Anemia

Does your body easily feel tired and weak? Or, the head often feels dizzy? If yes, then this could be a sign that the body lacks blood or what we know as anemia. Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells in the body is below normal. To overcome this, consuming blood-boosting foods is one powerful solution, what are they?

Causes of the Anemia

Blood has a very vital role for the continuity of body functions. How come? This blood is in charge of delivering nutrients, vitamins, and oxygen to the body's organs so that these organs can carry out their functions. It is hemoglobin, the component in red blood cells that 'carries out' this important task.

However, there are cases where the production of hemoglobin in the body is not optimal, which in turn causes the distribution of nutrients, vitamins, and oxygen to be hampered. This condition occurs due to lack of iron intake into the body. Yes, iron is a mineral that functions to produce hemoglobin, so it's no wonder iron deficiency has an impact on the condition of lack of blood (anemia).

Anemia occurs when the body lacks healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin. As a result, the cells in the body do not get enough oxygen and do not function normally (hypoxemia).

Broadly speaking, anemia occurs due to the following three conditions:

Insufficient production of red blood cells
Excessive blood loss
The destruction of red blood cells is too fast

The following are the types of anemia that commonly occur based on the cause:

1. Anemia due to iron deficiency

Lack of iron makes the body unable to produce hemoglobin (Hb). This condition can occur due to a lack of iron intake in the diet, or because the body is unable to absorb iron, for example due to celiac disease.

2. Anemia during pregnancy

Pregnant women have lower hemoglobin values, but this is normal. However, the need for hemoglobin increases during pregnancy so that more hemoglobin-forming substances are needed, namely iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid.

If the intake of these three nutrients is lacking, anemia can occur which can harm pregnant women and fetuses.

3. Anemia due to bleeding

Anemia can be caused by heavy bleeding that occurs slowly over a long period of time or occurs suddenly. The cause can be injury, menstrual disorders, hemorrhoids, inflammation of the stomach, colon cancer, or side effects of drugs, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Anemia due to bleeding can also be a symptom of intestinal worms due to hookworm infection that sucks blood from the intestinal wall.

4. Aplastic anemia

Aplastic anemia occurs when damage to the bone marrow makes the body no longer able to produce red blood cells optimally. This condition is thought to be triggered by infections, autoimmune diseases, exposure to toxic chemicals, and the side effects of antibiotics and drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

5. Hemolytic anemia

Hemolytic anemia occurs when red blood cells are destroyed faster than they are made. This condition can be inherited from parents, or acquired after birth due to blood cancer, bacterial or viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and side effects of drugs, such as paracetamol, penicillin, and antimalarial drugs.

6. Anemia due to chronic disease

Some diseases can affect the process of red blood cell formation, especially if it lasts for a long time. Some of these include Crohn's disease, kidney disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and HIV/AIDS.

7. Sickle cell anemia

Sickle cell anemia is caused by a genetic mutation (change) in hemoglobin. As a result, hemoglobin becomes sticky and abnormally shaped, which is like a crescent moon. A person can develop sickle cell anemia if both parents have this genetic mutation.

8. Thalassemia

Thalassemia is caused by a gene mutation that affects the production of hemoglobin. A person can suffer from thalassemia if one or both parents have the same condition.

List of Blood Enhancing Foods (Healthy and Tasty)

Lack of blood (anemia) is not a pleasant condition and this of course can interfere with your daily activities. One way to overcome anemia that is easy and effective is to eat blood-boosting foods that contain large amounts of iron.

Here is a selection of blood-boosting foods that you should consume.

1. Spinach

Spinach is a type of vegetable that is appropriate for you to consume to prevent or treat anemia. The reason is, this blood-boosting food contains substances needed to produce hemoglobin, especially if it's not iron.

Half a glass of spinach is claimed to contain about 12 milligrams (mg) of iron. This amount meets almost 50 percent of the total daily iron needs for the body.

Not only that, spinach is also enriched with folic acid in it, which folic acid (vitamin B9) serves to increase the number of red blood cells.

2. Broccoli

Other types of vegetables that are also included in the list of the best blood-boosting foods are broccoli. It is said so because it turns out, broccoli also contains iron and folic acid in sufficient quantities to meet the daily needs of iron and folic acid.

In addition, the vitamin C content in broccoli is also effective in helping the body absorb iron so that this mineral can carry out its duties optimally.

3. Green Beans

Do you like to eat green beans? If so, then this is a good habit. Green beans are the same blood-boosting food as broccoli, containing iron and folic acid, as well as vitamin C which helps in optimal absorption of iron.

In addition to the three nutrients and vitamins above, green beans are also enriched by a number of other nutritious substances, such as vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium.

4. Guava

It seems that it is not foreign when mentioning the name of guava fruit as a blood-boosting food. This fruit is often used as a traditional 'medicine' to increase blood, such as in patients with dengue fever (DB).

The benefits of guava in increasing the number of red blood cells are due to its high iron content, as well as vitamin C so that the iron absorption process can take place optimally.

5. Dragon Fruit

Don't forget this fruit too. Dragon fruit is a fruit that is enriched by all the substances the body needs to maximize the production of red blood cells, such as iron, phosphorus, and potassium.

So for those of you who feel that their body has recently been feeling weak and dizzy, try consuming dragon fruit regularly and prove its efficacy.

6. Raisins

In every 2/3 grams of raisins, there are approximately 2 grams (gr) of iron. This makes it one of the proper blood-boosting foods for you to consume regularly to prevent yourself from anemia.

If you don't like eating this fruit directly, just combine it with other foods such as cereal, oatmeal, pudding, or tart to make it more appetizing.

7. Orange

Citrus fruits are identical to vitamin C. This is of course true. However, you should also know that oranges are a fruit that is rich in other nutrients, including iron and folic acid.

Therefore, this fruit is also suitable for you to consume to increase the number of red blood cells in the body. Folic acid in citrus fruits serves to bind oxygen, which helps the process of making red blood cells faster.

8. Oatmeal

The food that is usually served as a breakfast menu is in fact also good for increasing the number of red blood cells. One cup of oatmeal contains about 3 milligrams (mg) of iron. Especially if you eat oatmeal with fruit toppings such as oranges and raisins, the more iron intake that enters the body.

In addition to iron, oatmeal also contains a number of other important nutrients for the body, such as calcium and vitamin A.

9. Red Meat

Red meat such as beef and mutton is a blood-boosting food that we commonly consume. Both contain about 2.7 milligrams (mg) of iron for every 100 grams (gr), which is enough to meet 15 percent of the total daily iron requirement for the body.

However, it should be noted, it is better to consume red meat in parts that do not have fat. The reason is, lean meat is healthier for the body than other fatty parts.

10. Chicken

In addition to red meat, chicken is also a source of iron and protein, making it a blood-boosting food that should be included in your daily diet.

Consuming 100 grams (gr) of chicken and other poultry such as duck and birds is sufficient for 13 percent of your total daily iron needs. Just like red meat, it's better to choose the part of the chicken that has no fat to make it healthier.

11. Seafood

Calling seafood as the best blood-boosting food is not an exaggeration. The reason, seafood does contain a lot of iron in it.

Call it oysters and shellfish, both of which contain no less than 28 mg of iron for every 100 grams. This amount is of course much higher when compared to other sources of iron as written in the previous points. This also applies to other types of seafood such as tuna.

12. Potato

This rice substitute is not only rich in carbohydrates, but also contains enough iron to meet the daily iron needs of the body.

However, the benefits of potatoes to increase blood can be obtained if you eat them by boiling or steaming, instead of being fried or made into potato chips. Although it looks more appetizing, this way of processing has the potential to reduce iron levels in it.

13. Egg Yolk

In order to keep the amount of hemoglobin in the blood ideal, even if you are dealing with anemia that you may be experiencing, eating chicken eggs, especially in the yolk, is one of the recommended ones.

Egg yolks are enriched by a number of important substances, including iron, which functions to help produce hemoglobin. So, don't hesitate to eat egg yolks regularly, okay?

Types of Iron in Blood Enhancing Foods

The foods above contain iron which serves to increase the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. Basically, iron is divided into 2 (two) types, namely:

Heme iron, which is a type of iron contained in foods in the form of animal meat (animal)
Non-heme iron, which is the type of iron contained in foods such as vegetables, beans, and so on (vegetable)

Both play an important role in optimizing the production of hemoglobin. However, heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body than non-heme iron. But whatever it is, make sure you are diligent in consuming the blood-boosting foods above so that the body avoids anemia. May be useful!