Do you lack iron? Natural tips to overcome anemia

Muscular fatigue, pale skin and mucous membranes, racing heart, withdrawal of the period… are some of the anemia symptomsa decrease in the volume and number of red blood cells.

The most common anemias are caused by iron, folic acid or vitamin B12 deficiencies. The treatment could be as simple – or complicated, depending on how you look at it – as giving a pill or injection with what is missing (and in fact it is often done, with the administration of oral iron, or parenteral B12 in case of pernicious anemia ).

But there is also another treatment that consists of look for the whys.

What’s wrong? We are lacking in something that abounds in the environment that surrounds us. Iron salts, B12 from bacteria, folic acid from green leaves, they are all close to us, but do we have a good relationship with them? do we assimilate them well?

Essential nutrients to avoid anemia

He iron deficiency It is the most common cause of anemia. It is important to check not only if we take enough iron with food, but also to rule out problems that affect your absorption (such as achlorhydria or celiac disease) or that increase the blood loss (whether due to heavy rule or gastrointestinal bleeding).

In the absorption of non-heme iron phytates (such as those from bran) and phenols that form compounds with iron (they are found in tea, coffee, cocoa or red wine) can interfere. Calcium also interferes, but being an essential mineral it is best to simply separate the consumption of foods rich in iron and foods rich in calcium.

The b12 vitamin it may be missing if intake is reduced or due to malabsorption. This vitamin is synthesized by certain bacteria and is found mainly in products of animal origin, which is why supplementation with B12 is usually recommended in vegetable diets, although there are theories that sustain that vegetables with bacterial contamination could provide it.

The hepatic reserves of folic acid they last 3 to 4 months, unlike vitamin B12, which takes three to six years to run out. The diet must provide enough quantity. This vitamin is abundant in green leaves, hence its name, but there are other foods rich in folic acid.

Foods to increase your iron stores

Give yourself time. Anemia entails convalescence, it is necessary to recover little by little and do it well. To achieve this, act on food and benefit from contact with nature. There are foods especially indicated against anemia, but you can follow these general tips:

Enrich your dishes with iron and folic acid. Include plenty of iron-rich foods (legumes, millet, wheat germ, apple juice…) and folic acid (green leaves).When dressing. Garnish with aromatic plants and uses unrefined salt.Lose your fear of the nettle. nettle (urtica dioica), rich in iron, can be used against anemia in soups, infusions or salads.Don’t forget the vitamin C. Combine vegetables that provide iron with others rich in vitamin C. It is the nutrient that most favors the absorption of non-heme iron, the one present in vegetables.Take care of your intestinal flora. A healthy microbiota improves the absorption of nutrients such as vitamin B12: take fiber and fermented. Also avoid intestinal fermentation (eg with toast or cabbage juice).Add cereal to your soups and broths. When you prepare your broths, add whole grains (wheat, corn, barley, oats) or prepare vegetable creams with crushed whole wheat: the minerals pass into the water and are better assimilated.

In addition to taking care of what you eat, you must help the body to assimilate it well. That is why it is also important to take care of digestions. you can do it with this hydrotherapy exercise:

Restores normal bowel temperature rubbing the belly with cold water after eating to warm it up, without making it cold. Take care that the feet are warm.

Contact with nature to increase red blood cells

Get in touch with nature, take walks in the countryside and do exercise. The movement produces percussions on the bones that stimulate the marrow and the red blood cell production.

The sunbaths on the vertebral column cause a thermal reaction that also acts on the medulla. Protect your head and avoid midday.

climb the mountain is also highly recommended. Heights above 1,500 m favor the formation of red blood cells, since oxygen is reduced.

The hydrotherapy proposes giving yourself small stimuli with water that tone up all levels. Rub your whole body with a cold wet towel or take a daily walk barefoot in cool water for about 4-5 minutes. In both cases, dry yourself and cover yourself right away. Don’t be cold.