Anemia treatment.

A New Way to Beat Anemia.

If it weren't for the threat to the health of millions of American women, you might call the situation ironic. As it turns out, some alternative practitioners believe that the type of iron supplement routinely prescribed by conventional doctors for treating iron-deficiency anemia-a problem that affects one of five American women-is not the best source of iron.

"The conventional treatment is to give iron in the form of ferrous sulfate," says Jesse Lynn Hanley, M.D" a physician in

Malibu, California. "This form of iron is potentially irritating to a woman's stomach, lymphatic system, and liver and is not as well-absorbed as other forms of iron."
The body needs iron to produce red blood cells. Women who don't get enough iron in their diets or who have heavy menstrual periods may have insufficient levels of either red blood cells or hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. Since hemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen, women whose levels decline feel tired and weak.

Iron-deficiency anemia also may cause dizziness, loss of appetite, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. Getting more iron is essential for relieving this condition, says Dr. Hanley.
The problem is that conventional doctors may begin and end their treatment with a recommendation for women to get more iron. This isn't enough, says Dr. Hanley. Not only are they recommending a less-than-ideal form of iron, but it's simply not enough by itself.

Why do conventional doctors routinely treat anemia with just ferrous sulfate? Because that's what is traditionally taught in medical schools, and most doctors don't question it, says Dr. Hanley. Alternative doctors, on the other hand, have asked the questions, and they have been able to come up with some better answers.

IRON SUPPLEMENTS: The Right Kind
Unlike ferrous sulfate, forms of iron called ferrous gluconate, iron gluconate, and iron picolinate are easy for the body to digest and absorb, says Dr. Hanley. They're also less likely to irritate the stomach. Women of childbearing age, who lose blood every month through menstruation, should get 15 milligrams a day. After menopause, most women do not need supplemental iron, Dr. Hanley says. Men need 10 milligrams a day.

IRON-RICH FOODS: The Best Sources
The iron found in plant foods is called non-heme iron. It's not as easily absorbed as the iron in meats, but a diet rich in plant foods is much better for you in other ways. And if you eat enough of these foods, you may get enough iron as well, says Susan Lark, M.D, a physician in Los Altos, California. Good sources of iron include whole grains such as barley and oats; beans and peas; seeds and nuts, especially sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, pecans, and almonds; and vegetables such as Swiss chard and kale.

VITAMIN C: To Enhance Absorption
Vitamin C is acidic, which helps the body absorb the non-heme iron in plant foods, says Beverly Yates, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Seattle. She recommends squeezing the juice of half a lemon into a glass of water and drinking it before meals.
Alternatively, you can take a supplement of 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C with each meal, says Dr. Hanley.

CALCIUM-RICH FOODS: When You Limit Dairy
Just as some foods put more iron into your body, others make it harder to get enough. Dairy foods, for example, will decrease iron absorption in women with anemia, says Dr. Lark. To make sure that you get enough calcium when you're cutting back on dairy foods, she recommends increasing your intake of beans, peas, soybeans, sesame seeds, soup stocks made with chicken or fish bones, and leafy green vegetables.

ALCOHOL AND SUGAR: Cut Back to Preserve Nutrients
Beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages deplete the body of B-complex vitamins and some minerals, which can worsen anemia, says Dr. Lark. She recommends having no more than 4 ounces of wine, 10 ounces of beer, or 1 ounce of hard liquor once or twice a week. You'll want to reduce your sugar intake as well, since this also depletes the body of B-complex vitamins.

CAFFEINE: Less Means More Iron
You'll want to go easy on coffee, black tea, soda, chocolate, and other caffeine-containing foods when you're trying to recover from anemia because caffeine inhibits iron absorption, Dr. Lark explains. HERBS: Relieve Heavy Bleeding Blood loss through heavy menstrual bleeding is a common cause of iron-deficiency anemia, says Dr. Lark. There are a number of herbs that can help control this problem. With anemia and heavy menstrual bleeding, be sure that your diet and supplement program-vitamins, minerals, and herbs-provides the extra nutrients that your body needs. You can take these supplements indefinitely as part of your high-nutrient diet, but never use them as an excuse to continue poor eating habits, says Dr. Lark. Keep in mind that herbal treatments should be used by women who have a menstrual flow that's somewhat heavier than usual, says Dr. Lark. Women who have excessive blood flow need to see a doctor. Dr. Lark recommends the following herbs in tincture form. Begin with one-quarter to one-half dropper and slowly work up to a full dropper if you need it. You may find that you feel best with slightly more or less of certain herbs, she says.

The herb goldenseal contains berberine, a compound that can help calm the muscles of the uterus. Another herb, shepherd's purse, aids in blood clotting. Taken together, these herbs may help reduce excessive bleeding, says Dr. Lark.
Yellow dock, turmeric, and milk thistle are all good choices for strengthening the liver. A healthy liver more easily breaks down estrogen, which is important for treating anemia because excess estrogen can cause heavy bleeding.

AROMATHERAPY: Soothe the Symptoms
You can use essential oils to relieve discomfort while you're trying to get your iron levels back to normal, says DeAnna Batdorff, a clinical aroma therapist and Ayurvedic practitioner in Forestville, California. If your doctor says that you're constipated because of anemia, for example, you can use blue cypress and ginger essential oils. Once a day, put two drops of cypress oil and one drop of ginger oil on the web between your big toe and second toe, Batdorff suggests.
If your skin is cold and clammy, put one drop of rose geranium oil on your stomach once a day.



A SELF TEST FOR ANEMIA.
Doctors sometimes miss anemia because they confuse the symptoms with something else.
"Every symptom of anemia can be mistaken for other health conditions, including emotional problems and nervous tension;' says Susan Lark, M.D., a physician in Los Altos, California. Rather than depending only on your doctor, here are two ways to see for yourself if you may have anemia.

Press down for 2 seconds on a fingernail (unpolished) so that you're pressing against the nail bed. The area will turn white. Then stop pressing and note how long it takes for the area to turn pink again. It should happen within a second or two. The more slowly the skin turns pink, the more likely it is that you have anemia, says Jesse Lynn Hanley, M.D., a physician in Malibu, California.

Gently pull down your lower eyelids and look at the color of the blood vessels underneath your eyes. If they're very pale, you may have anemia, says Dr. Hanley.