Overview – can iron deficiency be the reason why I feel tired all the time?

Today’s lifestyle has become hectic and challenging. Its a fast world which demands efficient utilization of every minute. In this busy world we got no time to keep a check on our health! On the top of it, no “time” for health issues. We cannot deny the fact that we all prefer to ignore little signs like feeling tired all the time. It is common nowadays to feel tired all the time, and the reasons of why we always feel tired are not uncommon as well. While factors like inadequate sleep, over working, and stress play a major role in this; probably there’s a more serious but easily manageable reason which almost always gets unnoticed. Its deficiency of Iron. Yes you read it right, iron deficiency might be the reason why you always feel tired.

Fact check- Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common conditions in India. But wait! The bigger problem is it’s diagnosis. Symptoms of iron deficiency often go unnoticed as they are not distinguished. Most of us “feel” that everything’s alright, as the symptoms are fairly mild. Even though the symptoms are not noticeable enough, iron deficiency ends up degrading one’s productivity. Like always feeling tired is not a significant symptom, similarly experiencing weakness once in a while, or catching cold very often is not given much of an importance, and no one believes this could be something serious which is obvious and normal. However, good news is we can easily maintain our iron levels with a healthy & balanced diet. This will definitely help you feel more active, and you’ll notice that you aren’t feeling tired all the time anymore.

So what could be done to avoid feeling tired everytime?

Getting the blood levels checked regularly plays an important role here. All the elements of our body should fall in a certain range, which ultimately facilitates smooth functioning of our body and keep the immune system at it’s best. Common nutritional deficiencies such as iron or hemoglobin makes one weaker. It’s not only about the blood levels; but but it’s also about the lifestyle which gets affected.

A person with iron deficiency does not feel active and is tired all the time which restricts the person’s performance, catches cold frequently then this disturbs the person’s lifestyle. Few might find it difficult to stand for long without feeling uneasy. Overall the immune system deteriorates to some extent which is just enough to make us fall sick easily and not realize if anything’s wrong with us. One might experience weakness, one’s ability to work or perform exercise decreases, few might find it difficult to focus as well. Thus day-to-day life’s productivity gets hampered. Such things stunts the a person’s growth in career and life. If we see the bigger picture, huge population suffering from such deficiencies is limitation for the progress of the country.

However, the good news is it’s much easier to maintain healthy iron/ hemoglobin levels than to identify the issue! Hence it is best to follow theses simple tips-

Tips to maintain healthy iron levels

1. Do health checkups once or twice a year.

2. Avoid self diagnosis and consult a doctor.

3. Make sure that you have a balanced diet.

Some iron-rich food you might consider to include in your diet are-

1. Soaked Black Raisins.
2. Nuts and dry fruits, seeds like- sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds.
3. Beetroots.
4. Pomegranates
5. Lentils.
6. Dark chocolate.
7. Chickpeas.
8. Eggs.
9. Meat

And lastly….

• Don’t forget to have healthy amount of citrus fruits as a source of Vitamin C in order to increase iron absorption in you body. A
• Healthy mind is as important as a healthy body, have a good 7-8 hours of sleep and consider meditation, or fun activities like painting, cooking, dancing, singing, or a simple walk or drive by the nature; it surely helps!
• Start having a Balanced Diet Daily – all the essentials in the right quantities. Do not hesitate to ask a Doctor or a Dietitian whenever needed!