When blood has insufficient red blood cells, this condition is known as iron deficiency anemia. The RBCs transfer oxygen to the tissues in your body. Your body is unable to produce sufficient hemoglobin to carry oxygen due to a deficiency of iron. Hence, you may feel shortness of breath and tiredness. You can take an iron supplement to cure iron deficiency anemia. Sometimes, you need additional treatments or tests for iron deficiency, especially when your doctor doubts that you have internal bleeding.
Symptoms
Iron deficiency anemia is not so severe initially, and it may easily be unnoticed. But when anemia worsens and the body loses more iron, the symptoms become more noticeable. Here are some of the warning signs –
- Weakness
- Extreme fatigue
- Pale skin
- Cold feet and hands
- Rapid heartbeat, discomfort in chest, or dyspnea
- Dizziness, headache, or lightheadedness
- Brittle nails
- Soreness or inflammation of the tongue
- Lack of appetite, especially in children and babies with deficiency of iron
- Unusual cravings for starch, dirt, or ice
When to visit a gynecologist?
If you or your child has one of these symptoms, you should see the gynecologist. You cannot treat or self-diagnose this condition. Don’t take iron supplements yourself. See the doctor for a diagnosis. It is not acceptable to overdo with iron as it could be dangerous. It may lead to other complications and can hurt your liver.
How to Prevent Iron Deficiency Anemia?
You should opt for food items rich in iron to prevent anemia, such as –
- Chicken or red meat
- Beans
- Seafood
- Dried food like apricots and raisins
- Spinach and other green leafy veggies
- Peas
- Iron-fortified pasta, bread, and cereals
Meat contains more iron than any other food source. If you are veg or vegan, you should have more plant-based, iron-rich foods to fulfill your daily iron needs.
Drink citrus juice or have foods with vitamin C to help your body to absorb iron. Orange juice and other citrus juices have vitamin C to improve the absorption of dietary iron. Additional vitamin C sources are grapefruit, broccoli, kiwi, melons, leafy greens, oranges, peppers, tomatoes, tangerines, and strawberries.
