction (narrowing) of the blood vessels, circulatory problems, decreased oxygenation (too little oxygen in the blood), or decreased hydration (less liquid in the blood causes the blood to be thicker). People with sickle cell will never be disease free, but they can lead relatively normal, healthy lives if they take some steps to help prevent the actual crises. Here are some helpful hints to make this winter season as pain free as possible:

*Exercise regularly, but not to the point of exhaustion.

*Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, especially during warm weather. And drink plenty of fluids during exercise (in addition to the 8 glasses per day).

*Reduce or avoid stress. Tip: yoga, exercise, daily meditation, and self-hypnosis are very good tools for relieving stress.

*Treat any infection fast, see your doctor ASAP.

*Always wear warm clothes outside in cold weather and inside in air-conditioned rooms during hot weather. Never swim in cold water.

*Take warm baths on a daily basis. Relaxing in a jacuzzi can be very beneficial, but always check with your doctor first. The temperature may be too warm for some individuals (i.e. pregnant women, men with a low sperm count, and other people with certain illnesses).

*Limit how much alcohol you drink.

*Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, quit.

*If you experience pain that is not relieved by mild analgesics or whatever the doctor has prescribed for you, see your doctor ASAP. You may be heading for crisis and require hospitalization, but your duration as an inpatient may be shortened by prompt medical attention.

Happy, Healthy Fall!

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Anemia – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Comments: 0August 28th, 2009 by admin



Anemia, though sounds a simple disease to have, could actually get fatal. It is therefore extremely important to identify anemic cases so that proper treatment can be done on time.

Anemia is a case where the blood of the patient lacks the normal level of RBC cells in it. It could also be caused due to a deficiency in iron which lowers the hemoglobin level of the RBC cells. Since these cells are the carriers of oxygen in the body, lack of RBCs or weak RBCs can actually lead to starvation of the whole body from oxygen.

Anemia can be traced to a number of causes and several different types. However, the most important and persistent cause of the disease remains the intake of an unbalanced diet that lacks in iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin C that helps the body to absorb iron.

Normocytic anemia is caused when the hemoglobin level of the body falls, without any change in the RBC level. Such cases can offer when the body loses a large amount of blood or there is a failure in the red bone marrow or when the body is suffering from a major and chronic disease. Failure in synthesis of hemoglobin or insufficiency of iron in the body can cause Microcytic anemia. The RBCs in this case are a lot paler in color and shrink to an abnormal size.

Megalosblastic anemia occurs due to a failure of DNA synthesis with the synthesis of RNA in the patient’s body restricting the division of the progenitor cells. Megaloblastic anemia and non-megaloblastic macrocytic anemia together form a group, called macrocytic anemia. Often Heinz bodies which may include some prescribed drugs could lead to RBCs in the body taking an abnormal shape and thus causing Heinz body anemia.

Symptoms of anemia, though vague can subtly be observed as the following:

-Excessive restlessness and easy tiring out of the body

-Fatigue due to insufficient oxygen supply throughout the body

-Increased pulse rate

-Difficulties in breathing

-Lack in concentration

Treatment of anemia is a lot tougher than it may seem, especially when the cause is the lack of iron in the body. The treatment should be done keeping in mind the cause of the disease. In acute cases, blood transfusion may be necessary to save an anemic patient. In some cases however, EPO can be injected in to the patient’s bloodstream. In fact, EPO treatments are found to reduce the need for blood transfusion to almost 50%.

Recently, some Ayurvedic herbal treatments of anemia are also being talked about. The proponents claim that patients might get considerable relief following some simple things like:

-Having bath with cold water twice a day

-Professional massages to flush out body toxins

-Practicing deep breathing exercises for ten minutes a day

-Practicing yoga and involving oneself in vibrant exercises

However, as we all know, prevention is better than cure, you should indulge yourself to a healthy diet. Even on noticing the slightest of symptoms, consult a doctor and investigate the cause so that a proper treatment regimen can be taken on time.

To Your Health!

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Staying Strong Against Anemia The Natural Way

Comments: 0May 22nd, 2009 by admin



What is anemia?

Anemia is a common blood disorder characterized by a deficit of healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells distribute oxygen to every organ in the body, so a decreased number of red cells means the body must work harder to accomplish even simple tasks. As a result, the affected individual experiences constant exhaustion — one of the most common symptoms of anemia.

What causes anemia?

Various factors combine to trigger common anemia: iron deficiency, blood loss, parasites, and insufficient hydrochloric acid in the stomach. .

Another unique form of anemia called “sickle cell” results from a genetic disorder which causes a patient’s body to produce sickle-shaped red blood cells rather than normal spherical ones. The sickle-shaped cells carry less oxygen and cause sufferers to become anemic.

What are the symptoms?

Some of the most common symptoms of anemia are lethargy, exhaustion, and persistent lack of energy. Noticeable side effects of the condition include breathlessness, premature wrinkling, dull eyes, headache, and pale skin.

Severely anemic individuals may also experience frequent heart palpitations, and are at increased risk for mild, moderate, or severe cardiac problems.

Are there cures found in nature?

Yes! Anemia can be effectively treated using natural ingredients to improve the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. Most of the remedies utilize common ingredients, too.

Green Vegetables

Most green vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek, lettuce and okra are rich sources of iron. The regular consumption of these vegetables ensures a steady supply of iron in the body. Fenugreek seeds are also a rich source of iron. In addition to the healthful benefits of beet and carrot juice which boost the body’s hemoglobin production, other natural treatments include:

SESAME SEEDS mixed with milk are a great source of iron. Simply soak a teaspoonful of sesame seeds in lukewarm water, then grind and strain them, sweeten with honey or sugar and mix in a glass of milk.

ALMONDS contain many beneficial elements for anemia sufferers too, including iron, copper and vitamins. To maximize the benefits of almonds, soak seven almonds in water overnight. Remove the skin and grind the almonds into a paste which should be consumed every morning.

CHAMOMILE, ORANGE PEEL, GINGER, AND BRANDY TEA helps cope with the effects of anemia , too. To mix it in your kitchen combine two tablespoons of chamomile, two tablespoons of ground orange peel, and half of a teaspoon of ground ginger in two cups of boiling water. Allow the mixture to cool. Strain and add one cup of brandy. Consume one half of a cup of this blend every morning and evening.

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Symptoms of Anemia the Hidden Disease

Comments: 0April 29th, 2009 by admin



Anemia is a general term for a category of blood conditions that affect the red blood cells or the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin they contain.

In anemia, there is either a reduction in the number of red blood cells in circulation or a decrease in the amount or quality of hemoglobin. There are many causes of anemia, including severe blood loss, genetic disorders, and serious diseases. (See iron-deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia [vitamin B12-related], and sickle cell anemia.) Anyone with unexplained anemia should have the cause determined by a qualified doctor.

Some athletes appear to have anemia when their blood is tested, but this may be a normal adaptation to the stress of exercise,1 which does not need treatment. Further evaluation by a qualified doctor is necessary.

The symptoms of anemia include tiredness, headaches, and generally feeling irritable. These symptoms can be severe, but are sometimes overlooked by doctors who assume the symptoms are due to other existing conditions, or the after effects of medication. This means a person’s anemia could go undiagnosed and without treatment, and so the tiredness, headaches and irritation remain, getting worse with time. People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer are all at risk of anemia.

It’s important to consult your doctor to ensure anemia is properly diagnosed, and not hidden underneath any other condition you have. If you find you’re suffering from anemia then it is important to supplement with deficient vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin B12, and folate. In the case of cancer, where the number of prescribed medications taken will probably be high, it is important to check for drug-vitamin interactions.

Don’t let anemia hide behind another one of your health concerns. Get the right supplements to fight both your disease, and the anemia hidden behind it.

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