| Cases of anemia are becoming stronger by day. | | | | Cereals (iron enriched ones), pastas, bread, |
| So adjusting your diet to make it iron rich, or | | | | legumes such as peas, baked beans and leafy |
| more specifically iron adequate is essential. It | | | | vegetables such as spinach and coriander leaves, |
| would thus be appropriate to discuss the | | | | canned asparagus, baked potato ,lentils and |
| preventive measures in perspective of different | | | | molasses are some of them. Apart from this, |
| age groups, gender and physical requirements. | | | | dried fruits, raisins and apricots can act as good |
| Beginning with infants, who have little variety to | | | | substitutes as well. Though rich, vegetables and |
| choose from, breast milk and not cow’s milk, | | | | fruits are a source of non-heme iron. |
| is recommended since infants absorb about 50% | | | | Intake of iron has to be effective and to have |
| iron from breast milk in comparison to 12% from | | | | the desired effect iron helpers have to be included |
| cow’s milk. After completing a year, infants | | | | in the diet. Vegetables have non-heme iron which |
| should be made to drink milk from open cups. | | | | is difficult to absorb. Compared to 15% absorption |
| For adult women and teenagers, the requirement | | | | rate in non-vegetarian food items, it is only 5% in |
| is less than 18mg a day. However, during | | | | vegetarian ones. Vitamin C rich fruits (iron helpers) |
| pregnancy, a large volume of blood is required to | | | | perfectly suit the purpose. Thus, intake of iron |
| support the foetus and in turn the risk of iron | | | | rich food simultaneously with a glass of lemon |
| deficiency automatically increases. Medically | | | | juice or orange juice only enhances the iron |
| speaking, women require about 30-60mg of iron | | | | absorption. Other iron absorption enhancers are |
| during pregnancy. Post-menopause, women need | | | | broccoli, tomato juice and sprouts and |
| about 8-10mg of iron a day. | | | | strawberries Red wine, calcium, caffeine, milk and |
| Female athletes and endurance athletes are a | | | | tannin, on the other hand, are inhibitors. |
| very high risk group owing to excessive use of | | | | In elderly people, anemia is usually prone to |
| their RBC’s. Loss of iron through sweat is | | | | complications. The diet is the same for them but |
| commonly observed in their case. Inadequate | | | | has to be monitored carefully. Under no condition, |
| dietary iron clubbed with extensive training does | | | | however, should the dietary iron be more than |
| more harm than good. The body has a tough | | | | 50mg without medical supervision. |
| time meeting these demands. Doctors suggest | | | | Anemia can be seriously detrimental to health. |
| iron supplements in the form of ferrous sulphate | | | | Breathlessness, cardiac complications, fatigue and |
| or ferrous gluconate for them. | | | | reduced physical and mental performance are just |
| Red meat is prescribed to fulfill the demands of | | | | a few of its numerous effects. It goes without |
| the body in such cases, so is poultry food like | | | | saying that you will do good if you run to a |
| eggs, turkey and chicken and sea food such as | | | | nutritionist when there is still time than make a |
| mussels, clams and shrimps-more so because | | | | distress call to your doctor after you get the |
| they contain heme iron which is easily absorbable. | | | | disease. As they very aptly say, “your body |
| Vegans too have a variety to choose from. | | | | needs you too. |