Read out the blog to get the insights about haemoglobin, and the possible home remedies to increase the haemoglobin levels a with foods like veggies and fruits.
In today's time, we often lead a stressful, hectic, and sedentary lifestyle which leads to various health related problems. Most of the people, generally females, often suffer with decreased levels of haemoglobin in their blood. The condition when the levels of haemoglobin are low is known as being anaemic. One of the most prevalent and main health related problems in India is amenia. According to the 2017 Global Nutrition Report, for India, especially in women more than 51% of women of reproductive age (between the age of 15 and 49), were found to be anaemic. Normal haemoglobin vary according to age, gender, and underlying disease. Generally, the female gender has much lower levels of haemoglobin than males of a similar age. The government has resolved to implement specific plans to eradicate anaemia in India in reaction to this.
How Does Haemoglobin in Our Body Work?
Red blood cells or the RBC’s function as the carrier of oxygen, they transport the oxygen from the lungs to different body parts or body's cells. Haemoglobin is constitutionally a protein that is present in the RBCs. The RBC’s are in charge of the oxygen transporting mechanism that in turn makes sure that the bio-cells live and function in harmony and properly. Oxygen carrying is not the only function of the RBC but, as it carries oxygen from the lungs to the body parts, it also carries the waste product, or carbon dioxide produced from the cells to the lungs back so that it is exhaled from the body. The studies have shown that the haemoglobin enables the transport of 97% of the oxygen from the lungs to the blood, whereas the 3% oxygen remained, stays in a dissolved form, is transported by the plasma. Haemoglobin stands as an important protein which is of utmost important in aqa good overall health maintenance. The question arises, how to maintain haemoglobin levels? And How to increase blood in body?
How Much Haemoglobin Is Needed By An Adult Human?
Haemoglobin levels differ acording to gender, age and other factors.
- The normal range of haemoglobin that men should ranges between 13.5 and 17.5 grams per deciliter
- The normal range of haemoglobin that women should have ranges between 12.0 and 15.5 grams per deciliter.
What is Low Haemoglobin?
The decline in the levels of haemoglobin causes the organs of our body to suffer as due to decreased levels of HB in blood, they do not receive enough amounts of oxygen, which will in turn cause the surge of certain symptoms including weary or woozy feeling, having headaches, tachycardia, shortness of breath, skin gets pale, etc. Due to the low level of HB in blood, a condition known as anemia can occur.
A haemoglobin level of less than 13.5 grams per deciliter is considered as low levels for men and the levels less than 12 grams per deciliter for women are considered as low levels.
- A low haemoglobin level in adult women ranges should be below the normal levels i.e. 12 and 16 g/dL of haemoglobin,
- In an adult men the low levels of hemoglibin should ramge below the normal levels i.e. 14 and 18 g/dL.
These low levels of haemoglobin suggest that you have anaemia. To get diagnosed of anemia and to know the levels of haemoglobin you need to get a blood test or Complete Blood Count (CBC) Test. Low haemoglobin levels can occur due to many conditions and factors which might include:
- Pregnancy
- Urinary tract infections
- Anemias, especially iron deficiency anemia
- Issues or disorders of the liver
Additionally, when some people have no symptoms of anemia despite showing low levels of hemoglobin in their blood test, they are cosidered to have natural low levels of haemoglobin counts with no apparent reason.
What Are the Symptoms of Low Haemoglobin?
Generally, moderate levels of drop in the levels of haemoglobin levels does not bring in any significant symptoms, and, this is why the individual does not need to seek any medical attention. A dangerously low levels of haemoglobin brings its peculiar symptoms. These peculiar symptoms your doctor or the practitioner to diagnose the underlying reason for low HB. below mentioned are some of the main symptom and signs of low the haemoglobin levels:
- Feeling of general weakness
- Exhaustion throughout the day
- Difficulty in breathing
- Experiencing dizziness frequently
- Getting nausea often
- A quick heartbeat (Tachycardia)
- Headache
- Pale skin colour
- Weak nails
- Blood clotting does not happen
- You get bruised effortlessly
- Discomfort in joints
- Brittle bones
- Not feeling hungry
- Soreness in tongue
- Not able to concentrate or pay attention
You should try to take appropriate measures so as to increase the levels of haemoglobin. Your diet plays a very important role in influencing and maintaining an adequate haemoglobin levels, it a;so helps in appropriate synthesis of the haemoglobin.
Top Haemoglobin Foods That Help You Increase Your Haemoglobin Levels
You should include meals that contain plenty of high in iron and high in other vital nutrients like vitamin C, folic acid, and other nutrition so as to ensure the blood platelets are in right amounts. Increasing haemoglobin in a week is a little difficult, but, below is the list of haemoglobin foods that help increase haemoglobin levels.
Green Leafy Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables including mustard greens, Spinach, celery, and broccoli are a good vegan sources of iron and can be used to increase haemoglobin levels naturally. You should try to consume cooked form of spinach as the raw form of spinach contains oxalic acid, which can inhibit the body to absorb nascent iron. For increasing your haemoglobin levels naturally, you should include these green leafy vegetable in one of your diets daily or frequently in meals, as these are a rich natural source of vitamin B12, folic acid, and other natural essential elements.
Apart from adding spinach to your daily meals, broccoli as a green vegetable is also a good source that contains vitamin B-complex, vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin C, and other essential minerals including iron and magnesium. In totality, green vegetables are a rich source of nutritional benefits that helps increase haemoglobin, also, it is a good nutritional fiber source and contains fewer calories. This is how these sources can help assist you to improve digestion and weight loss in addition.
Beetroot
Adding beetroots in your diet, as a natural source of nutrition contains minerals like phosphorus, copper, iron, and magnesium. Additionally, they contain vitamins like vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin C. the vegetables can help boost your haemoglobin levels as they contain various nutrients necessary that help promote the regeneration of red blood cells, thereby helping increase the HB levels. You can eat beetroot as a cooked vegetable, uncooked vegetable, or as a salad, another form that you can consume beetroot nutrition is through beet juice, in either form, the necessary nutrition can be grabbed.
Moringa Leaves
The moringa leaves contain a high nutritional value, it is as high that it even surpasses the nutritional value of oranges, carrots, and even milk. Moringa leaves are a great source of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, etc, and contain vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C. Moringa leaves can be consumed in different manners, you can eat it after making a paste of the leaves after chopping it finely. With the paste, you can add a spoon full of jaggery powder to make it taste a little sweeter. You can regularly consume this paste along with your breakfast, it can help increase your haemoglobin levels along with your red blood cell (RBC) count.
Raisins, Dates & Figs
Figs are a type of dry fruit that contains a loads of health benefits. Figs contain rich amounts of magnesium, iron, folate, and vitamin A, and they are natural sources that can help increase your haemoglobin levels. Raisins and Dates are another sufficiently rich source of vitamin C and iron. Eating a handful amount of dry fruits like dried dates, raisins, date etc can help increase the levels of your haemoglobin naturally, additionally they are a rapid source of energy. Drinking fig milk twice a week before bed in the night can also significantly increase the levels of your haemoglobin. You should keep in mind that if you havediseases like diabetes, you need to consume blood increasing fruits in moderation and with the consultation of an expert.
Sesame Seeds
Black sesame seeds can be consumed to increase haemoglobin levels naturally as they are a rich source of copper, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, selenium, vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin E. consuming these natural source can be another great approach that help increase the intake of iron. Soak your black sesame seeds in water for overnight and eat them in the next morning with or without breakfast. You can also consume these in other ways, take a tablespoon of black sesame seeds, dry roast them, then grind the roasted seeds, mix them with a teaspoon of honey, and eat it routinely. This manner can also help increase your direct iron levels. You can also eat your roasted sesame seeds with yogurt, you also add some in your fruit salads, oats meal, and even in cereals.
Tips to Increase Your Haemoglobin Levels
The low levels of haemoglobin can be managed simply with making some straightforward lifestyle adjustments. These adjustments include eating haemoglobin increasing food, which is basically a balanced diet, along with including an exercise regimen. In certain circumstances, some iron supplements and drugs might be required. Some recommendations to increase blood at home are discussed below-
Fruits That Increase Haemoglobin Levels
Some Fruits, including apples, apricots, grapes, pomegranates, bananas, papaya, watermelon, and oranges are a great natural source to help increase blood levels in the body. Apples are a great choice that contain the highest iron content, which makes them a delicious and ideal choice that help raise the haemoglobin levels in your body. Pomegranates are als a great source of calcium, Iron, protein, and fibrer. It has a high nutritional value that makes it an ideal option for the individuals having low levels of haemoglobin. You can consume these fruits by adding them to your cereal diet or your oatmeal diet. They can help boost your haemoglobin levels. You can even add these to your salads for getting the touch of sweetness, or you can consume them as a form of milkshakes, fruit juices, or smoothies. These fruits can also be named blood fruits as they are natural rich sources of iron. The blood fruits might include beets, mulberries, peaches, lychees, guavas, kiwis, apricots, and strawberries.
Consume More Iron-Rich Foods
Foods that contain high amounts of iron that include chicken liver, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, meat, green peas, fenugreek, beans, shellfish, cauliflower, ground beef,, and tomatoes. You can help keep your haemoglobin levels in a normal range by including a lot of legumes in your diet (these legumes can be chickpeas, soy, red kidney beans, lentils, black beans, fava beans, and black-eyed peas). Some other rich sources that contain iron might include foods like wheat germ, dates, almonds, indian gooseberry, sprouts, herbs (including the nettle leaves, or the colocasia leaves), sesame seeds, brown rice, and whole grains in your regular diet.
Consume Food That Are Cooked in the Iron Utensils
Consuming food that are prepared in the iron cookware are a great source of iron. This is so because, these utensils contain iron which gets leached into the food that is prepared in the utensil, therefore, these foods are more potent and beneficial for the patient who has a low level of haemoglobin.
Vitamin C Rich Foods Can Prove to Be Your Good Friends
Apart from consuming foods that are high in iron, most people still need to take other supplements as the struggle to keep their haemoglobin levels in a normal range fails. The body can not absorb free iron from the diet, which is responsible for still low levels of hemoglobin. This is why you are suggested to add Vitamin C in your diet. It is advised as vitamin C can facilitate the absorption of free iron from the diet into your body. Consuming vitamin C in high amounts from your diet can help improve your body’s iron absorbing process. You will be advised to consume more amounts of berries, gooseberries, strawberries, oranges, limes, lemons, sweet peppers, grapefruits, tomatoes, and other citrus fruits as they are rich sources of vitamin C. You should instead make it your habit to eat these natural sources of vitamin C regularly in your routine. Dark green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits are great food items that are rich in vitamin C levels.
Increase Your Folic Acid Intake Through the Diet
Folate and A B-complex vitamin are an essential component that helps in the production of red blood cells in adequate manner. Any lack or insufficiency in these components can lower your haemoglobin levels in the blood, it can further raise your risk of gettig affected with anaemia. Food that have rich amounts of Folic acid or the folic-rich diets are hence adviced for those indivviduals who suffer with low levels of haemoglobin. Green leafy vegetables, liver, wheat germ, fortified cereals, peanuts, rice, bananas, broccoli, sprouts, and dried beans are the naturally rich sources containing folic acid. You can always get any over-the-counter (OTC) drug at any time, but still, the value of folic acid as a supplements should only be consumend as indicated by a doctor's. The normal daily intake of the folic acid supplement should range between 200 to 400 mg.
Limit the Intake of Iron Blockers
Reduce the intake of any foods that can act as an iron blocker. Iron blockers usually inhibit your body from absorbing iron adequately, especially if you are already suffering from low levels of haemoglobin level is low. We should all know that the calcium is the main iron blocker that can be consumed. If you already have anemia, or low levels of hemoglobin, the time when you consume your calcium supplements plays a crucial role. You should take your calcium supplements at least an hour before your meal or if have forgotten to take it before, consider it taking them after your iron rich meal so as to prevent your body from absorbing irons. You should also limit the consumption of food that can increase haemoglobin that are rich in phytates, polyphenols, tanning, and oxalic acid. Other inhibiting foods might include coffee, tea, soy products, cocoa, wine, cola, beer, and aerated drinks.
Include a Workout Regimen in Your Daily Routine
The importance of exercising daily can never be neglected for meaning a healthy life and health. Exercise has proved to preserve the overall health in various studies. Exercise can help enhance your blood circulation, a good blood circulation supports the production of haemoglobin which in turn helps maintain the overall fitness and health. Exercises should be done in moderation, you can increase the intensity of your workout as per your capability. Studies have shown to raise your levels of haemoglobin in patients who suffer from iron deficiency anaemia especially. Your body starts to produce more amounts of haemoglobin as you exercise, this is so to keep up with the pace of the body's increasing oxygen demand during exercise.
Consult Your Doctor for Any Supplements
Only by consuming a healthy diet can not always help treat your declining levels of haemoglobin counts. You will also require to take some additional treatments or consume certain oral iron supplements. In the cases where the levels of haemoglobin are dangerously low, your doctors might suggest you some additional iron supplements. Usually, Men are suggested to consume 8 mg of daily iron supplements, whereas, for women the recommended dose of iron supplement consumption stays 18 mg for daily. However, the dosage of pregnant women stays high, it can be as high as 27 mg per day. One should try not to take more than 29 mg of iron supplements as their daily out of caution dosage, since consuming such amounts can induce certain unpleasant side effects including constipation, nausea, and vomiting. It can also sometimes result in liver cirrhosis on rare occasions, so you should always speak and consult with your doctor first before starting any iron supplement.
Frequently Asked Questions Related Haemoglobin
What tests are used by medical professionals to identify low haemoglobin?
Haemoglobin is simplymeasued using the traditional blood test. You blood will be drawn from your body which is used for calculating the levels or amounts of haemoglobin present. A medical professionals uses blood tests to diagnose your low levels of haemoglobin. Additionally, another test known as haemoglobin electrophoresis might be performed by your doctor as your haemoglobin analysis test which is done with your red blood cells.
What impacts the longevity of red blood cells?
Your bone keeps producing red blood cells in your body, the bone marrow present in long bones continuously makes the red blood cells. Your bloodstream acts as the residence for your red blood cells for roughly 120 days.
What factors can reduce the life of RBC?
Certain factors are discussed below that can affect the life of your red blood cells-
- Enlarged Spleen (splenomegaly)- Your spleen is the main organ that helps filters your RBC (red blood cells) while they keep circulating throughout your body. Any RBC that is damaged or dead are captured by the spleen network and are in turn eliminated by it from the bloodstream. Your spleen can get enlarged in its size as a resulting from some illnesses. The splenomegaly enhances the accumulation of more red blood cells than usual, which thereby shortens the lifespan of those red blood cells.
- Sickle Cell Disease- In this disease the shape of your RBC is affected due to the affected structure of haemoglobin in your bloodcirculation.
- Thalassemias- This is disorder that interferes with the body’s capacity to form the red blood cells and haemoglobin. blood conditions interfere with your body's capacity to produce red blood cells and haemoglobin.
Conclusion
If a haemoglobin blood test shows declined levels of your haemoglobin than the usual levels, this is considered that you have fewer red blood cells your body is not doing the vital job of transporting oxygen. A low levels of haemoglobin might not require immediate concern. There are various factors that can influence your haemoglobin levels. Your healthcare professional will explain you why you are experiencing the symptom, what the symptoms signify, and how you can handle if your test results show low haemoglobin levels.
