Recently, a former boot camper came to me with a solution to a problem she had been having. For quite some time she had often been sick, and usually felt tired. A trooper still to wake up early mornings and attend boot camp in Ramsey at 6am. To combat the sickness, she used to try and clean everything as best as possible, dress warmly, and eat well. Some good ideas right?
However it wasn’t working and she was still sick frequently. It was really becoming quite an irritation and pain in the you know what. Finally she went to the doctor and had some blood work done. The result, she was anemic.
So what exactly is anemia?
According to WebMD, “Anemia is a condition that develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells.” So what exactly do these red blood cells do? Well they carry oxygen throughout your body to the various organs to put it simply. Now if you don’t have as many red blood cells as you should, you can’t supply your body’s organs with the amount of oxygen they need. This causes fatigue and sickness due to over-stressed organs.
Now this is very important, as women have a greater chance of becoming anemic because of the following:
- Anemia caused by blood loss
- Women in the childbearing years are particularly susceptible to a form of anemia called iron-deficiency anemia because of the blood loss from menstruation and the increased blood supply demands during pregnancy
- Menstruation and childbirth in women, especially if menstrual bleeding is excessive and if there are multiple pregnancies
When most people think of anemia, they usually think of iron deficiencies. However there are many forms of anemia. If you have a serious kind of anemia, such as sickle cell, than you’re probably aware and under doctors care. However, for the average person what can you do to protect yourself?
An iron supplement is your best choice, and easiest for at home use. An iron supplement that contains the ferrous form of iron makes for better absorption. Time released capsules are not optimal because their absorption rate will be much lower.
Iron supplements — like all supplements and any medication — should be kept out of the reach of children. Iron poisoning is the most common cause of accidental poisoning in young children. Eating even a few tablets can prove fatal in a matter of hours. Symptoms of poisoning in a child include dizziness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Seek medical help immediately.
So if you’re sick or fatigued frequently, than it could be your body trying to tell you something. Get yourself tested for anemia if possible. As always continue to eat healthy and exercise regularly. That’s really your best form of medicine.
