What is anemia?
Anemia is the depletion in the number of red blood cells in the body. Hemoglobin is the main protein in the blood that transports oxygen to the entire body. During anemia, your hemoglobin level will be low, resulting in low oxygen in the tissues and organs.
Anemia is the most common form of blood disorder prevalent in a vast majority of the population. Though men and women have different levels of hemoglobin, it usually affects women more.
For men, a normal hemoglobin level is typically above 13.5 gm/100 ml, while women tend to have a lower range (more than 12.0 gm/100 ml).
Anemia mostly occurs in response to other health issues that interfere with the body’s function to trigger red blood cell production. Sometimes, the body breakdowns these cells, which also leads to anemia.
Let’s learn more about anemia in detail.
Certain forms of anemia can be genetically influenced. Infants may have anemia from birth also.
Menstruation in women is the cause of iron deficiency, and higher blood supply demands during pregnancy also cause anemia.
In the elderly, the risk of chronic conditions such as kidney disease is more likely to be the risk factor
There are different types of anemia, all having different causes. Some forms of anemia likely go away when the root cause is treated. For instance, anemia that happens during pregnancy is not a significant concern and can be cured by taking iron supplements. However, one or more forms of anemia point to a severe underlying condition and need ayurvedic treatment for anemia to be treated.
What are the symptoms of anemia?
The signs and symptoms of anemia usually correlate with other health issues. Hardly you will notice signs when there is mild anemia, but as the blood cells drop, symptoms often develop.
Depending on the cause of the anemia, symptoms may include:
Dizziness, lightheadedness
Unusual heartbeat
Headache and chills
Problems with growth for children and teens
Pain in your bones, chest, belly, and joints
Shortness of breath
Skin that turns pale or yellow
Cold hands and feet
Tiredness or weakness
Some forms of anemia have different but specific symptoms, including:
Aplastic anemia: Skin rashes, infections, and fever.
Hemolytic anemia: Jaundice, dark-colored urine, abdominal pain, etc.
Folic acid deficiency anemia: Diarrhea, irritability, and a smooth tongue
Sickle cell anemia: Painful swelling in the feet and hands, fatigue, etc
When to see a doctor
Consult your doctor as soon as you experience the signs mentioned above. Anemia can be a sign of some underlying health condition that perhaps call for an immediate treatment approach.
Causes and types
The RBCs supply oxygen to the entire body. Losing RBCs can thus put one at risk of various health disorders.
The main causes of low RBCs content in the body may include:
Iron-deficiency anemia
It is the most common form of anemia caused due to the deficiency of iron in the body. A shortage of iron perhaps leads to low oxygen levels in the body.
When the body loses blood, it starts to extract fluid from the tissue to keep the blood vessels full. This additional fluid dilutes the blood, keeping the RBCs count extremely low. There could be many reasons for blood loss, such as surgery, trauma, cancer, heavy menstrual bleeding, gastrointestinal conditions, or excessive use of NSAIDs.
Decreased or impaired RBCs
Bone marrow, which is a soft tissue at the center of the bones, also contributes to the development of anemia. It is the bone marrow that produces stem cells that grow into RBCs, WBCs, and platelets.
Many medical conditions contribute to impaired bone marrow function of producing an adequate number of RBCs. For instance, leukemia is cancer that results in excessive WBCs, disrupting the production of RBCs.
Yet another form of anemia, called thalassemia, results because RBCs do not grow and mature as they normally do.
Destruction of RBCs
Normally, RBCs have a life span of around 120 days in the bloodstream, but the immune system may destroy them even before they complete their natural cycle. One such form of anemia that gets affected is autoimmune hemolytic anemia, in which the immune system destroys more RBCs than it produces.
Ayurvedic treatment for anemia helps to ensure the production of RBCs by treating the underlying root cause.
Ayurveda has a different viewpoint of disease that is related to the aggravation of doshas in the body. For anemia also the cause is the body’s fire element. Here are some underlying causes of anemia as per Ayurveda.
Consumption of sour and salty food items in excess
Physical exertion
Home remedies that may help combat anemia
Bananas aids the production of hemoglobin in the body. You can have two bananas every day to restore the production of RBCs.
Use black til (sesame) along with honey, jaggery to form a thick paste after soaking the sesame seeds for two hours. Mix it in a glass of milk and consume it daily.
Fenugreek is also helpful in improving anemia.
Fresh pomegranate (anar) is also good to promote blood levels.
Apples are also helpful in promoting RBCs production.
Amla juice mixed with beetroot juice strengthens the overall body while triggering the secretion of RBCs.
コメント