Fire Up Tired Blood
Are you exhausted, unfocused, and pale? You may have anemia. Supplements and a simple change in diet can help.
By Susan Mcquillan
Anemia is a sneaky condition.
Mild symptoms can
feel like stress: You're
fatigued even when you get
enough sleep. You're unable to
concentrate or think clearly. Your
skin may become pale due to the
lack of oxygenated blood that
would normally give it a healthy
color. And you may find yourself
craving things like ice, clay, or
even dirt. (Medical experts have
no idea why pica, the desire for
nonfood substances, is a symptom
of anemia.)
Act quickly
If left undiagnosed, anemia can start to feel like a heart attack: rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, and chest pain from an overworked, oxygen-deprived heart. It's no wonder, says Lloyd Van Winkle, M.D., clinical associate professor at the University of Texas Health Center. "You're already tired from the lack of oxygen in your blood," he explains, "plus, your body is working overtime with a shortage of blood to try to get oxygen into your cells, which is wearing you out even more." That lack of oxygen stresses every part of your body and can, in fact, lead to heart failure. While serious anemia can indeed be dire, the condition can very often be easily treated and managed with iron pills and a diet filled with foods high in iron. Take Supplements
If you're diagnosed with anemia, the first thing you'll get is a prescription for supplements to bring your iron levels up to normal. Once you start taking them, you should see improvement within a couple of weeks. It's important to continue taking supplements as long as they are prescribed, often for up to six months, in order to increase your body's store. The most common side effects are stomach discomfort and constipation, which can usually be relieved with high-fiber foods, lots of water, and exercise. Eat Iron-Rich Foods
In the "old days," most doctors and nutritionists advised their anemic patients to eat more liver. Carla Weisberg, 45, a textile and surface designer in New York City, remembers hearing that as a college student in the 1980s, when she became anemic shortly after being hit by a car. She didn't lose a lot of blood in the accident, but she was bruised from head to toe. A few weeks later she noticed she was becoming more and more fatigued. When she went back to the doctor, tests showed she was anemic. A nutritionist recommended homemade "liver shakes"-an unpalatable combination of pureed frozen liver and orange juice. "I drank one and it was so vile, I couldn't swallow anything else for 24 hours," recalls Weisberg. Although organ meats (beef, lamb, and dark-meat poultry) do contain the highest concentration of iron and are more readily absorbed by the body than other sources, it's found in significant amounts in many additional foods, too. In fact, legumes and other plant foods often contain more iron than most animal-derived products. Tasty foods like leafy green vegetables, legumes, dried fruit, nuts, whole grains, enriched rice, pastas, or cereals, and shellfish are also excellent sources of the nutrient, so you can forget about those liver shakes. (See "Top Ten Food Sources of Iron," ) Weisberg's nutritionist also recommended cooking with a castiron skillet to get more iron from a mostly vegetarian diet. This is an effective method and a smart thing to do, agrees Ashley Koff, R.D., founder of The HealthXchange nutrition counseling services in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, Calif. Many foods, especially those with acidic ingredients such as tomatoes, absorb significant amounts of the mineral from a cast-iron skillet, she says. If you have mild or borderline anemia, you might respond well to getting more B vitamins, which your body uses to produce red blood cells, and vitamin C, which aids in absorption of dietary iron. Avoid Iron Blockers
Certain substances in foods can negatively affect iron's bioavailability, or the amount that is actually absorbed and used by the body. These "iron blockers" include phosphates in milk and egg whites, calcium in dairy products, phytates in high-fiber foods, and tannins and polyphenols in coffee and tea. Some foods, like spinach and soybeans, are high in iron, but they also contain substances that block iron absorption. "You don't have to avoid these foods," Koff says. "But it's best not to eat them at the same time you're eating foods high in iron. And be sure to eat soy and spinach with foods that are filled with vitamin C to help increase iron absorption." If you are using both calcium and iron supplements, Koff adds, take them separately, at different times of the day.
If left undiagnosed, anemia can start to feel like a heart attack: rapid breathing, irregular heartbeat, and chest pain from an overworked, oxygen-deprived heart. It's no wonder, says Lloyd Van Winkle, M.D., clinical associate professor at the University of Texas Health Center. "You're already tired from the lack of oxygen in your blood," he explains, "plus, your body is working overtime with a shortage of blood to try to get oxygen into your cells, which is wearing you out even more." That lack of oxygen stresses every part of your body and can, in fact, lead to heart failure. While serious anemia can indeed be dire, the condition can very often be easily treated and managed with iron pills and a diet filled with foods high in iron. Take Supplements
If you're diagnosed with anemia, the first thing you'll get is a prescription for supplements to bring your iron levels up to normal. Once you start taking them, you should see improvement within a couple of weeks. It's important to continue taking supplements as long as they are prescribed, often for up to six months, in order to increase your body's store. The most common side effects are stomach discomfort and constipation, which can usually be relieved with high-fiber foods, lots of water, and exercise. Eat Iron-Rich Foods
In the "old days," most doctors and nutritionists advised their anemic patients to eat more liver. Carla Weisberg, 45, a textile and surface designer in New York City, remembers hearing that as a college student in the 1980s, when she became anemic shortly after being hit by a car. She didn't lose a lot of blood in the accident, but she was bruised from head to toe. A few weeks later she noticed she was becoming more and more fatigued. When she went back to the doctor, tests showed she was anemic. A nutritionist recommended homemade "liver shakes"-an unpalatable combination of pureed frozen liver and orange juice. "I drank one and it was so vile, I couldn't swallow anything else for 24 hours," recalls Weisberg. Although organ meats (beef, lamb, and dark-meat poultry) do contain the highest concentration of iron and are more readily absorbed by the body than other sources, it's found in significant amounts in many additional foods, too. In fact, legumes and other plant foods often contain more iron than most animal-derived products. Tasty foods like leafy green vegetables, legumes, dried fruit, nuts, whole grains, enriched rice, pastas, or cereals, and shellfish are also excellent sources of the nutrient, so you can forget about those liver shakes. (See "Top Ten Food Sources of Iron," ) Weisberg's nutritionist also recommended cooking with a castiron skillet to get more iron from a mostly vegetarian diet. This is an effective method and a smart thing to do, agrees Ashley Koff, R.D., founder of The HealthXchange nutrition counseling services in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, Calif. Many foods, especially those with acidic ingredients such as tomatoes, absorb significant amounts of the mineral from a cast-iron skillet, she says. If you have mild or borderline anemia, you might respond well to getting more B vitamins, which your body uses to produce red blood cells, and vitamin C, which aids in absorption of dietary iron. Avoid Iron Blockers
Certain substances in foods can negatively affect iron's bioavailability, or the amount that is actually absorbed and used by the body. These "iron blockers" include phosphates in milk and egg whites, calcium in dairy products, phytates in high-fiber foods, and tannins and polyphenols in coffee and tea. Some foods, like spinach and soybeans, are high in iron, but they also contain substances that block iron absorption. "You don't have to avoid these foods," Koff says. "But it's best not to eat them at the same time you're eating foods high in iron. And be sure to eat soy and spinach with foods that are filled with vitamin C to help increase iron absorption." If you are using both calcium and iron supplements, Koff adds, take them separately, at different times of the day.
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