Lifestyle habits: People who do not get nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid to make healthy red blood cells have a higher risk of anemia. 2 Drinking too much alcohol also raises your risk of anemia.
Common causes of iron deficiency include not getting enough iron in your diet, chronic blood loss, pregnancy and vigorous exercise. Some people become iron deficient if they are unable to absorb iron. Iron deficiency can be treated by adding iron-rich foods to the diet.
Vitamin deficiency anemia is a lack of healthy red blood cells caused by lower than usual amounts of vitamin B-12 and folate. This can happen if you don't eat enough foods containing vitamin B-12 and folate, or if your body has trouble absorbing or processing these vitamins.
Stress is believed to affect the vitamin metabolism in your body. So, if you are under a lot of stress, your body uses up a lot of magnesium. Again, if you are suffering from both stress and anxiety, the level of magnesium in your body might reach a minimum level, thus causing mild anaemia.
People who do not get enough iron or certain vitamins and people who take certain medicines or treatments are also at a higher risk. Anemia may also be a sign of a more serious condition, such as bleeding in your stomach, inflammation from an infection, kidney disease, cancer, or autoimmune diseases.
"Blood loss is generally the most common reason for low iron levels," says Dr. Tyebjee. "Some of the causes are more serious than others, so it's important to take this deficiency seriously in case the root cause needs to be identified and treated."
Lifestyle & Management
Other iron-rich foods include beans, lentils, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, nuts, soy, and iron-fortified cereals and breads. Folate is found in cereals that have added vitamins and minerals, meat, spinach, beans, citrus fruits and juices, cantaloupe, papaya, and bananas.
Eye symptoms of low iron can include a pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids. In moderate or severe cases of iron deficiency anemia, the inside layer of the lower eyelid is very pale pink or yellow instead of red. Rather than low iron, one common cause of blurry vision is dry eye.
Participants aged <60 years and who slept ≤5 hours (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01–1.53) or ≥9 hours (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.04–1.90) were found likely to develop anemia. The older participants (ages ≥ 60) who slept ≤5 h (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.86–1.56) or ≥9 hours(HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.57–1.89) were less likely to develop anemia.
Toddlers and children of preschool age have the highest prevalence of anemia at 47.4% of their population group according to the World Health Organization (WHO), largely due to nutritional choices. Children require more iron for growth and development, yet many children receive less than their recommended daily value.
Left untreated, however, iron-deficiency anemia can make you feel tired and weak. You may notice pale skin and cold hands and feet. Iron-deficiency anemia can also cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Occasionally, it can cause chest pain, a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath.
A: A good breakfast for anaemia should include iron-rich foods, such as fortified cereals, lean red meats, fish, poultry, leafy greens, legumes, nuts and seeds, and eggs. It should also include foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, kiwi, bell peppers, and tomatoes, as vitamin C helps the body absorb iron.
Can your body recover from anemia? Full recovery depends on the underlying cause of your anemic condition. Once you eliminate the cause and bring your iron levels back to normal, you can feel much better. If the underlying condition is genetic, you may need life-long treatment.
The connection between low iron, body weight, and hemoglobin is apparent when low energy makes exercising and burning calories difficult, causing weight gain. Conversely, iron deficiency anemia may contribute to decreased appetite, resulting in weight loss.
Iron supplements, also called iron pills or oral iron, help increase the iron in your body. This is the most common treatment for iron-deficiency anemia. It often takes three to six months to restore your iron levels. Your doctor may ask you to take iron supplements during pregnancy.
Avocado and certain nuts, like peanuts, are two healthy fat items that can add folate to your diet. Folate, a B vitamin, is used to create heme, which helps form hemoglobin in your red blood cells. A diet full of folate helps these red blood cells mature.