Are you suffering from anemia? You may develop dementia

As a new research reveals that being anemic can increase your risk of developing dementia, here we tell you about some iron rich foods that can increase your haemoglobin levels.

Are you experiencing shortness of breath? Does your skin look pale? If yes, you are probably suffering from anemia. It is a medical condition that occurs due to deficiency of red blood cells in your body. If you have anemia, your likelihood of suffering from dementia is high compared to those who have required level of haemoglobin, says a recent research published in the journal Neurology.

For the study, the scientists enrolled 12,305 people. The average age of this population was 65. Also, nobody among them had dementia. The researchers measured their haemoglobin levels at the start of the study and found that 6 per cent of them (745) were suffering from anaemia. The study team followed these subjects for an average of 12 years. Further, it was found that 1,520 participants developed dementia. Of those, 1,194 had Alzheimer's disease. Among those 745 people with anaemia, 128 developed dementia. According to the scientists, people with anemia are 41 per cent increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and 34 per cent more likely to develop any type of dementia than those who did not have anaemia.

Additionally, scientists divided the participants in 5 groups based on their levels of haemoglobin. They found that the people belonging to the group with highest level was 20 per cent likely to develop dementia compared to the people falling in group with middle levels. Also, those in the lowest group were 29 per cent more likely to develop dementia than those in the middle group.

This clearly means that high levels of haemoglobin can be equally problematic and can contribute to dementia. So, it is significant to keep your haemoglobin level under control.

HOW TO KNOW YOUR CONDITION?

Your red blood cells contain iron-rich protein called haemoglobin. When you inhale, the oxygen attaches to haemoglobin in the blood, which carries it to the tissues in the body. So, when your body is deficient of red blood cells, it means it is short of oxygen and this condition is called anemia. The easiest way to suspect if you have anemia is look for symptoms like weakness, shortness of breath, headaches, pounding in the ears, cold hands and feet, pale yellow skin etc. In case these signs are visible, consult a doctor. He will perform a blood test to confirm the condition. According to the National Health Portal of India, haemoglobin level falling between 12.1 and 15.1 gm/dl is considered as normal. However, in men, the level between 13.8 and 17.2 gm/dl is considered normal.

DIETARY HABITS TO INCREASE HAEMOGLOBIN LEVELS

The best way to rise the level of haemoglobin protein in your blood, is to eat iron-rich foods. Here are few ways in which you can increase your iron intake through food:

Include red meat in your diet: Organ meat in particular, such as liver, is known to be high in iron content. However don't go overboard as too much red meat can increase the risk of colorectal cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Add beans or lentils to soups, stews or casseroles to each meal: In fact, the traditional way of having a lentil broth or bean broth with white or brown rice helps increase iron absorption.

Choose iron-enriched breakfast cereals and flour: Always check the nutritional value on food labels of packaged foods and choose the variants that are high in iron.

Consume dark green vegetables and citrus fruits more often: In fact, the greener the vegetable the more iron you get out of it. Citrus fruits that are rich in Vitamin C help in better iron absorption from foods [5]. So, pair your foods well, replace lettuce with spinach for your salad. Have tomato sauce instead of cream sauce for your pasta.

Snack on dried fruits: Add raisins or other dried fruit to your cereal or in your favourite home-made cookie and muffin.

Replace tea and coffee with orange juice at breakfast: According to a study tea and coffee lower the absorption of non-hemeiron.

Pair iron-rich foods with those abundant in vitamin C: Think of citrus fruits like oranges and other tropical fruits like mangoes and guavas, and vegetables like pepper, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. For interesting combinations, add strawberries to your cereal and have lentil soup with a tomato salad.

Include iron-fortified products: While purchasing your grocery, do check food labels for their iron content. The easiest way is to add iron to your meal is to include an iron fortified salt like Tata Salt Plus which has two micronutrients Iron as well as Iodine and takes care of 50% Daily Iron Requirement of the human body.

Avoid taking calcium and iron supplements together: If you are taking iron supplements, do not take the calcium supplements at the same time because it lowers absorption of iron. Dairy products, coffee, tea, egg proteins and foods high in minerals like zinc and phosphorous can hamper the same.

Take iron supplements if needed: Supplements are especially needed by pregnant women and are usually prescribed along with other prenatal vitamins. If the iron levels in your body are substantially low, eating an iron-rich diet alone may not be enough to provide what you need. Your doctor might prescribe an iron supplement. Consult your doctor before taking over-the-counter iron supplements as all variants might not cater to your specific needs.