Anemia is a blood condition in which the tissues of the body are deprived of oxygen due to a decrease in the amount red blood cells circulating in the body. Actually, anemia can have over 400 different types. Symptoms are varied and numerous and can include loss of memory, tingling in the extremities (for pernicious anemia), depression, confusion, slick tongue, balance or movement difficulties, creases n the palm or pale eyelid linings, gums, and nailbeds (in really severe anemia), bluish lips, yellowish or pasty skin, dizziness or syncope (fainting), shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, burning tongue (vitamin B12 anemia), and malaise (mild anemia). Other possible symptoms include irregular heartbeat, poor concentration, weak appetite, insomnia, and headache. Too much intake of iron supplements can lead to iron overload resulting in symptoms such as seizures, lethargy, jaundice, fever, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting.
Chinese Medicine
Deficient is the Chinese Medicine term for anemia and is treated with herbal treatments and acupuncture in Maitland. For fatigue, a general tonic known as Asian ginseng is used. Practitioners also use Dangui, a blood tonic to tone the Blood. It can be used along astralagus and Chinese foxglove root to treat other underlying conditions related to anemia.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine
A 1990 Chinese review reported a study addressing anemia by applying a technique known as bu-shen yi-qi. Sixty individuals suffering from orthostatic dysregulation participated in the study. They were randomly grouped into two with one group treated with Chinese herbs using bu-shen yi-qi and the other group treated with oryzanol and vit B1 and B6 (control group). The herbs used were known to be high in trace elements, especially zinc and iron. Results after a month revealed that three members of the control group and 17 members of the treatment group had improved significantly. About 71% or 43 out of the 60 participants showed mild anemia. Blood drawing pre and post treatment was performed on all participants. The hyper-chromia, hemoglobin, and red blood cell blood values of the 20 subjects in the treatment group improved significantly; while 16 of the people in the control group remained unchanged.
A second Chinese study in 1992 reported the use of a tonic known as SQT (Shi-quan-da-bu-tang) that’s traditionally used as a treatment for general weakness, kidney and spleen deficiency, fatigue severe exhaustion, anorexia, and anemia. The study showed that the SQT helped restore immunity in cancer patients, relieve the toxicity of the anticancer drugs, and enhance the therapeutic effect. The authors of the study reported the conclusions of 8 years of human and animal tests demonstrating that SQT treats anemia and other conditions, by “revitalizing life energy (Qi) and tonifying the blood.”
A third Chinese study done in 1993 dealt with the use an herbal preparation known as Man-Shen Ling consisting of astragalus and rehmannia for the treatment of anemia. It was shown that the herbal preparation was significantly effective for anemia and revealed no harmful side effects on the heart, gastrointestinal tract, and liver functions.
A fourth Chinese study (1995) revealed the use of vitamin C and Chinese herbs for 44 aplastic anemia sufferers all of whom were children. They all had undergone fetal blood transfusion. Around 63% in the blood transfusion-alone group experienced improvements while in the treatment group that received blood transfusion and Chinese medicinal herbs, 89% exhibited marked positive results.
Foods and Supplements
People suffering from anemia should avoid caffeinated and decaffeinated cola, tea, or coffee with meals. This is because tannin and caffeine in these beverages weaken iron absorption. To boost iron absorption, citrus juices rich in vitamin C should be taken instead. One should also avoid alcoholic beverages as they can impair the absorption of folic acid.
Foods loaded with iron including red meat, liver, poultry, dried fruits, dried beans, parsley (boosts iron absorption), almonds, tomatoes, broccoli, and blackstrap molasses are highly recommended for anemia sufferers. Copper and vitamin C also enhances iron absorption.
To increase red blood cell production milk, dark green vegetables, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, eggs, and liver should be eaten fresh or minimally cooked to preserve their folic acid content. Vitamin B12 can be derived from salmon and mackerel, while one can get folate from lentils and black-eyed peas. Vegetarians should eat miso, tempch, tofu and other fermented foods as well as eggs and dairy products for their vitamin B12 requirements as eating only vegetables would make them susceptible to vitamin B12 anemia. As mentioned a while ago, too much intake of Iron supplements and even vitamin supplements can lead to iron overload which can be harmful to the body.
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