15 Foods to Fight Anemia

If you truly want to live a long, fulfilled life with sickle cell anemia then you must EAT TO LIVE!  The following list and image is courtesy of http://www.curejoy.com, an Ayurveda blog and website.  Join them on facebook!

15 FOODS TO FIGHT ANEMIA:
1. Red Kidney beans: Rich in dietary Iron and phytochemicals like flavonoids.
2. Tofu: Low in Sodium, high in B-vitamins, Iron, Isoflavones, Genistein and Diadzein.
3. Oyster: Low glycemic index, rich in antioxidant nutrient Zinc and Vitamin B12.
4. Almond: Rich in Iron, Manganese, Riboflavin, Copper, Vitamin E and Omega-3-fatty acids.
5. Prune Juice: Dense in B-vitamins, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Boron and dietary fiber. 
6. Romaine lettuce: Vitamins (A,B1,B2,C), Folate, Manganese, Chromium, dietary fiber, Potassium, Iron, and Phosphorus. 
7. Blackstrap Molasses: Rich source of Iron, Potassium, Calcium, Selenium, Vitamin B6.
8. Spinach: Rich source of Calcium, Vitamins A, B9, E and C, Iron, fiber and Beta carotene. 
9. Apricot: Rich in Beta-carotene, fiber, Vitamin A, E, and Iron.
10. Raw Broccoli: Vitamins (C, K, A, B6), Potassium, Selenium, Manganese, Tryptophan, and Phosphorus.
11. Beet root Juice: Rich in Iron content. Help in repairing and reactivating red blood cells. 
12. Watercress leaves: Rich in fiber, anti-oxidants, vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron and iodine.
13. Pomegranates: Rich source of Iron and Vitamin C.
14. Garlic: Rich in Iron. Effective in treatment of Sickle cell Anemia.
15. Honey: Rich iron content. Copper and magnesium increase hemoglobin levels

If she can be proud so can I!

I read a wonderful article today by a woman named Suleika Jaouad who is a young woman suffering from AML (Leukemia). She does not wear wigs and cover her hairless head but instead she proudly wears her bald head and she feels empowered and feminine.  Well I have been trying for months now to try every natural remedy I can find to get rid of my yellow eyes (caused by hemolysis from sickle cell) and they are still yellow.  Yes, the whites of my eyes turn an eery yellow color and I look sickly.  Well if cancer patients can proudly sport a bald head and still feel beautiful and empowered then surely I can rock my beautiful yellow eyes without shame!  Thank you Suleika!

Sicklers and folic acid

So if you’re a sickler then you know that your daily livelihood depends on the intake of folic acid but do you know why?  Well folic acid assists in the reproduction of red blood cells which soon take on a sickle shape and causes the blood cells to quickly breakdown.  This can also cause problems with the free flow of blood and much needed oxygen in our bodies. Folic acid is found in many green leafy vegetables but it can also be taken in supplement form. Foods like spinach, kale, and broccoli, as well as tomato juice, okra and asparagus.

***RECIPE***

Daily I create a smoothie with spinach, carrots, beets, and pure pressed apple juice.  It is delicious and it helps me get my daily folic acid intake in a manner that is easily absorbed.

So take your folic acid daily and here is a link which discusses the best way to absorb folic acid in the body.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5278_absorb-folic-acid.html

Like a runaway slave…

I’ve been running away from this community and this title my whole adult life.  I’ve never wanted to be associated with anything sickle cell related.  I didn’t want to talk about it, tell my friends about it, or join any type of support group.  I guess I thought that if I acknowledged it then I would somehow make the disease more real and thus have more problems from it.  But some things you just can’t ignore and for some reason God just will not let me run away from this.  Lately, I’ve been feeling the urge ( a calling from my savior) to share with the rest of the world some of the things that I have been educated on when it comes to managing this illness and to live a full and happy and long life.  Oprah Winfrey said, ‘when you learn, TEACH.’  So that’s just what I’ll do.  I’ll teach my audience everything that I know about dealing with this or any long term illness.  We will discuss the psychology of dealing with a long term illness, nutrition, exercise, spirituality, and alternative medicine.  Stay tuned, I’ve got work to do!