When you were a child, did you listen to your parents when they told you to eat your spinach? If you did, there is a good chance you reduced your risk of developing anemia. Anemia occurs when a person's red blood cells lack sufficient amounts of hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen through the body. Anemia can also result if the body does not produce adequate amounts of red blood cells.
Iron-deficiency anemia, or IDA, is the most common type of anemia and, as the name suggests, is the result of a deficiency in iron. Iron is critical to the production of hemoglobin.
The loss of blood that occurs during menstruation and childbirth makes women more prone to developing anemia than men. This is especially true for women who suffer from uterine fibroids, which tend to bleed out slowly, according to WomensHealth.gov. Anemia can also be caused by red blood cell loss due to infection, severe injury, and surgery.
A diet lacking in iron increases the risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia. Poultry, eggs, green leafy vegetables, dairy, and iron-fortified foods should be part of ones' daily diet to reduce the risk of an iron deficiency. In some cases, underlying health conditions such as Celiac or Crohns disease may inhibit iron absorption, leading to IDA.
