The TV news and national papers are constantly asking if we’re getting enough vitamin D, calcium and protein. And it’s good news that these nutritional deficiencies are making headlines and that we’re becoming more focused on the foods we need.
But one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in the country -- and the world -- hasn’t made the headlines much. We’re talking about anemia, a condition that affects more than 3.4 million Americans.
So what is this disorder that isn’t getting the attention it deserves? In a nutshell, anemia is a condition that occurs when you have a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells in your body. The most common cause of anemia is iron deficient blood. Without iron, the red blood cells are quickly depleted of a protein called hemogloblin, which carries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. In essence, a person suffering from anemia is basically suffocating from the inside out.
Not sure if anemia is at the root of your health woes? Check out these five symptoms:
Top 5 Signs and Symptoms of Anemia
1. You are exhausted.
If you feel tired all the time, even after a great night’s sleep, you may be anemic. Unfortunately, this symptom is also an easy one to ignore because many people associate feeling tired with normalcy. “Women are so used to having frenetic lives and feeling tired,” says Dr. Nancy Berliner, editor of the journal of Blood. "They often just dismiss being tired as part of life.” If your feelings of exhaustion also include feeling weak, irritable, and unable to focus, it may be an iron deficiency.