What is Iron Deficiency Anemia?
Iron deficiency is not rare, yet often remains "hidden" from diagnosis due to its vague symptoms, which are often falsely attributed. Iron deficiency anemia is a serious condition which affects many parts of the body, and is caused by a lack of red blood cells ("anemia" literally means "without blood"). Anemia's symptoms are often mistaken for the symptoms of other conditions. For example, people with arthritis sometimes suffer from headaches and irritability. These are common anemia symptoms, yet are often instead attributed to side effects from medication, or arthritis pain. Diabetes and Cancer are also diseases that can mask the symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. However, the successful natrual treatment of anemia(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Anemia.html) can relieve such symptoms as dizziness, palpitations, nervousness, headaches, and depression.
What are the symptoms?
People who are deficient in iron may experience symptoms long before they become anemic. Iron is needed to make optimal amounts of APT, which is the energy source that the body runs on. Therefore, fatigue is often experienced in iron deficient people, even if they are not anemic. Symptoms of anemia itself are fatigue, lethargy, weakness, poor concentration, and impaired immune function. Another symptom (called Pica) is the desire of the sufferer to eat unusual things, such as clay, ice, cardboard, paint, or starch. Advanced anemia may also result in light-headedness, headaches, ringing in the ears (tinnitus) irritability, pale skin, restless leg syndrome, and getting winded easily.
Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Anemia.html)
Iron deficiency anemia can be prevented or treated with natural dietary and lifestyle changes. To begin with, stop smoking! Choose fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables and cook in a traditional iron pot, which can supplement the iron in your food. Walking for 10 minutes each morning can give your metabolism a lift and help iron to be available in the body.
Natural plants and herbs such as tumeric, chives, and dandelion can help to treat iron deficiency anemia. Also, green vegetables and oily fish such as salmon and mackerel can prevent iron deficiency anemia(http://www.mitamins.com/disease/Anemia.html). The most reliable way, however, to get iron in your blood is by taking a multi-vitamin. A custom-made supplement will address your specific health concerns while a medicine interaction checker will prevent overdose.
Dietary Changes that May be Helpful
In addition to the dietary changes which can ensure adequate iron in the blood, diet can be supplemented in other ways in order to prevent or treat iton deficiency. Although lack of iron in the diet is usually not the sole cause of anemia, ensuring adequate iron in the diet is important. The most absorbable form of iron, called "heme" iron, is found in meat, poultry, and fish. Non-heme iron is also found in these foods, as well as in dried fruit, molasses, leafy green vegetables, wine, and most iron supplements. Acidic foods (such as tomato sauce) cooked in an iron pan can leech iron into the food and thus also be a source of dietary iron.
Article Source :http://infopool.webverve.com/
