Understanding How to Prevent Anemia with Raw Foods

Many of us complain of being ‘anemic’ when we simply feel excessively tired and lethargic but in fact we are almost certainly not actually anemic. Instead we probably just need to get out and exercise to get the blood pumping oxygen around our body. In fact, those most likely to suffer from anemia are pubescent girls growing rapidly and starting their periods as well as pregnant women. In both cases the body needs extra supplies of iron which it isn’t getting.

What is Anemia?

Anemia is a condition that occurs when you have an especially low red blood cell count. It is these that take the oxygen around the body. When the count is low, the blood can’t supply the vital organs and tissues with oxygen which means your lungs and heart have to work harder to get oxygen into the blood. One of the first signs of anemia will be difficulty in breathing.

What Causes Anemia?

Anemia is usually the result of insufficient iron in the diet, which the red blood cells need to do their job. Signs that you might need more iron in your diet are tiredness and shortness of breath. Friends and family may comment that you look pale and flush easily, signs of poor circulation. You may also feel more moody and irritable than usual as well. There are several reasons for the iron deficiency.

Prolonged use of anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen and aspirin can sometimes result in bleeding in the stomach, depleting reserves of iron. Other causes of stomach bleeding can be heavy periods and pregnancy. You could have an iron deficiency simply because your diet is low in iron as can be the case with vegans or indeed heavy tea drinkers because tea prevents the absorption of iron from plant sources. Drink orange juice instead, the vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from the diet.

Lifestyle Changes you Should Think about to Help Anemia

As anemia is often linked to diet, changing the diet is going to be the most effective solution. Lifestyle changes you might like to consider though would be to start the day with breakfast if you currently skip it because bran cereals are an excellent source of iron. Snack during the morning on nuts and raisins and then have a whole meal sandwich at lunchtime accompanied by orange juice. In the afternoon, snack on liqorice sweets or twiglets and then eat a normal evening meal but add some herbs and spices if you can because thyme and curry powder are top iron rich ingredients.

Raw Foods to Keep in Stock

As a raw foodie you will undoubtedly be aware that your diet is already rich in iron. The following are the best sources:

* Vegetables – green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, green cabbage, spinach, kale and watercress

* Fruit

o Oranges

o Grapefruit

o Guavas

o Paw paw

o Kiwi

* Dried fruits

o Apricots

o Prunes

o Raisins

* Nuts

* Salad vegetables contain vitamin C and help the body to absorb iron

o Tomatoes

So if you have teenage girls in your family, encourage them to have a big breakfast and give them a pot of nuts and raisins to snack on at school. This is probably good advice for us all because the benefits of having a good supply of iron in the body is that more oxygen will pump round your body enabling you to exercise for longer which is a good way to prevent illness and keep your body healthy.

To your health,
Omid

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