T he boss of an establishment, subsequent to his interviewing one of the candidates, wrote down under remarks column of the Interview Report seriously that “though the candidate seems to be fit for the post applied according to his professional experience and educational qualifications, he looks anemic”. Dear reader, before proceeding further with your reading, I would like to mention something: Please go through this article with an interest of reading a story, which is not fiction but a fact.
Let’s now see as to how the above-mentioned employer is cautious about the company employees’ health as it ultimately affects their service to be rendered to the company! Can you blame the employer? In another case, during a marriage proposal, the boy’s father informed about his finding to the broker on seeing the girl, “I think, she is anemic”. Of course, a father has to take care of his son’s married life with a healthy girl, as far as possible or as far as he could find out on the same from reliable sources. Isn’t it so?
Further, while this writer was sitting with a friend who is a well-qualified medical practitioner in modern medicine in a well-known hospital about a two and half decades back, the doctor told his patient on examination that his problem is anemia. I observed, the doctor did prescribe some vitamin and iron capsules as his remedy to this malady!
Well. I now invite your attention to the naturopathic point of view on the subject. As Hippocrates said, we, the Naturopaths believe, “food shall be the medicine”. Just change your food habits to adopt natural methods along with some other requirements viz. ‘exercises’ etc. as narrated here in this article. May food be your medicine instead of your swallowing medicines as food. That’s it.
What is anemia? It’s a condition in which blood is deficient in quantity, in red blood cells - the “couriers”, in our body that do the service of carrying oxygen from lungs via bloodstream to brain and the other organs and tissues, or in hemoglobin and which is marked by pallor, weakness and irregular heart action with a lack of vitality in total. Iron plays a significant role in regulation of the body temperature and hence some people with iron deficiency feel cold and numbness in the extremities! The patient will be of pale face and skin, with lack of appetite and lack of a better appearance in general. Anemia, if not taken proper care, could be associated with a number of serious diseases in due course. At the same time, anemia could be due to a number of health problems as well. As per the signs and symptoms presented by the patient, it could be heart or kidney problems, diabetes, inflammatory diseases and cancer! As per modern medical science, Iron Deficiency could pave way to the extent of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)! No, no – don’t be so serious.
It, of course, is customary to attend the root cause here i.e. the condition of anemia is to be removed from the nip of its bud in its required manner, understanding whether the condition is acute or chronic caused by the tribulations as narrated in this article. As an ailment has a tendency to travel from the center to the circumference presenting the same or similar symptoms, we need to attend to the root cause at the center. The connected problems that “traveled out from the center to the circumference” thus lose it grip with the center and vanish away being unable to receive any support from the center. (This is as same as a good warrior does in order to defeat his main enemies and making the supporters helpless!) If you think in a natural and positive manner, you will realize the truth. That’s is the essence of Natural Health Science.
Anemia is caused by various factors - loss of blood due to excessive menstruation in women, injury, bleeding piles etc. and also, as mentioned already, due to inadequate quantity of iron that should receive the body through our food. In severe cases, a dark lining below the eyes will be visible with wrinkles on the face and the patient will be very weak with a low BP and shallow pulse. A poor memory, head ache, difficulty in breathing and a dull appearance in total are also associated with the problems. (Once, I personally witnessed when a gentleman opined about somebody who left the place after meeting him that he [the visitor] came there as if from a “graveyard”! So, an anemic person here is considered as a living ‘corpse’.) In children of the very poor families, malnutrition could cause the condition. I recollect a cartoon appeared in a magazine some time back. That was of a mother taking her child to the doctor. The doctor, at the first sight advises the mother that her child is all right and there is no need of medicines to be given but vegetables, fruits and milk would clear the problems! In fact, I felt, it was not a cartoon or fiction but a fact that is experienced by us in our life.
In some places – especially thickly populated and polluted areas, where the vegetables etc. are available in a contaminated state, it is seen that worms cause anaemia. Hence, a hygienic background is to be created and a thorough cleaning of the items prior to cooking, preferably in running water has a significant role to overcome this problem.
Oxygen is an essential requirement to our body. It can be simply attained by doing “Pranayama” (Nadishodana, Ujjayi etc.) daily for just about a ten minutes time! Also, along with a walking exercise, some of the selected Yogasanas viz. Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Shavasana etc. for about 15 – 20 minutes daily are advised as part of the exercises required.
Instead of taking tonics viz. vitamins and iron preparations, one should concentrate in his/her food habits i.e. to take leafy and green vegetables and also fruits – particularly spinach, cabbage, beats, carrots, tomatoes, oranges, dates, pomegranates etc. The treatment with tonics may give relief and improve the situation but it is not meant for a permanent cure. A cure is only possible when the vital force that was disappeared from the body returns to refill the vacuum created by the same before. Is it possible? Of course, by adopting natural methods and also by making the food as “medicines” as already mentioned. It is said that iron can be found abundantly in red meat, liver and eggs also. Nevertheless, it will be better to remember always that red meat takes hours together for digestion. Fruit juices and dry fruits are definitely in line with the requirements. Brinjal (without adding spice) helps to cure anemia. Milk and milk products should also be an essential part of the food habits. There is a common belief that vegetarians are at risk of developing anaemia. But, when spinach etc. leafy vegetables that are rich in iron are taken, I feel, that this is immaterial. In fact, vegetarianism is self-sufficient for a healthy living provided we take little care to include leafy, green vegetables and fruits of different range in our food.
Constipation, if present, is to be attended by avoiding the food items that constipate, by taking enough quantity of water etc. In most of the cases of anemia, constipation could be the obstacle. It happens due to intake of refined foods and the food items that constipate. The bran of wheat is essential to be included in our food but unfortunately most of the people use it after sieving. Occasional enema will help to remove the constipation and it is not advisable to have medicines that are available in the market aplenty for this purpose. I suggest you to go through my article, “Complete Freedom From Constipation” that was published a couple of months back in the Nisargopachar Varta.
The patient should try to be cheerful always. In this connection, I suggest to do “haasyasana” (to forget all the worries for some time and laugh openly raising the hands). The body and mind are always connected with each other and imbalance of the mind will affect the body as well. Tell in mind that “I am not anemic, but the one with hot and young blood flowing in my body to keep me healthy.” Also, to get sufficient hours of sleep as well is important. Taking bath both in the mornings and evenings with a thorough massage to the body by hand/towel will enhance the blood circulation.
Remember, health is in your mind and in the body and extremities in order to have positive thoughts and actions that enable everybody to lead a happy, healthy and wealthy life. Yes, there lies the beauty of life. Naturopathy, the Natural Health Science is a friend of everybody who wants to be in line with the nature and at the same time is not a foe also of the medicines that are required but without harming the body and mind!
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PS: This article was published by Nisargopachar Varta - official journal of AYUSH, Min. of Health (India).
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