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Journalism of Courage
BEEN feeling tired and listless lately? Or maybe it8217;s your excessively dry skin or brittle hair that8217;s worrying you. In either case, the cause could be anaemia. We tend to think of the condition as an offshoot of pregnancy or malnutrition8212;and it is true that anaemia is most common among adolescent girls in rural India8212;but it can also affect the urban Indian at the cusp of societal changes.
What is anaemia?
Anaemia is a fall in the number of red blood cells in the body, either because of increased loss of blood or reduced production. RBCs are produced in the bone marrow and have a life expectancy of four months.
It8217;s the RBCs8217; job to carry oxygen through the body. With fewer blood cells around to do the work, that pivotal function is obviously hampered. 8216;8216;So the anaemic find themselves getting tired very easily, or having difficulty concentrating. In severe cases, they report shortness of breath, swelling of the ankles and palpitation,8217;8217; says Dr Shikha Sharma, a Delhi-based nutritionist.
In rare cases though, anaemia can develop so slowly that the body compensates for fewer RBCs by making them work more efficiently. In such cases, there is minimal impact on the body.
How is anaemia diagnosed?
A blood test is the only way to confirm low RBC count. But in the early stages the condition often manifests itself physically through loss of appetite, headaches, constipation, irritability and difficulties with concentration. Dry skin and hair, pale nails, lips or eyelids and mouth sores are other symptoms. Depression and drowsiness and, in women, cessation of menstruation could also signify anaemia.
But how does the RBC count fall?
There are two main causes: lack of iron and a deficiency in vitamins which help the body absorb iron. A diet very heavy in fibre can also impede iron absorption, as can stomach worms. Heavy periods and bowel diseases such as gastric ulcer and bowel cancer may also trigger anaemia. If there8217;s an excessive loss of blood, kidney failure, rheumatoid arthritis and leukaemia may need to be considered.
If that sounds scary, take heart from Sharma8217;s observation: 8216;8216;Iron deficiency is the most common reason for anaemia. The reason for this is lack of iron in the diet, especially among picky eaters8212;usually children8212;or fast food junkies.8217;8217;
What8217;s the treatment?
If the cause is iron deficiency, the solution is simple: an oral course of iron till such time as the readings return to normal, plus three months to replenish the body8217;s store.
If vitamin deficiencies are causing the problem, doctors prescribe folic acid and Vitamin B12, which help produce RBCs and Vitamin C, which helps the body absorb iron.
Of course, if the cause is not either of these, the root problem will need to be treated.
Do diet changes help?
Yes. For example, foods such as channa, jaggery, methi, black sesame seeds, spinach, cucumber, egg yolk and red meat are rich in iron. Folic acid is found aplenty in green vegetables, nuts and eggs. Red meat, liver, eggs and cheese are packed with Vitamin B12, while Vitamin C occurs naturally in citrus foods like lemons and oranges.
