Anemia is a disease characterized by low levels of hemoglobin in the blood. As a result, the function of hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout the body are not going well. If anemia in pregnant women, the intake of oxygen to the fetus would be reduced. This will inhibit the growth of organs in the fetus, including organs such as the brain is important. Not only threaten fetal development, anemia is also a major cause of maternal mortality during childbirth. Normally, death occurs due to hemorrhage. Currently, maternal mortality rate in Indonesia is the highest in ASEAN ie 307 out of 100 thousand births. Compare with Malaysia, which is only 40-50 of 100 thousand births.
In Indonesia, cases of anemia generally occurs due to iron deficiency. As once said Prof. Dr. Dr. Sutaryo in his inaugural address as professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, last year (Republika, June 25, 2005), the issue of iron is still a serious problem for Indonesia. In fact, iron deficiency plays a big contribution to the low quality of Indonesian human resources. "Iron deficiency anemia is one of the national disaster that we never feel," he said.
What is the function of iron in the body? Nutrition specialist clinics, physician Samuel Oentoro MS SpGK, explains, iron works to form red blood cells. While in charge of red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, and helps the body's metabolic processes to produce energy. Well, if the intake of iron into the body is less, with its own red blood cells will also be reduced. Body would be starved of oxygen. As a result, there arises the symptoms of anemia that is 5 L (tired, weak, tired, tired, and weak), memory and concentration power decreases. Another phenomenon is the emergence of a pale color on the lower eyelid.
Anemia can strike men and women of various age groups (ranging from infants to the elderly). However, compared to men, anemia affects more women. In Indonesia, anemia affects one in five women of reproductive age. There are several things that make women prone to iron deficiency, namely: menstruation that happens every month, also is not eating well due to the demands of work or strict dieting. As a result of eating patterns that are not good that the iron intake from food was very poor.
If the pregnant women, anemia potentially inhibit fetal growth and cause bleeding during childbirth, then the woman was not pregnant, anemia can lead to serious consequences. Especially in women who actively work, both inside and outside the home. Anemia will make them feel weak, lethargic, and weak that labor productivity declined. Endurance was dropped so they will easily sick, flu, or infection.
Improve diet
Anemia is closely related to the intake of nutrients from our food daily. Therefore, improving the diet is an important stance to overcome anemia. "Apply a healthy diet, always watching the number, schedule, and kind," said Samuel as a speaker in Sangobion ActiFe launch in Jakarta, recently.
The amount in question Samuel is in accordance with the needs of the body, not too little, not too excessive. Schedule meal must also be obeyed, ie, three times a day. And one more thing, nutrition must be balanced. The food we consume daily should ideally contain as much as 60-70 percent carbohydrates, 10-15 percent protein, 20-25 percent fat, vitamins, and minerals. "Do not forget, try to drink eight glasses per day," said the doctor who was educated clinical nutrition specialist at the University of Indonesia.
In addition, continued Samuel, multiply the consumption of foods rich in iron, like red meat, liver, cheese, fish, dark green vegetables, and nuts. The doctor on duty at one private hospital in Jakarta was also suggested to increase the intake of folic acid and vitamin B-12. Liver and dark green vegetables are examples of foods which are full of folic acid. As for vitamin B-12 lots contained in fish, meat, milk, and cheese.
However, choosing the food sources of iron are also to be wise. Instead, Samuel said, do not choose red meat, butter, or cheese as a source of iron. Therefore, food ingredients that have a high cholesterol content. "Later, you are free to anemia but the risk of heart disease." So how should? "If you ask me, the first option is to fish, the second choice of fish, fish is also a third option, then the next choice of chicken meat without skin."
Samuel choice made perfect sense. Because, in addition to iron-rich, low cholesterol fish also. Likewise with skinless chicken. Iron supplements can also help overcome the anemia. In the market, there are quite a lot of supplements like this with different brands and prices. According to Samuel, iron supplements should be done on an empty stomach, so that optimal absorption. But be careful, because there is iron that cause discomfort (pain) in the stomach. "Therefore, we must be smart choice," he said.
One that he suggested was the use ferrazone supplements as a source of iron. Ferrazone, he said, is the iron preparations are very few problems in the stomach, easily absorbed, and not easily disturbed by the presence of caffeine in coffee, tea, or chocolate.
Tea, coffee, chocolate, and milk / calcium was able to block the absorption of iron in the body. Therefore, Samuel suggested to give the distance in time between the provision of food or iron supplements with consumption of tea, coffee, chocolate, and milk / calcium about 1.5 to two hours.
About the influence of tea in inhibiting the absorption of iron was also expressed by Sutaryo. In his inaugural speech, the Sutaryo states, drinking tea after eating can inhibit iron absorption into the body by 80 percent. "It should, drinking tea after meals is removed. Drink tea two hours after or before eating. "
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