Tips To Keep Your Iron Levels Up When You’re Anemic
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to lessen the symptoms of heavy periods and anemia. One of the easiest ways to keep your hemoglobin levels up is by eating iron-rich foods. Some of the best sources of dietary iron include:
- Red meat
- Beans
- Dark, leafy greens.
Avoid caffeine immediately after your meals, since this substance can decrease iron absorption. Vitamin C, on the other hand, can make it easier for your digestive system to absorb iron. Try drinking some orange juice or eating some strawberries after your meals!
If youre anemic or suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding, your doctor could also prescribe iron supplements. Dont self-medicate with iron supplements when used inappropriately, they can cause constipation and even liver damage.
You can also use a period tracker like Flo to determine your cycles, spot any irregular bleeding, and keep an easy record of your menstruation. This information can be very useful to your doctor.
Heavy periods can cause many unpleasant symptoms, which is why its so important to discuss them with your doctor. Listen to your body and dont ignore symptoms like excessive bleeding and fatigue. With proper treatment, youll be able to control your periods and anemia, and go back to your usual routine in no time!
How Can I Prevent Iron
You can help prevent iron-deficiency anemia with the following steps:
- Treat the cause of blood loss. Talk to your doctor if you have heavy menstrual periods or if you have digestive system problems, such as frequent diarrhea or blood in your stool.
- Eat foods with iron. Good sources of iron include lean meat and chicken, dark, leafy vegetables, and beans.
- Eat and drink foods that help your body absorb iron, like orange juice, strawberries, broccoli, or other fruits and vegetables with vitamin C.
- Make healthy food choices. Most people who make healthy, balanced food choices get the iron and vitamins their bodies need from the foods they eat.
- Avoid drinking coffee or tea with meals. These drinks make it harder for your body to absorb iron.
- Talk to your doctor if you take calcium pills. Calcium can make it harder for your body to absorb iron. If you have a hard time getting enough iron, talk to your doctor about the best way to also get enough calcium.
Can Having Your Period Influence Blood Test Results Can Having Your Period Influence Blood Test Results
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How Much Blood Do U Bleed On Your Period
Most women will lose less than 16 teaspoons of blood during their period, with the average being around 6 to 8 teaspoons. Heavy menstrual bleeding is defined as losing 80ml or more in each period, having periods that last longer than 7 days, or both. But its not usually necessary to measure blood loss.
Dry And Damaged Hair And Skin
Dry and damaged skin and hair can be signs of iron deficiency .
Iron deficiency lowers the level of hemoglobin in the blood, which may reduce the amount of oxygen available to cells that cause hair growth .
When skin and hair are deprived of oxygen, they can become dry and weak.
Iron deficiency is also associated with hair loss, and some research suggests it could be a cause (
20 ).
Restless legs syndrome is a strong urge to move your legs while theyre at rest. It can also cause unpleasant and strange crawling or itchy sensations in your feet and legs.
Its usually worse at night, meaning that you may find it difficult to sleep.
The causes of restless legs syndrome are not fully understood.
However, around 25% of people with iron deficiency anemia have restless legs syndrome. The prevalence of restless legs syndrome is nine times higher in people with iron deficiency compared to the general population .
Summary
People with iron deficiency anemia have a higher chance of experiencing restless legs syndrome, which is a strong urge to move the legs when at rest.
The main aim of treatment is to restore hemoglobin levels to normal and replenish iron stores.
Your doctor will develop a treatment plan that best meets your healthcare needs.
Before changing your diet or deciding on any supplements, talk with your doctor.
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What Else Can Cause Anemia
There are several different types of anemia, and each can have different causes. Some of the most common causes are:
- Low iron intake. Not getting enough iron in your diet can lead to anemia. Iron deficiency anemia can also develop if your body doesnt absorb iron properly, which can happen with certain conditions, such as Crohns disease.
Can Anemia Cause Two Periods In One Month
People with a family history of early onset menopause or uterine fibroids may be more prone to having two periods in one month. One of the complications of having frequent vaginal bleeding is anemia, which is an iron deficiency thats common among women. Some of the signs and symptoms of anemia include: Fatigue.
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First: What Is Anemia
Anemia is the reduction in red blood cells or hemoglobin within the body . Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein within your red blood cells. Hemoglobin binds and transports oxygen molecules to the cells of your body. With fewer red blood cells, your body cannot receive enough oxygen and function optimally.
What Happens If Hub Goes Undiagnosed
While some women may view HUB as nothing more than an inconvenience, it’s still important to bring up your symptoms with a health care provider. Sometimes HUB is caused by hormone imbalance or growths in the uterus such as fibroids, which might require treatment.
“Fibroids are very common. Between 50 percent and 70 percent of women have them. And of that group of women with fibroids, up to a third may have a type of fibroid called a submucosal fibroid that causes heavy bleeding,” said Duke.
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What To Do About Heavy Periods
Getting a diagnosis is the first step to finding relief from period-related anemia and other symptoms. Dr. McDonald and Dr. Wilson are experts in identifying common causes of abnormal bleeding.
Hormonal birth control is often a good option for women who want to have children in the future. These birth control options can regulate your menstrual cycle and reduce or even eliminate menstrual flow.
For women who dont want to have children, there are other options. Endometrial ablation is a common treatment for endometriosis, and a hysterectomy is another permanent option to eliminate menstrual bleeding.
If your period is getting in the way of your health and happiness, visit us at OB/GYN Specialists. Were here to help you understand the cause and potential complications of your heavy periods. Call our Denton, Texas, office today at 940-202-0566 for your first appointment, or send the team a message here on our website.
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Anemia Signs And Symptoms
People who are anemic most often experience fatigue. While its normal to feel tired after a long day at work or a heavy exercise session, when you’re anemic, you feel weary after shorter and shorter periods of exertion as your body’s cells become starved for oxygen.
As anemia worsens, your body can experience visible physical changes your skin could become pale, your nails brittle and cuts may take longer to stop bleeding.
- Inability to concentrate or think clearly
- Chest pain
- Sexual dysfunction
These symptoms are likely to be very light at first, especially if you have mild or moderate anemia. Our bodies are very adaptable, and will try to compensate for the loss of oxygen in the blood. As anemia advances, your body will be less able to adapt and the symptoms will become more obvious.
You should see your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms. However, anemia is often discovered while investigating another illness, since early-stage anemia often involves few or no symptoms.
A diagnosis of anemia usually involves:
- A Complete blood count , a blood test that measures all the different components of your blood.
- A medical and family history that can indicate whether you’ve become anemic due to illness or a genetic condition.
- A physical exam that can tell whether your breathing or heartbeat has become irregular due to anemia.
- Other blood tests that will check for iron or vitamin deficiencies and look more closely at your red blood cells and hemoglobin.
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I Am A Vegetarian How Can I Make Sure I Get Enough Iron
You can help make sure you get enough iron by choosing foods that contain iron more often. Vegetarians need more iron from food than people who eat meat. This is because the body can absorb iron from meat better than from plant-based foods.
Vegetarian sources of iron include:8
- Cereals and bread with added iron
- Lentils and beans
- Chickpeas
- Canned tomatoes
Talk to your doctor or nurse about whether you get enough iron. Most people get enough iron from food.
How Do I Know If Im Losing Too Much Blood During My Period
The most obvious sign that youre losing too much blood during your periods is simple, really — if your menstrual flow is heavier than normal, this could indicate that somethings wrong.
35-50 ml is the average amount of blood lost in a menstrual period. When the amount is over 80 ml 1744-4667SubspecialitiesSexualandReproductiveHealth” rel=”nofollow”> 10% of women experience) this is classified as heavy menstrual bleeding — otherwise known as menorrhagia.
Symptoms of menorrhagia to watch out for include:
- Bleeding for more than a week
- Blood clots that are bigger than a quarter piece
- Having to limit activities due to heavy menstrual flow
- Menstrual flow is only controlled by using double sanitary protection
- Regularly having to wake in the night to change tampon or pad
- Tampons or pads getting soaked through every hour
- Weakness, tiredness, or shortness of breath
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How Common Is Anemia
Anemia affects more than two billion people globally, which is more than 30% of the total population. It is especially common in countries with few resources, but it also affects many people in the industrialized world. Within the U.S., anemia is the most common blood condition. An estimated three million Americans have the disorder.
How Do I Manage Anemia
While some types of anemia are short-term and mild, others can last throughout a lifetime. There are several ways to help manage anemia, including:
- Following a healthy diet.
- Drinking enough water to stay hydrated.
- Exercising regularly. However, if you have been weak, you should begin exercising cautiously. Check with your healthcare provider about ways to exercise safely.
- Avoiding exposure to chemicals that set off anemia.
- Washing your hands often to avoid infection.
- Taking good care of your teeth and going to the dentist regularly.
- Talking to your doctor about any changing symptoms.
- Keeping track of your symptoms by writing them down.
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Anemia Due To Blood Loss
Women who suffer from heavy menstrual periods are more prone to forms of anemia where red blood cells are lost to bleeding. Women with anemia due to blood loss may be left feeling tired, weak, and possibly even out of breath. One sign your period is abnormally heavy is if youre going through a tampon or pad every hour for a few consecutive hours. Other signs include passing large blood clots and bleeding for more than seven days in a row. If youre experiencing any of these situations, you should speak with your doctor about getting tested for anemia.
What To Do For Anemia
Iron is an essential mineral. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the bodys tissues. Hemoglobin contains almost two-thirds of the iron level in your body. Becoming deficient in iron will cause anemia.
Iron absorption refers to the amount of dietary iron that the body obtains from food. Healthy adults absorb about 15% of the iron in their diet, but actual absorption is influenced by the bodys iron stores, the type of iron in the diet, and by other dietary factors that either help or hinder iron absorption.
It is most important to include foods that enhance iron absorption when total daily iron intake is insufficient, when iron losses are exceptionally high, or when no iron is usually consumed.
Foods: Include in your diet apples, apricots, asparagus, banana, broccoli, egg yolks, kelp, leafy green, okra, parsley, peas, plums, prunes, purpose grapes, raisins, rice brand, squash, turnip greens, whole grains and yams. Also eat foods high in vitamin C to enhance iron absorption. Eat food high in oxalic acid in moderation only or eliminate them as oxalic acid interferes with iron absorption. Foods high in oxalic acid include almonds, cashews, chocolate, cocoa, kale, rhubarb, soda, sorrel, spinach, Swiss chard, and most nuts and beans. Avoid: beer, candy bars, dairy products, ice cream, and soft drinks. They interfere with iron absorption as does coffee and tea. Avoid smoking.
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How Is Iron Deficiency Treated
The best way to treat iron deficiency is to increase iron intake through your diet. If you have a problem absorbing iron or you cant meet the recommended daily intake from food, your doctor may prescribe iron supplements to build up your iron levels quickly. If your iron deficiency is caused by heavy periods, your doctor may give you hormonal birth control pills to manage excessive bleeding.
Recommended daily iron intake:8
- Teen girls 15 mg
- Adult women 18 mg
- Pregnant women 27 mg
- Breastfeeding women 9 mg
Its recommended to eat a variety of foods to replenish your iron stores. Foods that are rich in iron include lean meat, seafood, poultry, nuts, beans, and iron-fortified bread and cereals. Eating food high in vitamin C, such as tomatoes, strawberries, and citrus fruits, will help your body absorb more iron.
If you are experiencing symptoms of iron deficiency such as fatigue, weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath or dizziness, make sure to check in with your healthcare provider, as they can recommend treatment options for you.