ANEMIA

Anemia – Lack of blood decrease in number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood

OVERVIEW

• Anemia affects adults, children and pregnant women and adolescent girls are most susceptible 
• In adults anemia is usually defined as HB concentration less than 11.5g/dl and women In men less than 12.5 g/dl
• In ayurveda anemia co-related with pandu roga – in pandu roga person become pale due to deficiency of rakt dhatu in the body
• pandu roga is tridoshaj  and pitta dosha leads to discoloration of the skin 
• Hemolytic anemia – in this red blood cells are destroyed faster  and the causes are –  Autoimmune activity – antibodies work against and attacks , destroys red blood cells, physical damage to red blood cells due to heart lung bypass surgery, infections like malaria
• Aplastic anemia – when bone marrow does not produce enough red blood cells  it is most commonly caused by autoimmune activities, when immune system attacks stem cells in bone marrow and inherited genetic changes
• Iron deficiency is a common type of anemia – it is due to insufficient iron without enough iron body cannot produce a substance in blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen 

SYMPTOMS OF ANEMIA

• Skin- paleness, coldness, yellowing, Dry skin
• Muscular – Weakness, fatigue
• Drowsiness
• Irregular heart beats
• Leg cramps
• Dizziness
• cold hands and feet
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Genetic factors
• Fast heartbeat
• Hair loss
• Ringing in ears

SYMPTOMS DUE TO IRON DEFICIENCY

• Unusual cravings for non nutritive substances
• poor appetite
• shortness of breath 
• inflammation and shortness of breath

OTHER SYMPTOMS

• inflammation of tongue
• jaundice
• enlarged lymph nodes
• enlarged spleen or liver

SYMPTOMS DUE TO DEFICIENCY OF VITAMIN B12

• Muscles and tingling in hand and feet
• Muscle weakness
• Depression
• Confusion
• Heartburn
• Nausea 
• Vomiting
• Bloating, gas
• Constipation

SYMPTOMS DUE TO DEFICIENCY OF IRON

• Fatigue
• shortness of breath
• chest pain

CAUSES OF ANEMIA

• iron deficiency
• Excessive bleeding – gastrointestinal condition, like ulcers, hemorrhoids, cancer or gastritis, use of NSAIDs
• Decreased or impaired RBCs 
• Iron deficiency anemia – this develop because low iron diet, menstruation, medicines that irritate the gut lining blood donation
• Infections like HIV and tuberculosis
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Exposure to toxins such as lead
• Chronic condition such as – hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, lupus, kidney diseases these diseases causing body to not have enough hormones to create red blood cells
• Vitamin deficiency – folate and lacking of B-12 are both needed to make red blood cells if a person does not intake enough vitamins than this leads to low RBC count
• Destruction of RBCs – like some infection, hypertension, autoimmune attack
• Chemotherapy 
• IN FEMALES – loss of iron in the blood due to heavy menstruation or pregnancy and due to poor diet
• Stress 
• Lack of sleep – lack of sleep leads to low hemoglobin concentration this increased the risk of anemia 
• sickle cell anemia (inherited blood disorders)
• hemolytic anemia

HIGHER RISK PEOPLES IN ANEMIA:

• Women- blood loss during menstruation and childbirth and develop iron deficiency anemia
• Children ages 1 to 2 – because body needs more iron during growth
• infants 
• people over 65 – anemia may shorten lifespan in older peoples
• people on blood thinners

FOODS TO AVOID IN ANEMIA:

• Tea and coffee 
• gluten containing foods – like barley, rye, oats 
• oxalic acid food – peanuts, parsley, chocolate 
• phytic acid containing foods

DIET FOR ANEMIA:

• Iron rich foods  dried fruit – prunes, dates, raisin, apricots
• Nuts – almonds, cashews, pine nuts they are great source ofd iron and antioxidants 
• Seeds – pumpkin, sesame, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds
• plant food- tofu, oats, wholegrain, chickpeas, dried fruit, brown rice, nuts, raw spinach, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, morel mushrooms, sweet potatoes, olives,
• animal food – lamb, beef, salmon, chicken, tune, sardines, eggs
• Hazelnut
• cocoa powder 

 DIAGNOSIS OF ANEMIA:

• complete blood count (CBC) 
• a test to determine the size and shape of red blood cells
• serum iron level – to measure the total amount of iron in blood 
• Ferritin test – analyzes how much iron stores in blood
• Reticulocyte count – 
• Vitamin B12 test
• Coombs test – show the presence of auto antibodies 
• Fecal occult blood test – to see blood in stool present or not 
• Bone marrow-  test to measure the level of immature red blood cells called reticulocytes

TREATMENT:

• IRON DEFICIENCY VITAMIN – In this taking iron supplements orally  and changes in diet
• In pregnancy eat balanced diet  includes iron rich foods and foods that provide B12 and B9 vitamins 
• VITAMIN DEFICIENCY ANEMIA – increase nutrients in diet  or vitamin B-12 shots 
• ANMIA OF CHRONIC DISEASE – If symptoms becomes severe so go for blood transfusion or injections 
• APLASTIC ANEMIA – this includes blood transfusion to boosts the level of red blood cells
• HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA –  taking drugs those suppress the immune system 
• SICKLE CELL ANEMIA – Pain relievers, oral or IV fluids to reduce pain, antibiotics, folic acid supplements
• THALASSEMIA – Rarely required blood transfusion , folic acid supplements
• BLOOD TRANSFUSION – used for blood loss
• VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS – when vitamin level is low