(6/20/25) Anemia
Overview: Anemia is where there are not enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues and organs. Symptoms include tiredness, dizziness or feeling light-headed, chest pain, cold hands and feet, headache, shortness of breath, pale skin, bruising, and hair loss/thinning.
Anemia can be caused by poor nutrition, infections, chronic diseases, heavy menstruation, pregnancy, celiac disease, bariatric surgery, blood loss, and family history.
Common Types of Anemia
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Vitamin-deficiency anemia- low levels of Vitamin B12 or folate
- Aplastic anemia
- Hemolytic anemia
- Sickle cell anemia
Nutrition: Changes in diet can help reduce anemia in some cases including:
- For iron deficiency anemia:
o Eat rich iron foods: lean red meat, fish, liver, poultry, legumes (i.e. beans, lentils), fortified cereals and dark green leafy vegetables.
o Cook in a cast-iron skillet.
o Eat foods rich in Vitamin C (i.e. citrus, broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries) alongside iron-rich foods, to help the body absorb iron.
o Avoid foods that slow down iron absorption when consuming iron-rich foods: tea, coffee, cocoa, dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt).
- For deficiency in Vitamin B12:
o Eat foods rich in Vitamin B12: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, fortified breakfast cereals, nutritional yeast
- For deficiency in folate:
o Eat foods rich in folate: dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale), lentils, beans, oranges, fortified cereals and pastas, broccoli
Fun Tip: Food preparation methods, including soaking, germination, fermentation, and cooking, can help improve iron availability in iron rich plants like grains and beans.
