IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia. About 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women and 3% of men are iron-deficient.

WHAT IS IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA?

Iron is pressed in all cells of the body and plays a key role in improving the quality of blood; it assists in the formation of hemoglobin and increases resistance to stress and disease.

Iron deficiency anemia occurs when there is less iron in the body and can result in symptoms such as fatigue, headache, weakness, pale skin, dizziness, irritability and lack of concentration.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?

• Common causes are inadequate consumption of iron or inability to absorb iron from the diet, blood loss, either from disease or injury.
• Low consumption of iron-rich foods.
• Excessive dieting.
• Increased iron loss due to menstruation.
• Deceased iron absorption.
• Increased demand for iron-women who are pregnant or who are breast-feeding may need 2 and ½ times as much as the recommended daily allowance of iron.

IRON IS NECESSARY FOR:

• Energy production.
• Essential for many enzymes.
• Important for growth.
• Production of hemoglobin.

HOW MUCH IRON SHOULD BE CONSUMED DAILY?

The recommended daily allowance of iron for women is 18 mg and for men is 8 mg. However, iron-needs vary based on individual lifestyles and specific conditions.

HOW IS ANEMIA TREATED?

It depends on what’s causing the anemia. For example, if anemia results from losing too much blood, the cause of the blood loss will need to be treated. If anemia results from a diet that’s low in iron, your doctor may recommend a change in your diet or prescribe iron supplements.

IRON-RICH FOODS

Absorption of iron from food is influenced by multiple factor. One important factor is the form of the iron consume. Heme iron, found in animal sources, is well absorbed by the body; whereas non-heme iron, found in vegetable sources, is relatively less absorbed.

HEME IRON SOURCES.

Clams
Pork Liver
Oysters
Meat
Fish
Chicken

NON- HEME IRON SOURCES

Leafy greens/broccoli
Legumes
Fortified cereals
Prunes, raisins, apricots
Watermelon

The writer is a certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist.

This information is gathered from a health news paper.

LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

Cholesterol is important for good health. But too much of it can lead to heart disease.

THE CHOLESTEROL LEVEL in the body is determined partly by genetics, lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise and even psychological stress. High cholesterol build-up can occur gradually over time without causing any symptoms.

WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL?

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fat found in the bloodstream. It’s an important component of good health because it’s used to make cell membranes and certain hormones. But too much cholesterol in the blood results in hypercholesterolemia- a major risk factor for coronary disease.

• Reduce total fat and cholesterol from your diet.
• Eat more foods rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• Eat no more than six ounces of mean meat, fish and poultry per day.
• Consume skim-milk and low-fat dairy products.
• Increase your level of physical activity (walk at least 45-minute daily).
• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Find ways to de-stress.

The writer is a certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist.

This valuable information is gathered from daily news paper.

LEMON RASAM

Tur Dhal 50 gms
Salt To taste
Rasam Powder 1 Table spoon
Tomato 1
Lemon 1 small
Mustard seeds ¼ tea spoon
Asafetida 1 small piece
Coriander seeds ¼ tea spoon
Pepper ¼ tea spoon
Jeera ¼ tea spoon
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Cook tur dhal nicely with 100gms of water. Cut tomatoes into pieces and add 200 Gms of water. Add rasam powder, salt, asafetida and boil it for 5 minutes. Then add the cooked tur dhal and enough water. Fry coriander seeds and pepper without oil. Powder the coriander seeds, pepper and jeera. Add the powder into the rasam, we made it ready.
Season it with mustard seeds fried in ghee and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Squeeze the lemon and the juice should be added to the rasam after the boiling was over.

CAULIFLOWER CUTLET

Ingredients

Cauliflower 1
Potato 250 gms
Big Onion 2
Ani seeds 1 tea spoon
Garlic ginger paste 1 tea spoon
Garam masala powder 1 tea spoon
Chili powder 1 tea spoon
Dhania (Coriander seeds) Powder 1 tea spoon
Turmeric powder ½ tea spoon
Jeera ½ tea spoon
Green chili 1
Bread or Rusk powder ½ cup
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Put cauliflower in hot water, pick the flowers and add salt, keep aside for 30 minutes. Then cut into pieces. Boil potato, peel and smash it well. In a frying pan, pour oil, add aniseeds, garlic ginger paste, finely sliced onion, green chili and fry it nicely. Add turmeric powder, dhania powder, masala powder and chili powder. Then add the cauliflower pieces. Add water. After 5 minutes put smashed potatoes, corianders leaves and curry leaves. Stir it well and make a fine mixture of all. Prepare balls out of the mixture and dip the balls in bread powder. In a tava or frying pan put oil and fry the cutlets into reddish brown in colour. Serve hot with sauce.

MINT (PUDINA) CHAPPATTI

Ingredients

Wheat flour 2 cups
Mint leaves (finely cut) 1 cup
Green chili (cut into small pieces) 1 tea spoon
Salt to taste
Oil

In a frying pan, put oil and add green chili and mint leaves. Fry it for 2 minutes and allow it to cool. Take wheat flour; add salt, oil and the mint mix into it. Mix well. Make fine dough. Prepare chapattis. Serve hot.

POTTUKKADALAI URUNDAI (ROASTED GRAM BALLS)

Ingredients

Roasted gram 1 cup
Sugar 1 cup
Ghee 25 gm
Cardamom powder ½ tea spoon

Fry the roasted gram slightly without oil. In a strong bottomed pan, put sugar and a little water. Boil till 2 string consistency paagu (liquid paste) comes. Add roasted gram and cardamom powder in to the paagu. With slightly melted ghee, make balls with the roasted gram and sugar mixture. Allow it to cool.

KEEPING FIT IN THE OFFICE

• Be physically active. Take the stairs, not the lift. Take a short walk, post lunch. Take short ‘work-out’ breaks. Get off the bus/auto a couple of stops earlier, and walk the rest of the way.
• Take up a sport/fitness activity, at least during the weekend.
• Discuss your fitness activity with colleagues, and help others who want to pursue an activity too.
• Organize office-bonding activities around sports such as athletics, a football match or a Sunday cycling event.
• Say ‘NO’ to tobacco.
• Relax by doing deep breathing exercises or pranayama. The risk of coronary heart disease will be halved within a year and eventually be eliminated altogether.

The theme is being expressed by Ms. Hema Vijay in a daily news paper.

It is WORLD HEART DAY on September 27 with the theme “WORK WITH HEART”. One can incorporate work-outs into office hours.