As you may know, anemia or decreased oxygen delivering capacity of blood has may different causes ranging from iron deficiency to lead poisoning and many cancers.
Therefore, addressing simple home remedies for this variety of causes is a waste of wane, but in the following we name some tips to treat the most common causes of anemia and general consideration that will boost your body to make more red blood cells.
It is true that if you have anemia because of lead poisoning will benefit from these tips, but it will not go away without proper treatment.
what you will read next :
What is anemia?
All cells in the body need oxygen and nutrients continuously to survive and they catch these elements from cells and liquids in the bloodstream.
The oxygen that is needed to keep cells alive is carried by a cell in the blood called a red blood cell (RBC).
Our red blood cells do this job by a protein called hemoglobin to which oxygen binds. Many different problems, like thalassemia have been found that cause anemia by making abnormal hemoglobin.
Any problems that affect the quality and quantity of our red blood cells obviously will disrupt the process of oxygen delivery to the body’s cells and generally are called anemia.
Causes of anemia?
Some anemias cause a decrease in the number of red blood cells, and some anemias occurred because of problems with the structure of the red blood cells.
Name the most common cases briefly:
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Vit B12 deficiency anemia
- Folic acid deficiency anemia
- Thalassemia anemia
- Anemia caused by chronic blood loss
Home remedies for anemia
If you or your loved ones have anemia, following your doctor’s instructions is more important than any home remedy.
There are several different types of anemia that can only be diagnosed by a simple or sometimes very special blood tests and obviously treatment of different types of anemia is also different.
At the doctor’s discretion, you can use home remedies to improve your anemia along with the doctor’s prescription.
In the following, we will explain some methods for home treatment of most common causes of anemia and some proven tips to enhance the blood production capability of your body:
- Home remedies for anemia caused by iron deficiency:
If your doctor has diagnosed you with iron deficiency anemia, the following may be helpful:
- Increase your intake of red meat (the best source and maximum absorption of iron is for red meat).
- Legumes also contain some iron, but the absorption of iron in plant products is much lower than in animal species.
- Iron in white meats such as chicken and fish are better absorbed than legumes.
- To improve iron absorption while consuming iron sources, use vitamin C-rich substances such as bell peppers, cabbage or citrus (for example, it is better to eat your barbecue piece with a glass of fresh orange juice).
Iron-rich fish:
The following fish are more suitable for iron supply:
- Salmon fish
- Tuna fish
- Halibut fish
- Haddock fish
Note that the iron in animal products is called heme iron and the iron in plant sources is called non-heme iron.
Heme is the main protein that is responsible for oxygen transferring capability of blood cells.
Plant iron sources:
Plant sources of iron include:
- Dark vegetables like spinach
- Dried fruits like raisins
- Seeds such as lentils, beans and soy
Again, the human body absorbs heme iron much better than non-heme iron.
Calcium and iron:
Do not take high-calcium compounds with iron sources. When iron and calcium enter the body at the same time, more calcium will be absorbed than iron.
Phytate and iron:
Avoid consuming of phytates with animal sources of heme iron at the same time. Walnuts, soy, almonds, sesame and whole grains greatly reduce animal iron absorption.
Polyphenol and iron:
Polyphenols are found in cocoa, coffee, apples and raspberries. These compounds reduce the absorption of heme iron.
Oxalate and iron:
Oxalate-containing compounds, such as traditional tea, inhibit the absorption of heme iron.
It is best to avoid consuming these substances with any heme containing foods among two hours before and after.
Moringa plant:
One of the oldest remedies for anemia is the leaves of the plant (Moringa), which is rich in non-heme iron, vitamins C and A.
Pour about twenty to twenty-five moringa leaves into the blender and beat until it forms a dough. Add some brown sugar to this dough and eat it in the morning with breakfast.
Other important points for iron absorption:
- Do not neglect the consumption of dried plants such as raisins and figs
- A mixture of yogurt and turmeric is another thing that helps absorb non-heme iron (do not consume milk and dairy products at the same time as meals containing meat and animal sources of iron.)
- Pumpkin seeds have long been recommended for people with iron deficiency anemia.
- Consumption of four-grain breads is preferable to consumption of white breads
- Avoid spaghetti and pasta as much as possible. The phytate in these foods prevents the absorption of iron.
Decoction of the wormwood plant:
You can prepare this plant from apothecary. Pour about six grams of this plant powder into a one-liter kettle of water and let it boil. Then pass the mixture through a strainer and sweeten with honey. A glass before a meal and a glass after a meal from this decoction helps to absorb more iron.
Decoction of the plantain:
- Syrup or decoction of the plantain is highly recommended for anemia. Consumption of three cups of plantain syrup daily will be beneficial if approved by your doctor.
Leek plant:
- Mix about a small cup of leek juice with a teaspoon of honey. Consumption of this combination two to three times a day is effective in improving anemia.
- Home remedies for anemia caused by thalassemia:
Thalassemia consists of many different types that differs based on the abnormality in the structure of vital protein called globin.
Two common types are thalassemia minor and major that are classified based on the severity of problems that they may cause. As the name implies, the one how has minor type will experience minimum or commonly no symptoms.
What is mentioned before for iron deficiency anemia remedies along with fresh fruit that contain enough amount of Vitamin B12 and folic acid are all that is needed.