ANEMIA

What is anemia?

Anemia occurs when your blood doesn't have enough hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. A common cause of anemia is not having enough iron. (Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin.)

Symptoms of anemia

Often, no symptoms

Paleness

Feeling tired

Unusual shortness of breath during exercise

Fast heartbeat

Cold hands and feet

Brittle nails

Headaches

What can cause low iron levels?

Lack of iron in the diet. This is mostly a problem for children and young women. Children who drink a lot of milk and don't eat iron-rich foods and young women who follow "fad" diets may be at risk for iron deficiency.

Growth spurts. Children under age 3 are growing so fast that their bodies may have a hard time keeping up with the amount of iron they need.

Pregnancy. Women who are pregnant or who are breast feeding need 2½ times as much iron as men. That's why pregnant women may be tested for anemia and why they need to eat more iron-rich foods or take a daily iron pill.

Blood loss. This is a common reason for iron deficiency anemia in adults. Heavy periods may cause anemia. Blood loss can also be caused by internal bleeding, usually in the digestive tract. A stomach ulcer, ulcerative colitis, cancer, or taking aspirin or similar medicine for a long time can cause bleeding in your stomach or intestines. That's why it's important to find the reason for a low iron level.

Can anemia be prevented?

Some types can be prevented, such as those caused by diet. You can help prevent this type of anemia by making sure you eat foods that have iron. See the box below for a list of iron-rich foods.

Foods high in iron

• Liver and other meats
• Seafood
• Dried fruits like apricots, prunes and raisins
• Nuts
• Beans, especially lima beans
• Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli
• Blackstrap molasses
• Whole grains
• Iron-fortified breads and cereals (check the label)

Above all this Beetroot juice is good in iron content. You can try this to get the best result.

NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY

One of the most important determinants of the baby's health and development, is the mother's diet. Regulation and attention to the diet should begin before pregnancy. It is essential that you be at an optimal weight - neither under nor over weight - before you become pregnant. You should also have no Vitamin or mineral deficiencies prior to pregnancy.

Once pregnant you need to eat a well balanced diet.

• Have a lot of cereals and legumes
• Nuts, dried fruits
• Spinach and other leafy vegetables
• Milk and dairy products
• fruits and fruit juices.
• Use healthy cooking oils like sunflower oil.
• Ask your doctor about iron, calcium, Vitamin B+D+ Zinc supplements.

1. If you are a vegetarian eat much more of the above. If you are a non-vegetarian include regular sources of egg, chicken or meat in your diet. Stay away from seafood - it could cause botulism.
2. If you are unable to take in milk try having milk in other forms like paneer, curd, custard, shrikhand, fruit yoghurt
3. Try to incorporate Soya into your regular diet. Soya is a rich source of iron and also has a high protein value. Soya is available in a lot of forms - soya milk, nutri-nuggets, tofu, soya rawa, soya flour, etc. These are easily available at health stores. Otherwise the simplest way incorporate soya into your diet is to grind nutri-nuggets into a powder and mix it into the wheat flour so whenever you eat chappatis or paranthas you are automatically taking in soya.
4. Eat sprouted dal raw. On cooking they tend to lose some of their nutritive value. You can have them in salads or can add them to raita (beaten curd).