anaemia

Why do you have cold feet?

October 22nd, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

If your feet are chilly, the simplest reason is a lack of warmth. But if bundling up in thick socks doesn’t help to defrost your feet, there may be another cause.

Poor circulation

One of the most common causes of cold feet is poor circulation (slow blood flow). Poor circulation makes it difficult for enough warm blood to reach your feet regularly. This keeps your feet cooler than the rest of your body.

Circulation problems can stem from a heart condition. If your heart isn’t functioning properly, it struggles to pump blood throughout your body quickly enough. Poor circulation can also be triggered by an inactive lifestyle. For example, a job where you sit at a desk all day.

Anaemia develops if you don’t have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. Other symptoms include fatigue, pale skin and an irregular heartbeat.

Anaemia and specifically, iron-deficiency anaemia, is fairly common. It’s usually treated with adjustments to your diet and taking iron supplements.

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes

Diabetes is a disease where the body’s ability to produce or respond to a hormone called insulin becomes abnormal. This can cause large amounts of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Symptoms of diabetes include numbness and tingling in the feet, and cold feet. High levels of blood sugar can cause nerve damage (neuropathy). Nerve damage can bring on the sensation of cold feet that don’t feel cold to the touch. This is usually because the nerves that detect temperature aren’t working properly. The symptoms are usually worse at night.

Hypothyroidism

When your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone, you can end up with hypothyroidism. This condition messes with your metabolism, which controls your heartbeat and body temperature. When there’s an interference with your body temperature and heartbeat, your body may have poor circulation which then causes cold feet.

Treatment

Cold feet treatment depends on the root of the problem. Generally, your doctor may suggest regular exercise to improve circulation. Exercise can help treat other conditions related to cold feet, like heart condition and blood sugar control. He may write out a prescription for medication or supplements. Your doctor will also usually check for nerve damage and blood tests. He’ll be looking for anaemia, hypothyroidism and diabetes. Don’t try any treatments without talking to your doctor.

See your doctor immediately if you experience cold feet along with:

Fatigue
Joint pain.
Weight changes.
Fever.
Sores on your fingers or toes that takes a long time to heal.
Any changes in your skin.
A cold sensation yet your skin doesn’t feel cold to the touch.
Feeling cold even when you’re in a warm space.

References:

Why am I always tired?

June 18th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Do you feel like you’re constantly on “empty”, even as you sleep, exercise and do all the things a healthy person is supposed to? Your health or lifestyle habits could be to blame.

Common energy stealers

Eating too many carbs

Daytime sleepiness has been linked to eating refined carbohydrates, which increase your blood sugar levels. This is followed by a plunge in insulin levels that can cause fatigue and weakness. Carbs may fill you up but they’re not loaded with essential vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to produce energy.

You’re not hydrated enough

When you don’t drink water your blood volume lowers, which means you don’t get as much blood to your brain. This makes your heart pump harder. Increase your water intake by eating more soup, fresh fruits and vegetables. Add pieces of fruit to spice up plain water.

Sleeping at the wrong time

It’s important to get in tune with your personal body clock to help you feel refreshed daily. Too much sleep can be just as bad as too little sleep. Look at what time you need to get back up, then count back 7.5 hours. This is a good time to get into bed. The rationale here is that the average person goes through five 90-minute sleep cycles alternating between sleep When you find your body’s perfect internal sleep-clock, stick to it and be consistent. It will help you be more alert during the day and you will function better.

Thyroid disease

The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism and digestive system. When the thyroid gland is underactive, hormones will not be produced effectively. Weight gain and feeling lethargic become the unpleasant side-effects. Symptoms include tiredness, brain fog, thinning of hair and continuously feeling cold. See a doctor to arrange a blood test for diagnosis.

Anaemia

Anaemia is related to a low supply of oxygen reaching cells and tissues throughout the body. This happens when there’s a problem with the red blood cells making haemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen throughout the body, more especially to the brain where it’s mostly needed. This results in insufficient iron levels within the blood, low Vitamin B12 and folate levels. A loss of blood or a diet that’s too low in the essential nutrients, delays the body’s ability to make enough haemoglobin. Symptoms include feeling as if you’re always tired, regardless of how much you sleep, weakness and lack of concentration.

Constant worrying

Overthinking can drive you crazy, and harm your health. Stressing and worrying have an impact on your overall quality of life, and most importantly, your energy levels. While you may not always be able to avoid stressful situations, doing yoga, practising breathing techniques and learning how to meditate can help relieve stress.

The energy diet

Eat foods that naturally boost your daily energy levels to help you feel more alert every day. Go for more natural foods that are rich in antioxidants, amino acids, proteins and vitamins. High-energy foods include wholegrains, tree nuts, bell peppers, lean meats, leafy greens, and eggs, fruit (especially bananas, apples and blueberries). Avoid unprocessed carbs and refined sugary foods.

References

What does it mean when you have anaemia?

December 8th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Iron plays an important role in your body. It is one of the key element in your red blood cells – the microscopic sized cells that store and carry oxygen to all parts of the body. A shortage of iron in your body is called anaemia.

Anaemia is most common in:

preschool children
women in their reproductive years
pregnant women.

It’s less common in men. According to a 2015 study from the University of Potsdam in Germany, the condition affects roughly 1 out of 3 people worldwide!

How anaemia happens

Anaemia is sign that your health is not at its best and you’re not getting enough good nutrition. The reduced number of red blood cells means that your organs and tissues don’t get enough oxygen. It may also be caused by a diet that’s lacking in iron, folic acid (folate) or Vitamin B12.

Symptoms of anaemia

Fatigue
Weakness
Light-headedness
Headaches
Heart palpitations
An altered taste
Tinnitus (ringing of ears)
Pale skin, tongue, and gums.

Causes of anaemia

Menstrual periods. If you have a particularly heavy flow, you can develop anaemia. The amount of iron in your diet may not be enough to replace the amount you lose during your periods.
Some pregnant women need iron supplements or may need to increase the amount of iron in their diet. Your body needs extra iron to ensure that there’s enough blood flow, necessary oxygen and nutrients for the health of your baby.
Poor absorption of iron. An intestinal disorder like celiac disease affects your intestine’s ability to absorb nutrients from digested food. This can lead to anaemia.
Blood loss from the gut. This is the most common cause of iron deficiency in men. It’s also common in women who’ve gone through menopause. Some gut conditions can cause a lot of bleeding that can lead to anaemia. You may not be aware of this as it can be a slow or irregular process. You can pass blood out with your stools without noticing either.
Poor nutrition. This happens when your diet doesn’t contain enough iron for your red blood cells to function properly.

I’m anaemic, now what?

Your doctor will diagnose your condition with the help of tests, medical and family history. At times, anaemia symptoms aren’t clear or present, so your doctor might find out you have anaemia when he/she is testing for other conditions. Once you’ve been diagnosed, you have a few treatment options. These include:

Eating iron-rich foods like red meat, chicken, pork, seafood, beans, spinach, apricots and raisins. You’ll also need to bone up on Vitamin C (tomatoes, oranges, peppers and strawberries) to help your body absorb the iron properly.
Cleaning your spleen. Your spleen oversees producing red blood cells and keeping fluids in your system. Do this by avoiding sugar for a while, going easy on alcohol, cutting out nicotine and reducing your intake of vegetable oils. Eat clean.
Taking supplements: Iron and Vitamin B complex are known to support your blood cells.
Reducing stress levels: Stress can decrease your body’s productivity and exhaust your organs.

If you still have questions about anaemia, or you are worried that you might be suffering from it, why not ask one of our doctors?

References:

Five reasons you’re feeling dizzy

February 28th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Dizziness is a common symptom, which may mean different things to different people. Some use it to describe light-headedness, loss of balance, feeling faint or unsteady, or the sensation that the surroundings are spinning.

Because dizziness can be used to describe more than a few feelings, it’s not always easy to identify the underlying cause.

Possible causes:

Postural hypotension is a sudden drop in blood pressure when you stand up too fast. When you stand, the blood vessels in your legs constrict which prevents blood from pooling in the veins in your legs. Blood remains in your legs, and the amount of blood returning to your heart is lessened. This means your heart has less blood to pump and you end up feeling dizzy. Postural hypotension is common in diabetics and the elderly.
Cardiomyopathy is a disorder of the heart muscle, which becomes weakened, aged or diseased. This causes your heart to enlarge and lose some of its pumping power. The result: less blood reaches your brain, causing dizziness.
Ear conditions caused by viral infections can also cause dizziness. If you have a dizzy spell when lying down, it’s most likely caused by a viral ear infection. Meniere’s disease (disorder of the inner ear) and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) are common conditions that affect your balance and lead to severe dizziness.
Severe anaemia (deficiency of healthy red blood cells) can make you feel tired, weak and dizzy as your blood can’t carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body. This is common in women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and people with nutritional deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency.

Stop dizziness

Watch what you eat. Extremely sugary and salty foods can leave your head spinning. Excess caffeine and alcohol has the same effect and can cause problems with balance. Avoid or limit your intake of these culprits, and make sure you eat regular, healthy meals.
Take it easy. Get out of bed in stages, stand up slowly, and try not to make any sudden movements. When moving from a seated position to a standing one, flex your legs first to get your circulation going. Focus on an eye-level spot on the wall and take a moment to breathe. Hold onto a stable surface for support, if need be.
Drink up. Dehydration can cause dizzy spells, so make sure you drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Make an effort to drink more water. Can’t stand the bland taste? Add slices of lemon and cucumber to perk it up.
Breathe deep. Anxiety and stress can lead to rapid, shallow breathing, and cause dizziness. Soothe your nerves and stress levels with deep breathing. Take deep breaths from your abdomen to get more oxygen. This will also regulate your blood pressure, heart rate and digestion.
Check your meds. Dizziness is a common side-effect of some medications, including blood pressure pills, antihistamines, and antidepressants. If you think your meds are making you shaky, talk to your doctor about changing doses or using a different medication.

References:

How to iron out anaemia

February 14th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Anaemia is a condition in which your blood has fewer red blood cells than normal. It can also follow if your red blood cells don’t have enough haemoglobin (an iron-rich protein that gives blood its red colour). Haemoglobin helps red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Having anaemia may cause you to feel tired, weak, and short of breath.

Anaemia affects people of all ages and ethnic groups. Both men and women can develop the condition, but women of childbearing age are most at risk due to blood loss from menstruation. Anaemia can also develop during pregnancy. If your diet lacks iron, folic acid (folate) or Vitamin B12, you could be at risk for the condition. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anaemia. Continue reading “How to iron out anaemia”

Could you have hidden superpowers?

June 14th, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

You have it within you to be a superhero! We’re not joking. You were born with this superpower; it runs through your veins and can save thousands of lives.

Continue reading “Could you have hidden superpowers?”

Feeling tired?

May 12th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

Feeling flat and exhausted with no energy – even before you walk out the door in the morning?

Fatigue has become part of our busy lifestyles: not getting enough sleep, a poor diet, lack of exercise and more stress are all things we struggle with every day.

All of these factors put a huge amount of strain on our bodies. Sure, it’s normal to go through periods of short-term fatigue when there’s a deadline to meet, or when life is just particularly busy. If it carries on for too long, though, it can affect your mental capacity and physical health. The bad news? That can lead to some serious long-term health issues.

To combat fatigue it is important to know what is behind it. Have a look at this check list, how many boxes do you tick? Continue reading “Feeling tired?”