It is currently estimated that 1.62 billion people globally and 3 million American’s are currently anemic. Could you be one of them?

The most common telltale signs of anemia are feeling tired and run down. While its normal for all of us to wear out once in a while due to life and stress, if you feel fatigued all the time, it could be more than just life getting to you.

Along with exhaustion, you may also notice your skin is more pale than usual, your heart beats faster or irregularly, you may experience shortness of breath, even lightheadedness, chest pain, and even headaches.

What is Anemia and how to do become anemic?

While more than 400 types of anemia have been identified all have the same basic denominator. Anemia occurs when there is a decreased number of red blood cells circulating. It is often a result of other diseases that are interfering with the ability to produce good healthy red blood cells.

Your body needs red blood cells for survival. The red cells carry hemoglobin (a protein containing iron and oxygen from the lungs to the whole of the body.

Anemia can be caused by a loss of blood. This can happen due to trauma, surgery, childbirth, menstruation, or a rupture in a blood vessel such as an ulcer or hemorrhoid.

Anemia can also be caused by faulty red blood cell production. If you have a disease that affects your bone marrow it disrupts the normal production of red blood cells. Additionally, Sickle cell anemia causes red blood cells to be shaped oddly causing them to get stuck and cause pain. Vitamin deficiency of B12 and Folate cause low red blood cell production.

Anemia caused by red blood cells being destroyed. Interestingly blood cells only have a life of 120 days. They don’t always last that long when someone is ill. Autoimmune diseases cause the body to attack itself mistakenly thinking the cells are intruders. It can also occur during infections, a course of antibiotics, spider bite, or snake bites, liver disease, severe hypertension, clotting disorders, and spleen enlargement problems.

If you are found be anemic, then what?

Though the exact treatment regimen depends on the type of anemia you have some possible answers include:

Supplementing with iron

B12 shots

Blood transfusions

Bone marrow transplants

Certain medications

Diet may also play a role in healing

An iron-rich diet can help. Eat foods such as fish, eggs, dried fruits like Apricots, dates, prunes, and raisins, nuts, seeds, beans, dark leafy greens, and iron-fortified bread and cereals.

Many types of anemia can be healed. If you feel tired or weak its a good idea to check with your cardiologist or general practitioner and have a CBC (complete blood count) blood test done.

Give Tampa Cardiovascular Associates a call today at (813) 975-2800 or visit www.tampacarido.com to learn more about the heart and your health.