Anemia is a condition that occurs when the blood produces fewer than normal numbers of healthy red blood cells. When this happens, the body doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood, explains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This disease can be suffered by anyone, at any time. It is important to pay attention to the symptoms because they can be a warning sign of other serious health conditions such as bleeding in the stomach, cancer, kidney disease, etc.
“Some people are at higher risk of anemia, including women during their menstrual periods and pregnancy. People who don’t get enough iron or certain vitamins and people who take certain medications or treatments are also at higher risk”, explain the CDC.
Medline Pluswebsite of the National Library of Medicine of the United States, points out the symptoms that those who have anemia may present:
- Being weak, feeling tired often.
- Headaches.
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating.
- loss of appetite
- Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.
- Irritability.
When anemia gets worse and is very severe, people may have the following symptoms:
- Blue color in the sclera of the eyes.
- brittle nails
- Desire to eat ice or other non-edible things (pica syndrome).
- Dizziness when standing up.
- Pale skin color.
- Shortness of breath after mild activity, even at rest.
- Sore or swollen tongue.
- mouth ulcers
- Abnormal or heavier menstrual bleeding in women.
- Loss of sexual desire in men.
In this sense, the portal your health revealed that those who suffer from this disease can consume pitaya or dragon fruit, which belongs to the Cactaceae family, which generates several health benefits.
This fruit, according to the portal, It has a high content of iron, an essential mineral to transport oxygen through the body, thus preventing anemia.
Similarly, among its nutrients it has vitamin C, which promotes the absorption of iron at the intestinal level, particularly that which is extracted from fruits and vegetables.
Likewise, if accompanied by a healthy diet, It could help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
This is because it has fiber, which prevents the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine, added to the fact that it contains antioxidants and saponins, which help remove cholesterol in the stool.
types of anemia
- Iron deficiency anemia: it is the most common and occurs because there is not enough iron in the body, which is important for the production of hemoglobin. This type of anemia can be caused by blood loss, as in menstruation, a stomach ulcer, cancer in the large intestine, or prescription painkillers.
- Vitamin deficiency anemia: In addition to iron, folate and vitamin B12 are necessary for the production of red blood cells. “A diet that lacks these and other key nutrients can cause a decrease in the production of red blood cells,” details the entity.
- Anemia of inflammation: Some diseases such as cancer, HIV, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, Crohn’s disease and other acute chronic inflammatory diseases can negatively influence the production of red blood cells.
- aplastic anemia: Some medications, infections, autoimmune diseases, and exposure to toxic substances can cause the body to not make enough red blood cells.
- Anemia related to bone marrow disease: some diseases such as leukemia and myelofibrosis can cause anemia.
- hemolytic anemias: occurs when red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow can replace them.
- Sickle cell anemia: the cause is a defective form of hemoglobin, which forces red blood cells to adopt an abnormal shape.