What Is The Signs Of Iron Deficiency Anemia And How To Cure It ?

Iron deficiency anemia was not a term I was very conversant with a few years back. That's when a close friend who wasn't exactly the most vivacious of people suddenly became more reserved. At first, we, as her friends, limited ourselves to teasing her that her being indoors always was the reason she looked so pale. When she started complaining of some other severe symptoms, we forced her to see a doctor. After a couple of visits and lab tests, she got a diagnosis: iron deficiency anemia.

This is a relatively common health issue that could present with several symptoms. Below are some signs that might be pointing to iron deficiency anemia and what you can do about it.

[ Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia ]

Fatigue

Constant fatigue is one of the significant symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. What kept my friend indoors so much wasn't that she suddenly disliked all the activities we used to enjoy together, she just never felt she had enough strength to go through things like a visit to the mall or going to a park. If you find yourself quickly tiring out for no reason, iron deficiency anemia may be the causative factor. Iron is essential for the synthesis of the hemoglobin component of red blood cells. When the muscles are deprived of adequate oxygen, they don't generate sufficient energy to power the different physical activities you engage in, so you quickly get fatigued.

Shortness Of Breath (SOB)

I have a friend who didn't have to go out to feel all out of breath. She thought it was the ventilation in the house at first. If you catch yourself gasping on multiple occasions or generally feeling short of breath, iron deficiency anemia could be the cause. Iron is crucial for oxygen transport by the red blood cells.

Paleness

This was a major sticking point with my friend. We often implored her to go out more often when we saw how pale she was. Being unusually pale may be a pointer to you having iron deficiency anemia. It indeed turned out so with my friend.

Cold Hands And Feet

My friend didn't seriously experience this, but I found out it was a likely pointer too. The body extremities- the hands and feet may sometimes feel cold to touch even in the absence of low ambient temperatures. A reason for this is inadequate blood supply due to reduced blood volume in iron deficiency anemia.

[ How To Cure Iron Deficiency Anemia ]

When looking to manage iron deficiency anemia effectively, there are several steps you can take, including:

Dietary Modifications To Improve The Intake Of Food Rich In Iron

I like the dietary changes approach as they are natural and an effective long term strategy for dealing with iron deficiency. Some foods rich in iron that you can add to your meal servings include beans, dark leafy vegetables like spinach, whole grains, fruits like cashew and Slendez Meal by BE International, an instant solution to this condition is by eating foods rich in iron or taking iron supplements to treat the symptoms by increasing the iron Level needed in our body

Iron Supplements

Sometimes dietary changes may not suffice - my friend needed iron supplements too. Some of these as tablets are available on an over the counter basis. They may be used to boost the body iron levels and consequently manage iron deficiency anemia. However, I would strongly advise seeking medical expertise regarding the optimal use of iron supplements.

Treat The Underlying Cause

Sometimes it's not only iron being deficient in your diet that can lead to iron deficiency anemia. It may be as a result of several underlying factors other than reduced dietary intake of iron. These may include excessive blood loss as may occur in accidents, occult bleeding, or heavy menstruation. It may also arise from malabsorption states in which your body cannot absorb iron from the diet. In this case, you must treat and resolve the underlying issues combined with improving your iron intake.

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