When I was a little girl, I used to constantly complain about being tired. Not much has changed since then, but I remember one conversation with my grandma that stuck with me.
My grandma asked me how I was. I, being a little girl with poor social skills probably responded by yawning and explaining that I was tired.
Apparently, this conversation happened so often that she finally suggested that I might be anemic.
I never did get tested, but as an adult, I haven't forgotten her diagnosis. More than 24.8% of the total population is affected by anemia according to the World Health Organization.
There are a lot of conditions that can fly under the radar if you don't know what you're looking for, and anemia can definitely fall into this category.
Here are signs of anemia that you may have not even known could be symptoms at all.
Thumbnail Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
What Is Anemia?
Anemia is commonly known as an iron deficiency, but what exactly does that mean is going on inside our bodies?
The Mayo Clinic explains:
Anemia is a condition in which you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body’s tissues.
Anemia also tends to affect women more than men because we lose blood on a monthly basis.
Symptoms To Know Sign 1: Fatigue
The most common symptom of anemia is something we can all relate to, even if our red blood cells are in check.
We have three types of blood cells in our bodies, and red blood cells are responsible for delivering energy-giving oxygen to our muscles and organs.
When your red blood cell count is low, your overall energy level will be too.
Sign 2: Weakness
We depend on red blood cells to carry oxygen to our muscles and make sure they're working in tip-top shape.
Without enough oxygen, your muscles will weaken and you may find simple tasks like opening a pickle jar more difficult than it should be.
Sign 3: Jaundice
Yellowish or discolored skin is never a sign of good health.
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, red blood cells release hemoglobin when they die.
This is then broken down into another compound that turns your skin and even eyes a yellowish color.
Sign 4: Irregular Heartbeat
As you know, the heart is responsible for pumping blood around our bodies.
When this important organ detects that it's not pumping the correct amount of red blood cells, it will try to overcompensate by pumping more. This can cause irregular heartbeat for anemics.
Sign 5: Shortness Of Breath
Since your heart is working in overdrive to try and get red blood cells out to your muscles, you're likely to experience a little shortness of breath when you're anemic.
Sign 6: Cold Hands And Feet
When you're skiing or playing in the snow, your hands and feet are the first body parts to lose feeling. This is because blood has trouble reaching our extremities.
The same can be said for anemics because the least amount of red blood cells are able to reach these areas.
Sign 7: Being Dizzy Or Lightheaded
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded is always a disorienting and scary feeling.
Once again, a lack of oxygen to the brain can be blamed for this side effect of lack or iron or anemia.
Most symptoms and cases of anemia are nothing to be overly concerned about, but if your symptoms worsen or interrupt your daily routine, then it's time to speak to a doctor, who might recommend a supplement.
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