15 Most Effective Home Remedies for Anemia
Anemia is a decrease in your blood cell count, and/or decreased hemoglobin content in the blood. Since red blood cells are the ones responsible, for carrying oxygen to the cells via the hemoglobin, a lower amount, would mean low oxygen in all your body’s tissues, and if you are pregnant your baby gets less oxygen as well. Anemia can be caused by blood loss, which means that not enough red cells are being produced, or that too many red cells are being killed off. There are a few groups of people who are at a particularly high risk for anemia and/or iron deficiency due to increased iron needs or inadequate iron stores. Those individuals include: pregnant women, children, women of menstruating age, endurance athletes, and seniors.
Usually, anemia is due to iron deficiency, but also can be caused by not having enough Vitamin B12; B6; Folic acid; and/or copper in your system. During your pregnancy blood counts will be done, that will help to determine what vitamins or nutrients you are lacking; but in some cases more specific test are needed. These might include blood work for Iron; Vitamin B12; Ferritin; Iron binding capacity, and folic acid levels. Just taking Iron it not always the answer, that’s why it’s important to find out the real cause of Anemia from blood test. Anemia has the following symptoms:
• You feel fatigued.
• You feel dizzy.
• You lack vitality.
• You are short of breath.
• Your skin looks white, as well as your gums and around your eyes.
• Cold hands and feet, lack of energy, hair loss and high or low blood pressure.
If you have Anemia at the time of delivery you will be at risk of losing excessive blood thus going into shock. Also your baby may have low amounts of Iron stored for the first month of life. Using home remedies for anemia reduces the risk of delivery complications.
Home Remedies for Anemia
1. Apple: Stick to the citation of “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away". Apple is rich in iron and various other supplements. However, not one but 2-3 apples in a day can fulfil a person’s need of iron for a day.
2. Beetroot
Beetroot is highly beneficial for those who suffer from anemia due to iron deficiency, which is the most common of all types of anemia. It has high iron content, along with fiber, calcium, potassium, sulfur and vitamins.
In addition to providing nutrition, beetroot helps cleanse the body and supply more oxygen throughout the body. This in turn helps increase the body’s red blood cell count.
• Blend one medium-size beetroot, three carrots and one-half of a sweet potato in a juicer. Drink this juice once daily.
• You can also eat beetroots as a cooked vegetable or in a salad. Eat the peel along with the beetroot for maximum nutritional value.
3. Spinach
A diet rich in green leafy vegetables like spinach is one of the best home cures for anemia. Spinach is rich in iron as well as vitamin B12 and folic acid, energy-boosting nutrients that the body needs to recover from anemia.
A one-half cup of spinach provides almost 35 percent of your daily value of iron and 33 percent of your daily value of folic acid.
• Drink spinach soup twice daily. To prepare the soup, take 1 cup of blanched spinach and puree it by adding a little water. Heat 1 teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a pan, sauté some chopped garlic cloves and onion in it until brown. Add the pureed spinach and a little salt and cook on low heat for 5 – 10 minutes.
• Mix two teaspoons of honey in a glass of fresh spinach juice. Drink this once daily.
Follow either of these remedies for at least one month.
4. Lemon
Lemon has a high content of vitamin C. It also contains vitamin B, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. Vitamin C is essential for the growth of cells and for improving body’s resistance against infections. Vitamin C also helps in better absorption of iron that is obtained from food. Adding a few drops of lemon juice to your salad and iron rich food not only enhances the taste but also makes it easily digestible.
5. Carrot
Carrot is a storehouse of vitamin A, E, K, B1 and B6. It also contains magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and biotin. It is especially beneficial for anaemic persons.
Drink 250 grams of carrot juice mixed with 125 grams of spinach juice everyday to improve your haemoglobin level.
6. Honey
Honey is a good remedy for anemia. It helps to increase the haemoglobin level as it contains iron as well as vitamin A, B6, B12, manganese and copper. Honey can be taken with lemon juice and water or with milk. You can use it in salad dressing or as a sweetener for your desserts.
7. Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are also great for treating anemia due to their high iron content. One-fourth cup of sesame seeds provides almost 30 percent of the daily iron requirement.
• Soak two tablespoons of black sesame seeds in water for two to three hours. Strain and make a paste of the soaked seeds. Add one tablespoon of honey and mix well. Have this mixture twice daily.
• Soak one teaspoon of black sesame seeds in warm water for two hours. Grind the mixture into a paste and then strain it to get the emulsion. Mix the emulsion in a cup of warm milk, add honey or jaggery and drink it once daily.
8. Onion
Onion is used in cooking in almost every household. It is a rich source of iron, sulphur, copper and vitamin C. It stimulates blood formation in the body and improves haemoglobin level.
It is most beneficial when it is eaten in the raw form like salad. You can take ½ cup onion juice mixed with 1 tea spoon honey for better results.
9. Dates
Dates are a rich source of iron as well as vitamin C that plays an important role in the body’s absorption of iron. • Soak two dates in a cup of milk overnight. The next morning, eat the dates and drink the milk on an empty stomach. • Alternatively, you can eat some dry dates on an empty stomach in the morning, followed by a cup of warm milk.
10. Figs
Figs are also a great source of iron. 3-4 figs daily can enrich your body with iron. Figs can also be consumed after soaking in water during the night and consuming early in the morning, daily.
11. Tomato Juice: Imbibe the juice of tomato mixed with apple juice, daily, to alleviate anemia.
12. Banana
High in iron, banana stimulates the production of hemoglobin and many other enzymes that are essential for the formation of red blood cells. Also, it is a good source of magnesium that aids in hemoglobin synthesis.
• Eat one ripe banana along with one tablespoon of honey twice daily.
13. Almonds: Soak about 6-7 almonds in water for a night and eat it the next morning, after peeling its skin.
14. Dried Black Currant
Due to its high concentrations of iron and vitamin C, dried black currant has been found to be a very effective treatment for anemia. Vitamin C enhances the body’s ability to absorb the iron, increasing red blood cells and hemoglobin.
• Soak 10 to 12 dried black currants in water overnight.
• The next morning, remove them from the water and remove the seeds.
• Eat them daily before eating your breakfast.
• Follow this remedy for a few weeks.
15. Cold Bath: Take cold water bath twice in a day as it is an effective remedy to treat anemia.
Tips to Prevent Anemia
• Eat foods high iron and vitamins C and B12.
• Cook your food in iron pots to get increased iron content.
• Expose your body to early morning sunlight for 10 minutes daily.
• Include lentils and whole grain cereals in your diet.
• Include more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
• Do not have tea, coffee or cocoa with meals.
• Enjoy a warm water bath mixed with Epsom salt a few times a week.
• Exercise regularly and include some strength training to increase muscle mass and fight fatigue.
Compiled by Manizheh Soleimani Fard
Sources:
homemademedicine.com
findhomeremedy.com
top10homeremedies.com
homeremedyshop.com
Other links:
Spinach, One of the Top 5 Healthy Vegetables for Body (Part 1)
Spinach, One of the Top 5 Healthy Vegetables for Body (Part 2)
Health Benefits of Bananas
