ANEMIA

What is Anemia?

Anemia is a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body’s tissues. Having anemia can make you feel tired and weak.

There are many forms of anemia, each with its own cause. Anemia can be temporary or long-term, and it can range from mild to severe.

AYURVEDIC ASPECT OF ANEMIA

Ayurveda has a similar disorder to anemia, called Pandu. In Sanskrit, pandu means the skin that appears pale white or yellow. This is because the complexion of the skin is maintained by rasa and rakta dhatu, while the texture is maintained by mamsa dhatu, and unctuousness is maintained by meda that.

Together this four dhatus are important for maintaining a healthy appearance of skin.

Pandu is a disorder caused by vitiated pitta. Due to pitta’s hot and sharp qualities, digestion is impaired. The dhatuagni or sequential nourishment of rasa, rakta, mamsa and meda produce poor quality tissue. The first step in Ayurveda to correct anemia is to heal the digestion and balance pitta.

CAUSES OF ANEMIA

BLOOD LOSS

Iron deficiency anemia is the common type of anemia, and blood loss is often the cause. A shortage of iron in the blood leads to this form of the condition, and low iron levels frequently occur as a result of blood loss.

When the body loses blood, it draws water from tissues beyond the bloodstream to help keep the blood vessels full. This additional water dilutes the blood, reducing the RBC count.

Blood loss can be acute and rapid or chronic. Some causes of rapid blood loss include surgery, childbirth, and trauma.

Chronic blood loss is more often responsible for anemia. It can result from a stomach ulcer, cancer, or another type of tumor.

Other causes of anemia due to blood loss include:

• Gastrointestinal conditions, such as Ulcers, Hemorrhoids, Cancer, or Gastritis
• The use of Non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen
• Heavy Menstrual bleeding

DECREASED OR IMPAIRED RBCs

Bone marrow is soft, spongy tissue at the center of bones, and it plays an essential role in creating RBCs. The marrow produces stem cells, which develop into RBCs, white blood cells, and platelets.

A number of diseases can affect the bone marrow, including Leukaemia. This is a type of cancer that triggers the production of excessive and abnormal white blood cells, disrupting the production of RBCs.

Problems with bone marrow can cause anemia. Aplastic anemia, for example, occurs when few or no stem cells are present in the marrow.

In some cases, anemia results when RBCs do not grow and mature as usual, as with thalassemia — a hereditary form of anemia.

Other types of anemia that occur due to decreased or impaired RBCs include:

Sickle cell anemia

This causes RBCs to be shaped like crescents. They may break down more quickly than healthy RBCs or become lodged in small blood vessels.

This blockage can reduce oxygen levels and cause pain further down in the bloodstream.

Iron-deficiency anemia

This involves the body producing too few RBCs due to a lack of iron in the body.

Iron-deficiency anemia may develop as a result of:

• A diet low in iron
• Menstruation
• Frequent blood donation
• Endurance training
• Certain digestive conditions, such as Crohn’s disease
• Medications that irritate the gut lining, such as ibuprofen

VITAMIN-DEFICIENCY ANEMIA

Vitamin B-12 and folate are both essential for the production of RBCs.

If a person does not consume enough of either vitamin, their RBC count may be low.

Some examples of vitamin-deficiency anemia include megaloblastic anemia and pernicious anemia.

DESTRUCTIONS OF RBCs

These cells typically have a life span of 120 Days in the bloodstream, but the body may destroy or remove them before they complete their natural life cycle.

One type of anemia that results from the destruction of RBCs is autoimmune haemolytic anemia. It occurs when the immune system mistakes RBCs for a foreign substance and attacks them.

Many factors can cause an excessive breakdown of RBCs, including:

• Infections
• Certain drugs, including some antibiotics
• Severe hypertension
• Vascular grafts and prosthetic heart valves
• Toxins produced by advanced kidney or liver disease
• An autoimmune attack, due to hemolytic disease, for example
• Snake or spider venom

SYMPTOMS OF ANEMIA

Depending on the causes of your anemia, you might have no symptoms. Signs and symptoms, if they do occur, might include:

• Fatigue
• Weakness

• Pale or yellowish skin
• Irregular heartbeats
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Chest pain
• Cold hands and feet
• Headaches

MANAGEMENT

Leafy greens

Leafy greens, especially dark ones, are among the best sources of nonheme iron. They include:

• spinach
• kale
• collard greens
• dandelion greens
• Swiss chard

Some leafy greens such as Swiss chard and collard greens also contain folate. A diet low in folate may cause folate deficiency anemia. Citrus fruits, beans, and whole grains are good sources of folate.

When eating dark, leafy greens for iron, there’s a catch. Some greens high in iron, such as spinach and kale, are also high in oxalates. Oxalates can bind with iron, preventing the absorption of nonheme iron.

So while it’s beneficial to eat your greens as part of an overall anemia diet, don’t depend on them solely to treat the condition.

Vitamin C helps your stomach absorb iron. Eating leafy greens with foods that contain vitamin C such as oranges, red peppers, and strawberries may increase iron absorption. Some greens are good sources of both iron and vitamin C, such as collard greens and Swiss chard.

Meat and poultry

All meat and poultry contain heme iron. Red meat, lamb, and venison are the best sources. Poultry and chicken have lower amounts.

Eating meat or poultry with nonheme iron foods, such as leafy greens, along with vitamin C-rich fruit can increase iron absorption.

Liver

Many people shy away from organ meats, but they’re a great source of iron.

The liver is arguably the most popular organ meat. It’s rich in iron and folate. Some other iron-rich organ meats are the heart, kidney, and beef tongue.

Seafood

Some seafood provides heme iron. Shellfish such as oysters, clams, scallops, crabs, and shrimp are good sources. Most fish contain iron.

Fortified foods

Many foods are fortified with iron. Add these foods to your diet if you’re a vegetarian or struggle to eat other sources of iron:

• Fortified orange juice
• Fortified ready-to-eat cereals
• Foods made from fortified refined flour such as white bread
• Fortified pasta
• Foods made from fortified cornmeal
• Fortified white rice

Beans

Beans are good sources of iron for vegetarians and meat-eaters

Some iron-rich options are:

• Kidney beans
• Chickpeas
• Soybeans
• Black-eyed peas
• black beans
• peas
• lima beans

alike. They’re also inexpensive and versatile.

7. Nuts and seeds

Many types of nuts and seeds are good sources of iron. They taste great on their own or sprinkled on salads or yogurt.

Some nuts and seeds that contain iron are:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Cashews
• Pistachios
• Hemp seeds
• Sunflower seeds

 MEDICINE

1. IRONIME SYRUP

• Helpful in treating iron deficiency disorder such as Anaemia.
• Balance vitamin b12 and folic acid in the body.
• Enhance stamina and general health.
• Increase appetite and promotes liver health.
• Facilitates easy bowel movements.

• IRONIC TABLET

• Enhance the body to absorb iron naturally.
• Enrich in vitamin C which enables better iron absorption.
• Rich in iron, minerals and natural herbs.
• Regulate all metabolic activity.
• Rejuvenate body.