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Macrocytic AnaemiaWhat you need to know:In babies and young children, anaemia must always be treated seriously - and by your GP or paediatrician. Don’t even think of trying to supplement any conventional medical advice by giving them vitamin or mineral drops - you could easily be masking other reasons for this condition or giving them too much iron, which could cause other problems in young children. Your Iron pills may be a safe supplement for you, but to a child they could be fatal. So, like all medicines, keep them in a locked cupboard.For older children and teenagers, however, exhaustion, lethargy, constipation, restlessness, headaches, irritability and lack of concentration - all common symptoms of anaemia - can be treated by dietary changes. Food rich and herbs rich in Iron include:
There are two types of Iron available from food. Haem iron, from animal sources, is much more easily absorbed than non-haem iron, found in plants, which requires far larger intake to give the same benefit. Cooking in traditional cast Iron pots also provides a useful source of Iron and for vegetarians and vegans; a traditional Indian vegetable balti cooked in the proper cast Iron balti dish will give significant amounts of easily absorbed iron. In addition to the herbs mentioned above, the following herbal remedies and supplements can also be helpful:
HomoeopathyThe homoeopathic remedies Ferrum metallicum, Calcarea phosphorica and China may also be beneficial.Other useful advice:There are a number of different causes of anaemia. Blood loss, whether acute or slow but long-term - as from heavy periods, piles, bleeding gums or gastric inflammation - is a common factor. It may also be caused by excessive destruction of red blood cells or insufficient production of red blood cells. By far the most frequent cause, however, is Iron deficiency, which is most likely in babies, teenage girls, pregnant women and both men and women in older age.The major reasons for Iron deficiency are lack of sufficient Iron in the diet, the body’s increased needs for Iron at different times or, frequently, the combination of both. There can be no doubt that the majority of children and teenagers whose diet is predominantly junk food have levels of Iron intake substantially below their real needs. The most valuable single food for many types of anaemia is calves’ liver, but due to intensive farming methods and the widespread use of antibiotics and growth hormones, there’s a significant advantage in choosing organic when possible. Anaemia related to deficiency of vitamin B12 is more likely to be caused by problems of the absorption of this nutrient than a lack of it in the diet, although this should always be considered a possibility in vegetarians and vegans. Deficiency of Folic acid is widespread and since it can’t be stored by the body, regular consumption is vital. Many people fail to get enough in their diet, but there are also factors which interfere with its absorption - excessive alcohol consumption, the contraceptive pill and some anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy as well as chronic bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease, coeliac disease and other conditions leading to chronic diarrhoea. Folic acid should always be taken with vitamin B12 as these two nutrients work best together. Before consulting any complementary practitioner about an anaemia problem it’s essential to have a thorough conventional blood examination to determine the exact form of the condition. The best complementary treatment is dietary advice from a qualified naturopath. |
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