Anaemia: A Threat in Developing World!
Though obesity haunts as a major disease in the developed world due to high standards of living, still majority of our developing world is struggling to get over the mal-nutrition menace. One of the major and common consequences of mal-nutrition is anaemia. Many women across the globe do not have adequate haemoglobin counts to keep them fit. Well, this does not relate only to eating more or less. Most of the times, it is related to what to eat and what not to.
Anaemia most of the times is not detected as the symptoms are not very eye catching. Patients generally complain of tiredness and fatigue even with the slightest of exercise, lack of concentration and general malaise. Anaemia in severe cases increases cardiac output and can even prompt heart failures. Often pale skin, nail beds and mucosal linings are symptoms of moderate to severe anaemia. Patients often take to consuming non eatables like paper, grass, hair and dirt. However, these are can be taken up by people with normal level of haemoglobin as well. With lack of sufficient red blood cells, the body has to undergo anaerobic metabolism which can result in rigid finger nails, intolerance of cold and disturbed behaviour in children.
Diagnosis is done mainly by taking the red blood cell count from the patient’s blood. In parts of the world where automation has not reached high standards, a microscopic study of the blood smear can also be of help.
Foods rich in iron are not consumed on daily basis. Many people are not aware of the dietary sources rich in iron. They do not know that even vegetarians can avail better haemoglobin counts from vegetable sources. The dates, green leafy vegetables, various fruits are rich sources of iron for veggies. Consuming them in ample amount also adds dietary fibre that is required by the body. Especially this is required to be done by the pregnant ladies all over because they require much more iron supply for foetal well-being.
However, anaemia due to deficiencies in iron in men and post-menstrual women are very uncommon. In case of iron deficiency in such people, gastrointestinal bleeding and chances of colon cancer are to be taken in to consideration. Mild and moderate anaemia can be corrected by supplementing the diet with ferrous gluconate or ferrous sulphate. In severe cases, blood transfusion should be undertaken.
Iron in the form of elemental iron or ferrous salt can be made available for pregnant ladies in the form of easily chewable tablets. This is because while bearing a child, a woman loses about 4 to 100 milligrams of iron and the loss should be made up at all costs for the well being of the baby. Anaemia is very dangerous at times and can even lead to intrauterine fetal growth retardation, post natal complications and high mortality, and even intrauterine fetal death. Just high haemoglobin count is enough to treat all post natal complications and maintain mother’s health. Your pallor can kill your child. Go pink and nurture your child along with you!