The constant feeling of tiredness, fatigue, headache, dull is the symptoms of anaemia. You might have been thinking that due to restlessness, you might be feeling tired, but no, these are the symptoms of anaemia
What is anaemia?
Anaemia is the deficiency of red blood cells or haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is the iron based protein, which binds oxygen, and does not feel tired or restless. Deficiency of iron means deficiency of blood. Bone marrow needs iron to produce haemoglobin; lack of it will get low oxygen to the body tissues and organs
Who are anaemic?
- Men who have less 13 gm of haemoglobin per decilitre
- Women who have less than 12 gm of haemoglobin per deciliter
What are the symptoms of anaemia?
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Tiredness
- Excessive hair fall
- Pale skin
- Dark circles
- Shortness of breath
- Coldness of hands and feet
- Irregular heartbeat
- Low or high blood pressure
What causes anaemia?
- Excessive blood loss
- Blood loss during menstruation periods
- During delivery
- Decrease in red blood cells production
- Cancer
- Severe intestinal disorders
- Iron Deficiency
- Bleeding disorders
- Chronic diseases
- Deficiency in folic acid, iron and vitamin B12
Home remedies to treat anaemia:
Beetroot:
The first thing that comes to our mind when we are anaemic is beetroot. The red blood coloured vegetable contains iron, calcium, sulphur, vitamins and potassium.
What does it do?
It increases the red blood count, increases the supply of red blood cells, cleanses the body and thus increases the oxygen supply to the body.
How to consume?
- It’s best to eat raw. Just peel the skin of beet root and eat by cutting into slices
- Make the beetroot juice with pinch of lemon juice to it
- This can also added to salads, juices and recipes
Drumsticks and drumstick leaves:
Drumstick leaves are the power packers of iron, calcium,vitamin A and c, magnesium, that fights anaemia. This is the grandma’s age old tip which is being used by our ancestors as well.
How to use?
- Make the juice of drumstick leaves
- Strain it and drink it with honey
- Drumsticks and leaves are used in recipes to prepare dal, rasam and sambhar.
- This is mostly used in south India and south Indian dishes.
Black strap molasses:
A by product obtained while making sugar, from sugar cane is the effective one for production of red blood cells in our body. It contains iron, magnesium, minerals, vitamin B6. It increases the red blood supply to the organs and body, increases the iron levels thereby increasing the haemoglobin levels.
How to take?
- Daily take twice a day in milk
- Shall be morning and evening
- Drink 2 tsp of black strap molasses with apple cider vinegar
- Drink this once a day
Green leafy vegetables:
Green leaf vegetables are the major source of iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. Spinach, broccoli, kale, arugula, swiss chards.
How to use?
Daily take 2-3 cups of green veggies
You can prepare juice just by
- Sauté the green leafs in a pan
- Blend it in a blender and add lime juice, honey, pinch of salt
- Make the juice and have it
- You can also make veggy curries which are tasteful and healthy to eat
Black sesame seeds:
Black sesame contains about 30% of iron. It contains folate, iron, magnesium, calcium, which increases the iron level, and thus increases the blood supply to the body
How to use?
- Take black sesame seeds, soak for 3 hours
- Make the paste and have it with honey
- You can also drink with milk by adding sesame seeds paste, jaggery and honey
Pomegranate:
It contains abundance of vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium, which generates red blood cells production in the body and increases the haemoglobin level.
How to use?
- Eat the seeds of pomegranate daily at least 2-3
- You can also have juice of it.
- Prepare the juice by mixing pomegranate, cinnamon powder and honey
- Drink this in the morning during breakfast
Dates :
Dates contain vitamin C and iron, that increases the red blood cells supply and red blood cells production.
How to use?
- Take 2-3 dates soak in a glass of milk overnight
- Next day morning, eat the dates and drink milk on empty stomach
- You can also eat dates and directly drink milk, without soaking them.
Fig or Anjeer:
Figs or anjeer are the power packers of iron, vitamin C, A, magnesium and folate. These re majorly given to pregnant women, because these are the primary source to produce blood within a short span of time.
A ripe or a dried fig can be eaten.
How to eat?
- If it is a ripe one, wash it, cut it into 4 parts and have it.
- If it is a dried one, then eat it directly.
- Daily eat at least 2-3 figs
Banana:
Banana contains iron, which helps to increase the blood cells in the body. Banana is also loaded with folate, magnesium and iron.
How to use?
- Just take one banana, eat it with a spoon of honey
- 1-2 bananas are preferred in a day
- Over eating may result to fat
Apple:
An apple a day, keeps the doctor away. Apple contains iron and nutrients, which treats anaemia.
How to use?
- Eat an apple with the skin daily in the morning
- Green apple with skin is often eaten for good results
- Apple juice mixed with beetroot juice and honey is often preferred.
Bottom line:
Anaemia is the one thing which everyone should get worried of. Just take extra precautions and consult your doctor, to fight with it.
