When you suffer from anemia, your body tissues are stripped of oxygen because of a reduction in the red blood cells levels flowing in your bloodstream. Actually, anemia has over 400 different types. Some of the common symptoms of this blood condition include a general feeling of malaise (mild anemia); bluish lips and burning tongue (vitamin B12 anemia); confusion; depression; dizziness or faintness (severe anemia); fatigue; loss of memory; balance or movement problems; palm creases; pale gums, eyelid linings and nail beds (strong signs of anemia); yellowish or pasty skin; shortness of breath; slick tongue; tingling in extremities (pernicious anemia); tiredness; and weakness among still many others.
Other telltale signs and symptoms of anemia include lowered appetite; headache; insomnia; erratic heartbeat, and poor concentration. Too much iron in the body can arise from the intake of iron supplements. Symptoms include seizures, vomiting, lethargy, bloody diarrhea, jaundice, and fever.
Chinese Medicine
In Chinese medicine, anemia is known as blood deficiency. It is addressed with herbal treatments and acupuncture in Saratoga Springs. Dang gui (dong quai) has been used for millennia as a blood tonic. Asian ginseng is also a multi-millennial general tonic for fatigue. These two can be combined with astralagus or Chinese foxglove radix for effective treatment.
Acupuncture
A study done in led by Zhou and Zhou dealt with the treatment of anemia using the bu-shen yi-qi principle. In that study, 60 participants all with orthostatic dysregulation were divided randomly into a control group that was treated with vitamins B1 & B6 and oryzanol, and a treatment group given Chinese herbs under bu-shen yi-qi. The herbs used were high in trace elements of zinc and iron (to boost the action of the red blood cells). A month after, the study’s results revealed that 4 subjects of the control group and 16 subjects of the treatment group had significant improvements. Seventy one percent or 43 of the total subjects manifested symptoms of mild anemia. Ante and post treatment, blood was taken to gauge blood values for hyper-chromia, red blood cells, and hemoglobin. Twenty percent in the treatment group showed significant improvements while 17 in the control group remain unchanged.
Chinese Herbal Formulas
Another study done in 1992 led by Zee- Cheng dealt with the use of Shi-quan-da-bu-tang (SQT or 10 significant tonic decoction)in the treatment of anemia. SQT is an herbal formula traditionally used for spleen and kidney insufficiency, general weakness, fatigue, severe exhaustion, anorexia, and, of course, anemia. SQT was used to bring back immunity in patients diagnosed with cancer as well as to quell the toxicity of anticancer treatments, and boost the therapeutic effect of the treatment. The results reported by the researcher based on 8 years of human studies reveal that SQT lowers anemia, among other conditions, by boosting qi (life energy) and tonifying the blood.
Another study conducted in 1993 by Chen, He, and Su focused on an herbal preparation called Man-Shen Ling, which is made up of Rehmannia and astragalus for the treatment of anemia. The combo preparation showed extreme effectiveness in dealing with anemia while at the same time offered no adverse side effects on the GI tract, heart, kidney, or liver functions.
A 1995 study conducted by Fan, Shi, and Zhang used vitamin C and of Chinese medicinal herbs in 43 children all suffering from aplastic anemia that was treated with fetal blood transfusion. Only 46% of the group treated with blood transfusion showed improved conditions while 62.5% (children with acute aplastic anemia) and 89% (children with chronic aplastic anemia) showed improvements when treated with blood transfusion and Chinese medicinal herbs.
Supplements and Foods
For people with anemia, decaffeinated or caffeinated tea, cola, or coffee should be avoided especially when eating their meals. This is because the tannin and caffeine in black tea can impair the body’s ability to absorb iron. They instead should drink Vitamin C rich fluids such as citrus juices which can help improve iron absorption. One should also avoid the chronic intake of alcoholic beverages as alcohol tends to disrupt the body’s ability to take in folic acid.
Foods that are high in iron include red meat, blackstrap molasses, poultry, dried fruits, almonds, liver, tomatoes, broccoli, and parsley ( this food is rich vitamin C), which boosts iron absorption. Copper and vitamin C can help improve the body’s absorption of iron.
To boost the creation of red blood cells, the following foods need to be eaten minimally cooked or fresh in order to preserve their folic acid content: wheat germ, pumpkin, milk, liver, eggs, dark green vegetables, and brewer’s yeast. Mackerel and salmon have rich amounts of vitamin B12. Folate can be provided by lentils, beans, and black-eyed peas. The groups at high risk for vitamin B12 deprivation are vegans and vegetarians because only in animal meats and fermented foods can this vitamin be found. To get their daily amounts of vitamin B12, vegetarians and vegans should include fermented foods like tempch, tofu, and miso as well as eggs and dairy products into their diet. Some vitamin supplements and iron supplements tend to provide excess iron and this can be harmful for the person.
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