According to the World Health Organization, about 3 billion people worldwide are anemic to varying degrees, and tens of millions of people die each year from various diseases caused by anemia. In China, the probability of having anemia is higher than that in western countries, and among those who suffer from anemia, women are significantly higher than men, and the elderly and children are higher than the middle-aged and young people. About 30%-40% of infants and children suffer from anemia, mainly due to the chain reaction caused by maternal anemia, resulting in insufficient supply of blood-producing substances absorbed by the newborn from the mother, which seriously affects physical and intellectual development, resulting in anorexia, picky eating, and reduced resistance to various infections.
The prevalence of anemia in women is 64.4%, which is directly caused by women’s menstrual periods, the dual demand for blood-producing substances by themselves and the fetus during pregnancy, and bleeding during childbirth. In the past, the main cause of anemia was malnutrition, but in recent years, nutritional disorders caused by weight loss have created another group of people with severe anemia.
Anemia (anaemia) is a reduction in the total number of red blood cells in the circulating blood throughout the body to below normal values. Clinically, it generally means that the concentration of hemoglobin in peripheral blood is lower than the normal standard for the same age group, sex and region. In coastal and plain areas, the normal adult hemoglobin amount is 12-16g/100ml for men and 11-15g/100ml for women; the red blood cell count is 4.0-5.5 million/cubic millimeter for men and 3.5-5 million/cubic millimeter for women. Children under 12 years of age have a lower normal hemoglobin value than adult men by about 15%, and there is no significant difference between boys and girls. It is generally higher in areas with high altitude. Clinical manifestations are pallor with dizziness, weakness, palpitations and shortness of breath.
There are various causes of anemia: iron deficiency, hemorrhage, hemolysis, hematopoietic dysfunction, etc.
Specific classification of anemia.
1. “Iron deficiency anemia”, seen in malnutrition, chronic small bleeding and hookworm disease; women are more likely to suffer from iron deficiency anemia because of the fixed loss of blood during women’s monthly physiological period. Therefore, on average, about 20% of women and 50% of pregnant women have anemia.
2. “Hemorrhagic anemia”; caused by acute massive bleeding (such as gastric and duodenal ulcer disease, ruptured esophageal varices or trauma, etc.)
3, “hemolytic anemia”, anemia caused by excessive destruction of red blood cells; often accompanied by jaundice;
4, “megaloblastic anemia”, mostly seen in infants, pregnant women and those with chronic malnutrition; most megaloblastic anemia is caused by folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiency, and after proper treatment, these megaloblasts can quickly become normal infantile red blood cells.
5.”Pernicious anemia”, megaloblastic anemia lacking internal factors
6. “Aplastic anemia” (AA), anemia caused by hematopoietic dysfunction, with a decrease in whole blood cells (red blood cells, granulocytes, platelets). It is divided into two types: acute and chronic, depending on the urgency of the disease, the severity of the disease, the degree of bone marrow destruction and the regression. In China, the incidence of the disease is 1.87-2.1 per 100,000 people, which is similar to the incidence reported in Japan. The disease can occur in all age groups, but it is more common in young adults and in men than in women. The ratio of acute to chronic cases is 1:4.6.
Hereditable anemia.
In our country, anemia is a fairly common group of diseases, and usually most of the anemia is nutritional (e.g., iron deficiency) anemia. However, there are often cases of anemia that cannot be corrected even after iron supplementation, and hereditary hemolytic anemia accounts for a large part of the so-called “unexplained refractory anemia”. In addition to the common symptoms of anemia such as pallor, weakness, poor appetite, dizziness, etc., there may also be yellowing of the skin and eyes, and yellowing and deepening of the color of urine, which may be as dark as soy sauce in severe cases. The causes of hereditary hemolytic anemia are so intricate and complex that conventional laboratory tests often fail to make a clear diagnosis, and many special laboratory tests can only be performed in some medical schools and large hospitals at present. Hereditary hemolytic anemia is generally classified into three main categories according to the different causes.
The first category is hemolytic anemia caused by abnormal changes in the red blood cell membranes in the blood. For example, hereditary spherocytosis.
The second category is hemolytic anemia due to a disorder in the synthesis of hemoglobin in the red blood cells. For example, thalassemia.
The third type of hereditary anemia is caused by a deficiency of enzymes in the red blood cells. For example, fava bean disease.
The cause of mild anemia should also be investigated.
If the hemoglobin is below 80 g/l, there is a possibility of serious diseases such as thalassemia, sericea and leukemia, and it is usually recommended to seek immediate medical attention for further diagnosis. But does mild anemia eliminate the need to see a doctor?
If the hemoglobin is below 110 g/l, you should go to the hospital for further examination to confirm the diagnosis. You can go to the hospital every one or two months for a review. If it is still below the normal value after several tests, it is necessary to figure out the cause of the anemia. Menstrual disorders, parasitic diseases, and gastrointestinal blood loss can cause mild anemia. If you do not know the cause of anemia and blame it on iron deficiency and take iron supplements, it is likely to have no effect at all. Even if the anemia is temporarily improved by taking iron supplements, the anemia will come back after three to six months once the medication is stopped. More problematic is that leukemia may also initially present as mild anemia, which can delay the diagnosis and treatment of the disease if further tests are not done immediately.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause secondary anemia.
Chemotherapy refers to the treatment of malignant tumors with cytotoxic drugs such as cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin and other antitumor drugs. Because of the poor selective effect of these drugs, they have certain inhibitory and killing effects on normal cells, especially the hematopoietic cells of bone marrow. Therefore, the inhibition of bone marrow will occur in chemotherapy, causing the reduction of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, coupled with chemotherapy reaction nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite, which will cause anemia when it reaches a certain level. Radiotherapy is the use of radiation to kill tumor cells. Cells that proliferate rapidly in the body, such as bone marrow cells and gastrointestinal mucous membrane cells, are particularly sensitive to radiation. Therefore, when radiotherapy is administered, especially in large areas and multiple sites at the same time, it is easy to cause bone marrow damage and hematopoietic suppression, thus inducing anemia.
Daily life and dietary precautions for patients with anemia
1.Diet regulation: Generally, we should give a diet rich in nutrition and high calories, high protein, multivitamins, rich inorganic salts and diet to help restore the hematopoietic function. Diet nutrition should be reasonable, food must be diversified, recipes should be broad, should not be partial, otherwise it will cause anemia due to the lack of certain nutrients. It should be nutritious and easy to digest. Diet should be regular and moderate, and overeating is strictly prohibited. Eat more iron-rich foods, such as pig liver, pig blood, lean meat, dairy products, beans, rice, apples, green leafy vegetables, etc. Drinking more tea can supplement folic acid and vitamin B12, which is beneficial to the treatment of megaloblastic anemia. However, tea is not suitable for iron deficiency anemia because it is not conducive to the absorption of iron in the body. Appropriate supplementation of acidic food is beneficial to the absorption of iron. Avoid eating spicy, cold and indigestible food. Usually can be combined with nourishing dietary therapy to nourish the body.
2. Combine work and rest, and carry out appropriate physical activities. Avoid overexertion and ensure sleep time.
Food to improve anemia.
Diet therapy is one of the effective means to treat anemia. The following foods are good for improving anemia symptoms and replenishing nutrients for hematopoietic function, and should be selected with attention.
Foods rich in high quality protein: such as eggs, dairy, fish, lean meat, shrimp and beans, etc.
Foods rich in vitamin C: fresh fruits and green vegetables, such as sour dates, apricots, oranges, hawthorn, tomatoes, bitter melon, green tomatoes and peppers, lettuce, green bamboo shoots, etc. Vitamin C has the function of participating in hematopoiesis and promoting the absorption and utilization of iron.
Iron-rich foods: chicken liver, pig liver, beef and sheep kidney, lean meat, egg yolk, kelp, black sesame, sesame paste, black fungus, soybeans, mushrooms, brown sugar, rape, celery, etc. Iron is the main component of blood, iron deficiency anemia is more common.
Copper-rich foods: The physiological function of copper is to participate in hematopoiesis, and copper deficiency can also cause impaired iron absorption and reduced hemoglobin synthesis.
Prevention of anemia in the elderly.
It is also important to take medication to treat anemia in the elderly, as well as life conditioning. Eat a variety of foods, mainly cereals. Ensure adequate nutrition, especially the intake of iron and protein, and eat more iron-rich foods, such as animal liver, black fungus, sesame paste, dates, soy products, green leafy vegetables, etc. In the daily diet should be rich in good protein food, such as lean meat, eggs, milk, fish and shrimp, animal blood, soy products more vegetables, fruits and potatoes. Don’t over-restrain your diet, correct your partial diet in time, and eat a balanced diet. When you are suffering from anemia in the elderly, you should avoid drinking tea during the period of taking iron, and it is advisable to take iron after meals, which takes 1-2 months for the anemia to be corrected. Drink more water every day. Use less fried and deep-fried food. Actively participate in physical exercise to enhance appetite.
Dietary regimen for anemia in women.
Eat more green vegetables and foods with high iron content, such as egg yolk, beef, liver, kidney, kelp, beans, etc. Do not drink tea, the tannic acid in tea will hinder the absorption of iron. Those who lack stomach acid (such as atrophic gastritis, post-gastrectomy) can take some dilute hydrochloric acid orally as appropriate. Hydrochloric acid can free the iron in food and increase the solubility of iron salts, which is beneficial to absorption. Take some vitamin C, which is beneficial to the absorption of iron in food. Use the traditional iron pot to fry food, the friction between the pot and the spatula will produce many tiny debris, during the heating process, iron can be dissolved in the food, so the iron pot is a good vessel for blood.
1, lotus seeds and cinnamon soup: lotus seeds, cinnamon meat 30 grams each, 20 grams of red dates, the right amount of rock sugar. Soak the lotus seeds to remove the skin, heart, wash, and wash the cinnamon meat, red dates together in a casserole, add the right amount of water decoction until the lotus seeds are crispy, add rock sugar to taste. Drink soup and eat lotus seeds, red dates and cinnamon meat before going to bed, take 1 to 2 times a week. This formula has the effect of nourishing the heart and blood and strengthening the spleen and stomach, and is suitable for anemia and weakness, neurasthenia, palpitations, forgetfulness, sleep disturbance, etc.
2, pig liver porridge: pig liver (other animal liver can also be) 100 to 150 grams, 100 grams of round-grained rice. First, wash and chop the pig liver, together with japonica rice into a pot, add 1000 grams of water and onion, ginger, oil, salt, first boil with a high fire, then turn to simmer with a gentle fire into a thin porridge. Take 1 dose a day, divided into several times. This recipe has the effect of benefiting blood and liver, brightening the eyes, suitable for blood deficiency, anemia, chronic hepatitis, night blindness, glaucoma and other diseases.
3, angelica mutton: soup goat meat 400 grams cut, astragalus, ginseng, angelica 25 grams each (gauze bag), put the same casserole, add 1000 ml of water, simmering, until the mutton rotten put 25 grams of ginger and salt, eat meat and drink soup, often eat. This recipe is most suitable for spleen and kidney Yang deficiency anemia patients.
4, wolfberry red dates boiled eggs: wolfberry 20 grams, 10 red dates, 2 eggs, cooked with the eggs, shelled and then cooked with 10 minutes. Eat eggs and drink soup, once a day or every other day. It has the effect of tonifying deficiency, benefiting qi and blood, and strengthening the spleen and stomach. It can treat anemia, and can also be used for the regulation of weakness, dizziness, forgetfulness and insomnia, and vision loss.
Anemia dietary supplements for pregnant women.
I. Agaricus lean pork soup: take 100 grams of lean pork and 10 grams of Agaricus. First put the meat in a casserole, add water to the appropriate amount, stewed with a gentle fire plus gum melt, seasoning, drink soup and eat meat, once every other day, for 20 days.
Second, peanut wolfberry egg: take 100 grams of peanuts, 2 eggs, 10 grams of Chinese wolfberry, 50 grams of brown sugar, 10 dates. First peanut, wolfberry cooked, then put brown sugar, dates and eggs, and then cooked for a few moments to eat, once a day, for 10-15 days.
Third, angelica ginger lamb soup: take angelica, ginger 15 grams each, 250 grams of lamb, 30 grams of yam. First, wash and cut the lamb, angelica wrapped in gauze, then put the yam, ginger in a casserole, add the right amount of water, stew soup, put seasonings after cooked, drink soup and eat meat, 3-4 times a week, for 20 days.
Four, cinnamon mulberry juice: take 1 part of cinnamon, 2 parts of mulberry, add water and boil until cooked, dregs and juice, and then add appropriate amount of rock sugar, boil until slightly thick food, 3 times a day, each serving 2-3 spoon, and even serve 30 days.
Five, Chinese wolfberry jujube porridge: take 15 jujube, Chinese wolfberry 10 grams, with 50 grams of rice boiled for porridge, 3-4 times a day, and served for 30 days.
Sixth, Shou Wu sesame chicken: take 150 grams of Chinese radix, 50 grams of black sesame seeds, and 1 chicken without eggs. First, the chicken is cut and washed, remove the head and feet, the radix, sesame seeds placed on the chicken’s chest, with white silk suture, put in a casserole until the chicken rotten, you can eat, once a week for 3 weeks.
Anemia dietary therapy.
Pig liver for anemia: 100 grams of pig liver, 200 grams of spinach, 100 grams of red radish, stewed with water, seasoned to drink.
Black beans and red dates glutinous rice porridge: 25 grams of black beans, 15 red dates, 50 grams of glutinous rice. The above three cooked with a gentle fire into a porridge, plus 20 grams of brown sugar, mix well to serve.
Mung beans for anemia: 25 grams of mung beans, 10 red dates, 20 grams of brown sugar, mung beans boiled in a pot, red dates cooked and served with sugar.
Black fungus for anemia: 12 grams of dried black fungus, 100 red dates, cooked with appropriate amount of water, then add 25 grams of brown sugar and take.
Longan peanut millet porridge: 15 grams of longan meat, 20 grams of peanut rice and 50 grams of millet. Boil them into porridge with a gentle fire and take it in the morning and evening.
Pig’s trotters and black beans for anemia: 1-2 pig’s trotters, 50 grams of black beans and 50 grams of peanut rice, cooked and eaten.
A few home-made foods for blood.
Black beans: In ancient times, China has always believed that eating beans is beneficial, most books will introduce black beans can make people’s hair black, in fact, black beans can also produce blood. Black beans can be eaten according to each person’s preference. If you are in the postpartum period, it is recommended to cook black beans with black bone chicken.
Hairy vegetable: hairy vegetable is very black in color and contains high iron, using hairy vegetable to cook soup as a dish can replenish blood.
Carrot: Carrot is high in vitamin B and C, and also contains a special nutrient – carotene, carotene is extremely beneficial for blood tonic, use carrot to cook soup, is a good blood tonic soup drink. Juice carrots, add honey and drink it as a beverage.
Spinach: This is the most common vegetable. It is also known as a blood tonic food. Spinach is rich in iron carotene, which can be considered an important food among blood tonic vegetables.
Goldenseal: Goldenseal contains the largest amount of iron, 20 times higher than the familiar spinach, rich in iron, while goldenseal is also rich in vitamins A, B1, C, protein, fat and colchicine drunk alkali and other nutrients.
Longan meat: Longan meat is cinnamon meat. Longan meat is rich in iron but also contains vitamins A and B and glucose and sucrose. It can also treat forgetfulness, palpitations, neurasthenia and insomnia while replenishing blood.
Dried radish: Dried radish is supposed to be a beneficial vegetable, it is extremely rich in vitamin B and has a high iron content. So it is the most inconspicuous and cheapest but the best food for health, and its iron content exceeds all foods except for goldenrod.
Excessive consumption of tea is prone to anemia.
Iron in food exists in two forms, one for the presence of heme iron in animal foods, absorption rate of 20-25%; the other for the presence of non-heme iron in plant foods, absorption rate of less than 10%. Therefore, the human body to absorb iron, or animal food is the main.
Tea contains a large amount of tannic acid, after drinking a lot of strong tea, tannic acid and iron combined to form an insoluble substance, hindering the absorption of iron. Therefore, tea drinkers should limit the amount of tea, light tea, anemia patients especially do not drink strong tea.
Secondly, milk and some drugs that neutralize stomach acid will hinder the absorption of iron, so try not to eat with iron-containing foods.