ANEMIA

Anemia also spelled anæmia, (meaning lack of blood) is a decrease in the normal number of red blood cells (RBCs) or low level of hemoglobin in the blood. Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood. There are some 400 types of anemia, produced by a variety of underlying causes.

Because hemoglobin inside the RBCs normally carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues, anemia leads to hypoxia (lack of oxygen) in organs. Since all human cells depend on oxygen for survival, varying degrees of anemia can have a wide range of symptoms.

The three main classes of anemia include excessive blood loss such as a hemorrhage, excessive blood cell destruction and deficient red blood cell production.

Anemia goes undiagnosed in many people, and symptoms can be minor or vague. The signs and symptoms can be related to the anemia itself, or the underlying cause.

Most commonly, people with anemia report a feeling of weakness, or fatigue and poor concentration. They may also report shortness of breath on exertion. In very severe anemia, the body may compensate for the lack of oxygen by increasing cardiac output. The patient may have symptoms such as palpitations, angina and symptoms of heart failure.

Symptoms may include:

Chest pain Dizziness or light-headedness (especially when standing up or with activity) Shortness of breath (especially during exercise) Fatigue or lack of energy Problems thinking or concentrating Headaches Constipation Tingling Pale skin Jaundice Rapid heart rate Heart murmur Bone deformities Leg ulcers

In severe anemia, there may be signs of Pica, which is the consumption of non-food based items such as dirt, paper, wax, grass, ice, and hair. This may in turn be a symptom of iron deficiency, although it often occurs in those who have normal levels of hemoglobin.

Chronic anemia may result in behavioral disturbances in children as a direct result of impaired neurological development in infants, and reduced scholastic performance in children of school age.

Restless legs syndrome is more common in those with iron-deficiency anemia.

Less common symptoms may include swelling of the legs or arms, chronic heartburn, vague bruises, vomiting, increased sweating, and blood in stool.

Some of the common causes of anemia are a deficiency of the water-soluble vitamins B12 and folate, and or a deficiency of iron.

While many parts of the body help make red blood cells, most of the work is done in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue in the center of bones that helps form blood cells.

Kidney disease includes conditions that decrease their ability to remove toxins and keep you healthy. Wastes can build up to high levels in your blood, causing the overgrowth of bacteria and if not treated, can cause anemia. Persons with anemia should consider strengthening the kidneys.

A hormone called erythropoietin made in your kidneys, signals your bone marrow to make more red blood cells. Healthy red blood cells live between 90 and 120 days.

Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein inside red blood cells. It gives red blood cells their red color. People with anemia do not have enough hemoglobin.

Possible causes of anemia include:

Certain medications Chronic diseases such as cancer, ulcerative colitis, or rheumatoid arthritis Some forms of anemia, such as thalassemia, can be inherited Kidney failure Blood loss (for example, from heavy menstrual periods or stomach ulcers) Poor diet Pregnancy Problems with bone marrow such as lymphoma, leukemia, or multiple myeloma Immune problems that cause the destruction of blood cells (hemolytic anemia) Surgery to the stomach or intestines reducing the absorption of iron, vitamin B12 and folate (folic acid) Underactive thyroid - too little thyroid hormone Testosterone deficiency

Severe anemia can cause low oxygen levels in vital organs such as the heart, and can lead to a heart attack.

Treatment should be directed at the cause of the anemia, and may include:

Blood transfusions

Supplements of iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, or other vitamins and minerals found in Fulvia, Affinity, Elixir Blast and Aerobia

Fresh raw organic spinach is a good source of iron. Green vegetables, asparagus, bananas, melons and lemons are good sources of folate. (If you eat spinach, it must be organic and you must eat it raw. Spinach contains oxalate which binds with iron and calcium, removing them from your body)

The therapeutic importance of Sodium Chloride (salt) is also well known. Plouvier (1847) successfully employed salt in the treatment of toxemia, iron deficiency and anemia. (See Salt)

Some fairly compelling evidence supporting the destructive effects of microwaves comes from a highly cited study by a Swiss food scientist named Hans Hertel. Dr. Hertel was the first scientist to study the effects of microwaved foods on the blood and physiology of human beings.

His small study, coauthored by Dr. Bernard Blanc of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the University Institute for Biochemistry, revealed the degenerative forces produced by microwave ovens on the foods they cooked.

Dr. Hertel concluded that microwave cooking changed the nutrients in the food, and that changes took place in the blood that could cause negative health effects, including decreased hemoglobin levels, which could indicate anemia.

Eating food heated in a microwave should be avoided.