. What is anemia?
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Anemia occurs when there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. There are over 400 types of anemia ranging from those caused by nutritional disorders, blood disorders, chronic diseases and parasites.

Growing numbers
But isn’t nutritional anemia associated with malnutrition and poverty, you may ask. Not necessarily.


Who is at risk?

Anemia has this nasty habit of springing up unannounced. It is insidious and can remain undetected and untreated. The high-risk groups are growing children, women of child-bearing age, pregnant and lactating women, elderly and post surgery patients, as well as the economically disadvantaged.

Specific symptoms

Iron deficiency anemia

* Tongue burning or irritation

* Cracks in the corners of the mouth

* Craving for non-food items like chalk, ice, dirt, pure starch, ash

* Cracked or spoon-shaped nails


Vitamin B 12 deficiency

* Numbness in hands, feet and legs

* Spastic movements

* Tingling in hands and feet

* Weight loss

* Mental confusion and depression

* Difficulty in mental tasks

Folate deficiency

* In infants, it may cause nervous system abnormalities

* Folate deficiency may cause defects in a developing foetus


Early symptoms of anemia include lethargy, inactivity, loss of appetite and irritability. Later manifestations are excessive tiredness, shortness of breath, palpitation, rapid pulse, pale lower eyelids and whitish nails. Other than the common symptoms, different types of anemia caused by different nutritional deficiencies manifest themselves in different ways.

Tests and diagnosis
Anemia can be detected only through a blood test that checks levels of hemoglobin, haematocrit or packed cell volume (PCV). Hidden clues seen during preliminary clinical examination alert physicians to the possibility of nutrient deficiencies.

Types Of anemia
Iron deficiency anemia
Among the various causes for anemia, iron deficiency is considered the most common.

Deficiency dangers
Iron deficiency anemia occurs when there is not enough iron in the body to make hemoglobin. When iron levels are inadequate, the level of this vital blood component falls, shaking the fine balance of various body systems. Iron depletion can progress to iron deficiency-related anemia. Reserves of iron in the body dip when there is blood loss at a greater rate than the body can replenish in scenarios such as: heavy menstrual periods, hemorrhoids and other such conditions. Iron deficiency occurs due to inadequate intake of dietary iron or poor absorption of iron from food. Fix it Eat plenty of iron-rich foods. Good sources of dietary iron are jaggery, green leafy vegetables, dried dates, liver, apricot, avocado, moong sprouts, bajra, pulses, sesame seeds, meat, chicken and fish. Include Vitamin C-rich foods to help increase iron absorption. Squeeze lime on spinach.

Pregnancy and anemia
When pregnant and anemic you need special care
Iron requirements go up during pregnancy since the volume of blood increases dramatically.
With the increase in red blood cells, the need for iron for the production of hemoglobin in the body naturally increases. Doctor’s point out that anemia during pregnancy has far reaching health implications: increased maternal mortality and morbidity, intrauterine growth, retardation and low birth weight.

Inhibitors in your diet
Vegetarian, cereal-based diets contain components like phytates that inhibit the absorption of iron. Similarly, oxalates present in whole grains, Soya, beet, greens and beverages like coffee and tea also prevent iron absorption. Several studies have shown that the diets of large segments of the Indian population contain high amounts of iron inhibitors like tannins and phytates, and are poor in calcium and Vitamin C.

Faulty cooking practices
Overcooking is one reason why our foods have less nutritional content. Adding excess water as well as prolonged frying also brings down the nutritive value.

Worm infestation
We all love to eat out, but have you ever wondered about the place where the veggies in your salad were washed (if at all), and how they were handled before landing in your salad bowl.

Parasitic infections
Malaria causes anemia by destroying red blood cells and suppressing the formation of new ones.

Anemia & Pregnancy
Blood loss during or after delivery causes anemia. Spacing births is therefore vital to ensure good health for both mother and child.

Heavy menstrual cycles
Women experiencing heavy periods stand a greater risk of anemia. Focus on iron supplementation.

Many women give up taking iron supplements because it causes nausea, diarrhea, or constipation. Doctors assure that if a person takes iron continuously for a week to 10 days, the unpleasant or adverse symptoms generally disappear. Teenage girls in the perimenarchal stage should take iron-rich foods. It is a good idea for adolescent girls to get an iron supplement for three months every year. The supplement should contain 60 to 100 mgs of elemental iron, say doctors.


Experts advise never to ignore even mildly low hemoglobin levels in children.
Does your child perpetually have the sniffles? Get her hemoglobin levels checked.

Kitchen fixes for nutritional anemia
* Cook food in iron pots and pans. Foods cooked in iron pots, stirred often, leach out iron and help combat anemia.
* Tannin in tea interferes with the absorption of iron. Make it a point to avoid drinking tea with meals.
* Sprouting and fermentation neutralizes phytates in cereals and increases the bioavailability of iron.
* Calcium inhibits absorption of iron. So, avoid taking calcium and iron supplements at the same time.

Fix it the diet route is always the best. Of course it is easier said than done to coax your bundle of mischief to consume veggies, or your super-cool teen to slurp on spinach and lentil soup. Innovate your lasagnas and burger recipes and mask the iron-rich spinach by adding more sauce, or mashing it into unrecognizable form. Don’t forget to add bell pepper or a dash of tangy lime for that extra taste and to make way for good iron assimilation. Add supplements now and then to ensure a steady supply of vital nutrients. When giving supplements be sure to base it on a doctor’s prescription.

Vitamin deficiency anemia
Anemia can arise also from a shortage of Vitamin B12 and folate, both of which are necessary for the production of blood cells and for proper functioning of the nervous system.

Go green to treat anemia
The good news is that our liver stores a healthy amount of Vitamin B12, so anemia from a deficiency of B12 takes almost two to four years to develop. On the other hand, folate reserves in the body can last only up to four months or so, and thus, inadequate levels can lead to its deficiency in a matter of months. Vegetarians are at greater risk of having decreased levels of Vitamin B12 since a vegetarian diet is not a good source of this vitamin.
Fix it Include egg, meat, liver, green leafy vegetables, pulses, whole grains, oranges, peanuts, peas, barley and sprouts to fortify yourself with B12 and folates. Include dairy products and spirulina (good vegetarian sources of this vitamin) in your diet if you are a vegetarian.
A balanced diet coupled with supplemental therapy can set things right.

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