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When Anemia comes knocking..



Hello people!

It's another time to look at our health issues once again.
Today we'll be discussing about a common medical condition that affects people from time to time.

You know that time when you visit your doctor and he or she looks at you and says "you don't have enough blood"...
It's called ANEMIA.

So What exactly is Anemia?

According to the Oxford Medical Dictionary, anemia is a condition in which there is a reduction in the oxgyen-carrying pigment (hemoglobin) in the blood.

WebMd also defines it as a condition in that develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin.

Mayo Clinic defined anemia as a condition in which you do not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body's tissues.

Types and Causes of Anemia.

1. Iron-deficiency anemia:
- It is the most common type.
- It is caused by shortage of iron in the body.
- Your bone marrow uses iron as one of the key ingredients for hemoglobin production. Without it your body cannot produce enough hemoglobin for the red blood cells.

Cause;
- Iron deficiency anemia can result from poor diet devoid of iron.
- Also the metabolic demand of pregnancy can use up the store of iron within the body and thus lead to anemia if the woman is not on iron supplements or diets rich in iron .

2. Vitamin Deficiency Anemia:
- In addition to iron, the body also needs folates and Vitamin B12 to produce healthy red blood cells.
Causes;
- A diet poor in Vitamin B12 and folate.
- In some people they may have the vitamin but their bodies cannot absorb and process the vitamin. This is also known as PERNICIOUS ANAEMIA.

It's like a subset of this Vitamin Deficiency anemia.
Inability to absorb Vitamin B12 too can result from a surgery where part of the stomach and intestines were cut off, presence of chronic diseases and infections such as Crohn's disease, HIV/AIDS.

3. Aplastic Anemia:
- It is rare and can be life threatening.
- It occurs when your body fails to produce enough red blood cells.

Causes;
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Exposure to toxic chemicals such as lead poisoning.
- It can also be hereditary.
- Can also occur when the bone marrow is injured by radiations and certain medications such as chemotherapy.

4. Anemia resulting from Chronic Diseases: .
- Chronic Disease conditions such as
Advanced Kidney Disease, Hypothyroidism, Cancer, Rheumatoid Arthritis and the likes are capable of affecting red blood cell production and hence induce anemia.

- For example the kidneys produce a certain hormone known as Erythropoietin. This hormone serves as a trigger to the bone marrow to start up production of red blood cells. As a result prolonged disease of the kidney can stop or drastically reduce the production of that hormone.

5. Hemolytic Anemia:
- This type develops when red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow can produce them.

 Causes;
- Sickle cell disease which produces sickled shaped red blood cells that can easily rupture.
- Thalassemia, a medical condition in which the red blood cells do not grow fully and mature.
- Snake or poisonous spider venoms.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Vascular grafts, prosthetic heart valves.

6. Anemia due to blood loss:
- This type can occur as a result of loss of red blood cells from bleeding.

Causes;
- Road traffic accidents or trauma.
- Bleeding ulcers, hemorrhoids.
- Excessive bleeding during menstruation
- Prolonged use of NSAIDs eg. Aspirin which can precipitate ulcers.
- Childbirth.

General Symptoms of Anemia.
 * Fatigue
* Weakness
* Shortness of breath.
* Cold hands and feet.
* Pale or yellowish skin.
* Dizziness or lightheadedness.

Treatment and Management of Anemia will be in line with the cause.
For the commonest type which is Iron deficiency and diet related, taking the right diet and supplements will help correct it.

Below are a list of foods rich in iron that can help.
- Leafy, green vegetables.
- Lean meat, chicken, liver, fish.
- Oysters.
- Legumes such as soyabean, kidney beans.
- Dark chocolates.
- Thyme (said to be one of the herbs with very high iron content).
- Egg yolk.
- Oats.

In conclusion, women tend to need more of these foods because they are at risk due to monthly menstruation and childbearing.

Have an Anemia-Free week😁.

Credits:
- Your Health and You( A Textbook)
- WebMD.com
- Mayo clinic.org
-Healthline.com
-Everydayhealth.com
- healthdirect.gov.au









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