If you suffer from anemia, then you know all too well the mental and physical drain that it can have on your body. Anyone who is anemic will tell you that going through the normal activities of your day can be an absolute drain.
While that’s the bad news, the good news is that there are plenty of things that you can do to help get you out of an anemic state. If you are looking for different ways to remedy your anemia right at home, then you have come to the right place. Today, we are going to take a look at 15 home remedies that you can try with ingredients that you likely already have.
Not only are these remedies super easy to use, but they will give you a burst of energy that will put you on the path of fighting off your anemia. Before we get started, let’s take a moment to talk a little bit about what anemia actually is.
What Is Anemia?
If you suffer from anemia, then you would likely be able to tell long before you visit your doctor’s office. Anemia is essentially a low iron count in your system. When you are anemic, your body will not have the capability to produce enough red blood cells. This in turn will not allow you to have enough oxygen moving from one part of your body to another. When you are low in iron, your body will not be able to create a protein called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a necessary protein that attaches to your red blood cells that helps to carry oxygen throughout your body. The long term result can not only be devastating for the different organs in your system, but you will be able to feel the effects right away.
When you have a low iron count, the number one sign is extreme exhaustion, lethargy, and the general sense of not having the energy to move around. Even if you get a full night’s rest, you will likely still be tired. If you do not treat your anemia and you let it progress, it can your organs to possibly fail. In a sense, not treating your anemia is much like suffocating your body from the inside out.
The good news is, if you have anemia, there are plenty of things that you can do to help deal with it. One of the most important ways that you can help increase the iron in your body is through simple lifestyle and dietary changes. With that being said, let’s dive into our list of the best 15 home remedies for anemia.
1. Dates
As we dive right into our home remedies for anemia, we’ll start with something sweet; dates. A rich source of both vitamin C and iron, dates do double duty by providing not only the extra iron, but also providing the nutrient, vitamin C, which helps your body with the enhance absorption of iron.
What to Do
- Place 2 whole dates in a glass of milk and soak them overnight.
- When you awaken the following morning, eat the dates and drink the milk before consuming any other foods or drinks.
- Repeat this remedy every day until you see improvement in your condition.
2. Black Sesame Seeds
Black sesame seeds are another of the top home remedies for anemia, because of their high iron content. Believe it or not, ¼ cup of sesame seeds contains nearly 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of iron, which gives them a pretty powerful punch.
What to Do
- Add 2 Tbsp of black sesame seeds to a glass of water and allow it to sit for at least 3 hours.
- Strain out the water and make a paste using the seeds.
- To the paste, add 1 Tbsp of raw, organic honey and mix well.
- Consume this mixture twice daily.
3. Pomegranate
Known by the Greeks as being a fruit of the gods, pomegranates are also among the most effective home remedies for anemia. The mineral content of pomegranate, especially iron, calcium and magnesium all contribute to improving red blood cell counts. Besides those minerals, there is also a lot of vitamin C in pomegranates to help your body absorb those minerals better.
What to Do
- The simplest way to obtain the nutrients of a pomegranate is to mix 1 cup of pomegranate juice with ¼ tsp of powdered cinnamon and 2 tsp of honey.
- Drink this for breakfast every morning.
- Or, if it is easy to get your hands on whole pomegranates, eat a medium sized pomegranate first thing in the morning before breakfast.
4. Spinach
Spinach made Popeye stronger and gave him a lot more stamina and it can do the same for you. Because it is loaded with iron, spinach is another of the best home remedies for anemia. Spinach also provides two other nutrients which are important in treating types of anemia that aren’t related to iron deficiency; vitamin B12 and folic acid, which also tend to help boost energy levels.
What to Do
- Add at least a cup of whole leaf spinach to your juice extractor when you make your favorite juice recipe in the mornings.
- You can also make spinach soup by blanching 1 cup of spinach.
- Sauté 1 chopped garlic clove and ¼ of a medium onion in olive oil.
- Add all of these ingredients into a blender with a little bit of water to puree.
- Return the puree to a sauce pan on the stove and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Consume the juice or the soup twice daily.
5. Blackstrap Molasses
At the top of the most powerful home remedies for anemia is blackstrap molasses. There is a powerhouse of nutrition in blackstrap molasses, especially when it comes to treating anemia. Iron, all of the B vitamins and a load of minerals are all found in blackstrap molasses, and their combination will all work together to give our hemoglobin a major boost.
What to Do
- Stir 1 Tbsp of blackstrap molasses into cup of hot water or milk.
- Drink this twice a day, especially if you are experiencing anemia with pregnancy.
- As an alternative, mix together 2 Tbsp each of blackstrap molasses and apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water, and drink it daily.
6. Beetroot
Beetroot is another potent ingredient among home remedies for anemia. Fiber, calcium, potassium and an abundance of vitamins all accompany iron as nutrients found in beetroot. Not only does this vegetable give your hemoglobin a bust, but it also helps to cleanse toxins from your body and draw in more oxygen, both of which help raise your red-cell count.
What to Do
- Toss in a medium beetroot into the juice extractor to add to your favorite juice recipes, or in a special blend with 3 carrots and a half of a sweet potato. Drink this twice a day.
- Add beetroots to your meals as a side dish or in salads. Consuming the peel along with the rest of the beet provides the maximum nutritional value.
7. Banana
Going bananas is another way to stimulate the production of hemoglobin. The mineral content, vitamins and enzymes found in the banana are all essential elements for the increased production of red blood cells, making it an excellent addition to any list of home remedies for anemia.
What to Do
- Adding bananas to your smoothies or juice is a great way to get them into your diet.
- You can also mash a ripe banana along with 1 Tbsp of Indian gooseberry and consume this mixture a couple of times a day.
- Or simply eat a banana along with a couple of your meals and as a snack every day.
8. Apples
We won’t bring up that old saying about apples, but skip right to their value among the top home remedies for anemia. Apples are another great source of iron and additional vitamins that all increase red-cell production and boost energy.
What to Do
- We’ve suggested this several times already, but this fruit tends to be a staple in most juicing recipes anyway, so be sure to add it to your juicer.
- Extract apple juice and beetroot juice mixed with 1 Tbsp of honey if you need a juicing idea.
- Add apples to oatmeal, salads or eat them as a snack. We’ll even give you an excuse to make an apple pie or two.
- Consume 2 to 3 apples daily in some form.
9. Fenugreek
Fenugreek is becoming well known among nutritionists and health nuts alike for many reasons and it can be added among the home remedies for anemia as well. It also contains a high concentration of iron in a rather small amount. It helps to maintain iron levels and encourages the production of red-cells as well.
What to Do
- Add 2 tsp of fenugreek to a cup of rice and cook the two together.
- You can also soak 2 Tbsp of fenugreek seeds overnight in a ¼ cup of milk.
- Grind the fenugreek into a paste and consume it along with the milk the following morning.
- Consume fenugreek in either or both of these manners daily.
10. Dried Black Currant
Because of their high concentration of iron along with vitamin C, dried black currents are excellent additions to our home remedies for anemia. Packing the same double punch as dates, black currents provide both the needed nutrient along with the nutrient that facilitates its absorption in order to give your hemoglobin a boost.
What to Do
- Place a dozen dried black currants in a glass of water overnight.
- Removed the soaked currants the following morning, pluck out the seeds and eat them before eating breakfast.
- Repeat this remedy daily for a couple of weeks.
11. Taking Supplements
Although whole foods are always the better option when it comes to obtaining the best and most effective sources of vitamins and minerals, when levels hit rock bottom, taking supplements may be called for, making them a necessary addition to our list of home remedies for anemia. Certain supplements will actually help encourage red-cell production and boost your count. Take the proper doses as prescribed by a health care professional when you take supplements.
What to Do
- Vitamin B complex including folate and NOT folic acid.
- Iron supplements are an obvious choice as well.
- Be sure to add vitamin C or your iron supplements will be meaningless.
12. Reduce Stress
Because stress is a major contributor to anemia, reducing stress is a logical solution among the home remedies for anemia. Studies indicate that stress and anxiety contribute to the reduced production of red-cells as well as sending your liver and spleen into a state of fatigue.
What to Do
- Obtain and make use of stress management techniques.
- Add soothing activities or exercises to your regular routine to give yourself a break from stress.
- Create and maintain a more manageable schedule, which might take some pretty drastic lifestyle modifications.
13. Consume Iron Rich Food
Though we have already discussed several iron rich foods above, there are several more that need to be mentioned among our home remedies for anemia. Because iron is a major factor in the production of red blood cells, consuming it in whole foods on a regular basis is one of the quickest ways to restore red-cell balance. The forms that are easiest to absorb come from lean meats, sea food and vegetables and those sources of less easily absorbed iron come from grains, nuts and legumes.
What to Do
- Beef and chicken liver are some of the best sources of absorbable iron to add into your diet if you can stomach them.
- Organic, grass-fed beef, bison and lamb can be added to your diet.
- Spinach, kale and Swiss chard are good sources.
- Use seeds and nuts in cereals, snacks and salads to get another source of iron as well.
14. Probiotics for a Healthy Gut
Gut health and the use of probiotics is another consideration among the home remedies for anemia. Better gut health through the consumption of probiotics contributes to the reversal of anemia by helping your body do a better job of absorbing the nutrients in the foods you eat. It does little good to eat more iron rich foods if your body is not absorbing it well.
What to Do
Add foods rich in probiotics to your daily diet.
15. Nourish Your Spleen
When your spleen becomes fatigued, red-cell production tends to fall off. Consequently, nourishing your spleen is a final, very important addition to our home remedies for anemia. Considering the overall health of your spleen and consuming foods that target improved spleen function is essential in helping to overcome anemia.
What to Do
- We will repeat spinach, kale and Swiss chard as they perform multiple anemia treatment functions. Add them to your diet two to four servings daily, and keep them there.
- Squashes, all types, shapes, sizes and flavors contain spleen enriching nutrients.
- Bitter herbs and bitter vegetables like arugula, romaine lettuce should also be added into your diet.
Wrapping Up
There is no reason for continuing to live with the overwhelming sense of fatigue and lethargy caused by anemia. You can gain control over it making use of several of the 15 home remedies for anemia we have just discussed and get right back into your active lifestyle. Please don’t forget to add any recipes, success stories, comments or questions to the section provided below as well.