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What is beneficial eating for patients with anemia?

What is beneficial eating for patients with anemia?

Definition of anemia

Anemia is defined in its simplest sense as the absence of enough healthy red blood cells to transport the required amount of oxygen needed by the cells of the body. This task is the main function of hemoglobin, which is the main component of red blood cells. Hemoglobin is mainly composed of Iron, which binds the oxygen element and moves it from the lung to all parts of the body. Therefore, the iron deficiency of the blood from the normal limit – for many reasons – will directly lead to hemoglobin deficiency, leading to the problem of anemia, Patients with anemia.

Useful food for anemia types

In general, treatment of anemia, especially nutritional treatment, varies by type and cause. Here are the most important foods needed to treat each of the types of anemia that can be treated with food.

Iron deficiency anemia

This type of anemia is the most common, as iron deficiency is the most common among all nutritional deficiencies, suffering about 1.2 billion people, and the most vulnerable groups of children in pre-school age and pregnant women, where it is deficient about half These groups, and is a person with iron deficiency anemia when the iron level in his body to reduce the level of hemoglobin in the blood, which needs iron to form, and include the causes of iron deficiency anemia as follows:

  • Do not get enough iron from the diet, especially in children, adolescents and vegetarians.
  • High daily body needs of iron, resulting in the consumption of body stock, as happens in cases of pregnancy and lactation.
  • Menstruation, especially in cases of proliferating.
  • Blood loss with bleeding, ulcers or other digestive problems.
  • Repeat blood donation.
  • Aerobic exercise.
  • Some diseases of the digestive system such as Crohn’s disease, or removal of part of the stomach or small intestine by surgery.
  • Some medicines, foods and beverages containing caffeine.

This type of anemia is treated by increasing the intake of iron, by eating its dietary supplements and increasing its intake of nutrients, as well as treating the cause, such as blood loss in any way other than menstruation, which sometimes requires surgery. Iron-rich food sources include red meat, fish , Fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, whole grains and iron-fortified cereals such as iron-fortified breakfast cereals and subsidized bread, followed by dried fruits and green vegetables such as broccoli.

It is important to consider the possibility of using some dietary factors that increase the absorption of iron to accelerate the treatment process by eating in the same meals with iron sources, where animal sources provide high-absorption hemic iron, in addition to it contains a factor that improves the absorption of non-Hime iron found in Animal and plant sources. Vitamin C also increases the absorption of non-hemic iron, as well as some sugars and acids that also increase absorption.

B12 deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency causes anemia characterized by large red cells. Vitamin B12 deficiency is often caused by the inability of the body to absorb it, not because of a lack of intake of its food sources, but it can be caused by a lack of diet in its sources. B12 deficiency is treated with vitamin B12 deficiency. In cases where vitamin B12 is deficient due to low intake of food, it can be treated with supplements or food, as it is found naturally in animal sources only. Meat, fish, poultry, crustaceans, milk, cheese, Wa For eggs of the most important sources, and it is found in the grain products supported by it.

Folic acid deficiency anemia

The lack of folate causes anemia characterized by large cells, and it gets in the case of poor diet folate sources or because of over-cooking operations, and can also get a shortage because of high needs of the body as it happens in cases of rapid division of cells such as twins or twins, and in cancer , And in some skin diseases such as measles, chickenpox, burns, blood loss, age, acidity and aspirin permanently, as well as oral contraceptives and smoking. This type of anemia is treated with dietary supplements, The most important sources of food are liver, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, asparagus and tomatoes, legumes such as lentils and dry beans. Folic acid, whole wheat bread and potatoes are also good sources. Meat, milk and dairy products are bad and poor sources of this vitamin, Folic acid is sensitive to heat and oxygen, so about 50% to 90% of it is lost during storage and cooking, and these factors should be taken into account when treating its lack of food.

Vitamin deficiency anemia

  • Vitamin B6 deficiency : Vitamin B6 deficiency (pyridoxine) can lead to small red blood cell anemia and is treated with food by focusing on its sources, including meat, fish, poultry, potatoes, legumes, non-acidic fruits, fortified grains and liver , And soy products, as well as nutritional supplements.
  • Vitamin C deficiency Vitamin C deficiency can lead to anemia of small red blood cells. This type of anemia is treated with dietary supplements or diet. The nutritional sources of vitamin C include fruits and vegetables, such as acidic fruits, broccoli, sweet peppers, strawberries , Potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, mangoes, papaya, melons, melons, and kiwi.
  • Vitamin E deficiency : Vitamin E deficiency causes hemolytic anemia, a rare type of anemia, often associated with malabsorption, and is treated with dietary supplements and diet. Sources of vitamin E include unsaturated vegetable oils, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, Wheat germ, liver, egg yolks, nuts and seeds. Vitamin E is considered to be sensitive to oxidation and heat.

Copper deficiency anemia

The incidence of copper deficiency is rare, and if deficient, it causes many symptoms, including anemia, and is treated with supplements and food intake, including seafood, nuts, whole grains, seeds and legumes.

Causes of anemia

There are three main causes of anemia:

  • Blood loss : Blood loss is one of the most common causes of anemia, especially iron deficiency anemia. The loss of blood is either short of a large amount or for long periods of time, such as: excessive menstrual cycle, gastrointestinal bleeding or bleeding in the sewer Urinary tract, or surgery, or bleeding injuries, or cancers and other things leading to blood loss.
  • Weakness in the production of red blood cells: This weakness results either from an acquired cause or a congenital cause in the patient, and these reasons:
    • Nutrition: A diet lacking iron, folate, or vitamin B12 may prevent the body from making enough red blood cells. The body also needs small amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B and copper to produce red blood cells. To some health conditions, such as chronic intestinal infections, which make it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients that prevent the body from making enough red blood cells.
    • Hormones: The body needs the hormone erythropoietin to produce red blood cells, and this hormone stimulates the bone marrow to make these cells, and the low level of this hormone can lead to anemia.
    • Diseases and their treatments Some chronic diseases, such as kidney disease and cancer, can make it difficult for the body to produce enough red blood cells. Some cancer treatments may damage the bone marrow or damage the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen. Bone marrow, it can not make red blood cells fast enough to replace those that die or are destroyed. When AIDS patients may show anemia due to infection or drugs used to treat the disease.
    • Pregnancy: Anemia can occur during pregnancy due to low levels of iron and folic acid and physiological changes in the blood, usually during the first six months of pregnancy, where the production of the liquid part of the blood (plasma) faster than the production of red blood cells, Blood can lead to anemia.
    • This is called aortic anemia and often requires transfusion to increase the number of red blood cells in their blood, and certain conditions or conditions of the blood cells. Factors acquired, such as certain drugs, toxins, infectious diseases, also can cause anemia.
  • High rate of destruction of red blood cells : Some conditions and factors acquired or inherited can cause the body to destroy a very large number of red blood cells, and one example of the conditions acquired is swelling or spleenopathy – where the spleen is the organ that cleans the red blood cells worn out of the body – this leads to the removal of more Of red blood cells more than usual, causing anemia.

Examples of inherited conditions can cause the destruction of too many red blood cells: sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and lack of certain enzymes. These conditions create abnormalities in red blood cells that cause them to die faster than normal red blood cells.
Hemolytic anemia is another example of this condition. Some inherited or acquired conditions or factors can cause hemolytic anemia. Examples include immune disorders, infections, certain medications, or reactions from blood transfusions.

Symptoms of anemia

There are several symptoms of anemia and vary from one patient to another according to the main cause of the disease, such as some patients share these symptoms where the body lacks oxygen, so may face one or more of the following symptoms:

  • General weakness.
  • Fast or irregular heartbeat.
  • Shelling or buzzing in the ear.
  • Headache.
  • pain in chest.
  • Continuous dizziness: where the patient feels dizziness dramatically and frequently.
  • Nausea and discomfort: The patient feels a frequent desire to discharge, feeling general fatigue, and fatigue without any effort.
  • Shortness of breath: where the patient feels choking, and the inability to breathe easily, and try to take strong inspiration for self-recovery, and this may lead to chest pain.
  • Absence of the skin color and normal skin: Due to lack of hemoglobin, where the patient’s skin tends to yellowing, leaving the color of healthy pink.
  • Nail Break: The nails become worn out and broken fast and very easy.
  • Hair loss: The percentage of hair loss increases significantly and without precedent.
  • Coldness and numbness of the limbs: where the patient feels numb in the limbs, and coldness in the hands and feet, especially in the area of ​​the fingers, and feel the suffering of this cold, especially in the winter and cold days.