the most common nutrition problem in the world – anaemia

Dr Jagdish Shah tells you all that you need to know about the most
common nutrition problem in the world – anaemia

WHAT IS ANAEMIA?
It is defined as a medical condition wherein the RBC (red blood cell)
count or hemoglobin in one's body is less than normal. The normal
haemoglobin level in a man is between 13 to 18 gm/dl whereas in women,
it's 12 to 15 gm/dl. If the count is 10 per cent lower than the least
acceptable count, the person is termed anaemic, which means less than
10.5 in women and less than 11.5 in men.
THE CAUSES

• There are many reasons why a person may turn anaemic. However,
broadly, it is either caused due to reduction in the production of RBC
or haemoglobin, or due to sudden loss of a lot of blood (an accident).

• The loss of blood may be due to worms in stomach (especially in
children), menstruation in women, or piles.

• Anaemia can also be hereditary, especially in cases of thalassaemia.
If parents are thalassaemic, the offspring could be anaemic.
Thalassaemia patients often experience lack of formation of
haemoglobin.

• Vitamin B12 deficiency may be a reason behind pernicious anaemia, a
type of anaemia that's found among those who are unable to absorb
vitamin B12 due to various reasons, such as a strict vegetarian diet
or even alcohol addiction.

• Not having enough iron in the diet.

• A point of concern is that if the person's anaemia is long
standing, the body might even adjust its functioning to deal with low
oxygen level and the person might not feel any difference, only till
the anaemia turns severe.
THE SYMPTOMS

• Breathlessness

• Fatigue

• Lack of drive

• Frequent yawning

• Depression

• Backache and headache

• Mood swing

• Loss of appetite

• Sleepiness

• The person's clinical history is characterised by fast pulse, pale
eyes and pale nails. A blood test and low haemoglobin count confirms
the diagnosis of anaemia.
THE TREATMENT

• By treating the cause and replacing the loss of blood. For example,
if the person has lost a lot of blood during accident, it's an
emergency case and blood transfusion is a must to save the life of the
person.

• Someone whose blood loss is chronic due to worms, the problem can be
corrected by giving
iron supplements and alongside de-worming the system by
appropriate medication. Other members of the family also need to take
care as they are likely to be infected.

• Anaemic piles have to be operated on.

• Excessive menstruation can be corrected by proper hormonal
treatment. This will stop bleeding and at the same time, correct
haemoglobin via iron preparation.
Other than in accidents, there's no need for blood transfusion as
the patient has an inbuilt homeostatic system to survive.
COMPLICATIONS Ages below 18: Anaemia immensely hampers one's
concentration levels as the brain doesn't get enough oxygen. This may
result in scholastic backwardness and inability to perform at
academics, especially during exams.
Ages 18 to 30: Multitasking in office is common. However, chances are,
anaemia will make this a lot more difficult. A person suffering from
anaemia easily experiences fatigue and tiredness which leads to poor
performance in the work environment. Iron acts as the oxygen carrier
in the body which takes the blood from the lungs to different body
parts. If the person is anaemic, there's less oxygen circulating in
the body leading to low stamina. Post-45: Long-standing anaemia means
the body is subjected to low oxygen levels for long. To meet the
depleted levels, the heart needs to pump much faster. As the person
ages, the added pressure poses a threat of heart failure.
AVOIDING ANAEMIA
No matter what your diet is, approximately 20 to 25 per cent of it
must consist of green vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, spinach or
broccoli.Any vegetable that's green consists of iron.You may be having
a heavy breakfast or may be on a diet, but the percentage must be
maintained. Have cucumber in abundance in your salad.Also, it is very
important to take a half-hour walk every day. This is because you may
have borderline anaemia, but may still suffer from its ill-effects
because you aren't getting enough oxygen.The daily moderate exercise
will mean that you will take in enough oxygen for your body.
(Dr Jagdish Shah is a senior physician and accupuncturist who operates
from his clinic in Jogeshwari)
— AS TOLD TO VIKAS HOTWANI

'THE CULPRIT BEHIND MY IRRITABILITY'
Some years back, I had low stamina, and I used to be quite moody and
irritable. I wasn't very active and lack of stamina meant zero
motivation to be active. Also, I was very thin. While this wasn't a
grave concern, I couldn't pin down the reason for the other problems
until I went for a regular blood test. It revealed that my haemoglobin
level was low. In simple words, I was anaemic. I made the required
changes in my diet. I increased the amount of food I ate and started
eating healthy. Beetroot juice being high in iron, it became a regular
feature in my diet.Also, I started having a heavy breakfast and began
working out. Soon, the results were there to see. Enough iron in the
body increased my stamina and I felt a lot healthier.Today, my
haemoglobin level is normal and I try my best to maintain it. I get
regular exercise almost every day and most importantly, make sure I
eat well. – Ankit Damani, 23