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[1]Notes for times of disaster
What you should prepare in advance:
Nutritional supplements (vitamin C, vitamin B12, iron, protein), pocket warmers, prescribed oral medicines (iron), etc. |
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| (1) |
Strong and rapid moves can cause dizziness. Do only necessary things with sufficient rest. |
| (2) |
If anemia has continued long, your metabolism is probably lower because oxygen isnft getting to all parts of the body. At a shelter, try to maintain your temperature with pocket warmers. |
| (3) |
Take vitamins C and B12, iron and protein as nutritional supplements when you cannot take sufficient nutrition at a shelter. |
| (4) |
If bleeding doesnft stop, consult a doctor as soon as possible. |
| (5) |
If you have been taking an iron drug, continue taking it. |
[2]Notes for daily life
| (1) |
Get sufficient rest and sleep, and donft do too much. (Take a nap too, if possible.) |
| (2) |
Finish important work early in the day, before your energy runs out. |
| (3) |
Limit things to do in a day. (Ask for help from others for shopping, childcare, housework, driving, etc.) Do only essential things, and avoid making yourself too busy. |
| (4) |
Never do too much. Ask others to do childcare, shopping, housework, driving, etc. for you, whenever possible. |
| (5) |
If you stand up or sit up suddenly from a sitting or lying position, you may suffer dizziness. Move slowly. |
| (6) |
Avoid rapid movements (e.g., dashing, running up the stairs). |
| (7) |
If your nose bleeds, press your nose upward, with your body upright. Cool it with ice if necessary. If the bleeding doesnft stop in ten minutes or so, go to a first-aid station. |
| (8) |
Bleeding may also occur in the bladder or rectum, and cause bloody urine or stools. If this happens, call a doctor immediately. Also keep your body warm, because your metabolism has probably dropped due to the insufficient oxygen supply around the body. |
| (9) |
It isnft only oxygen but also nutrition that doesnft get throughout the body. Shortage of nutrition reduces your resistance. Wash your hands and gargle frequently. |
| (1) |
Eat regular meals, three times a day. |
| (2) |
Eat digestible foods to minimize burden on the stomach and intestines. |
| (3) |
Eat protein-rich foods. |
| (4) |
Eat the five types of food every day, which are eggs, meat, fish, milk and dairy products, and soybean products. |
| (5) |
If you suffer iron deficiency anemia, eat more iron-rich foods. |
[Examples of iron-rich foods]
Liver, oysters, dried noodles, bonito, shungiku (edible chrysanthemum), spinach, parsley, soba (buckwheat noodles), hijiki (a type of seaweed), shijimi (a type of freshwater clam), prunes, raisins, etc. |
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| (6) |
Iron is absorbed better in the body when taken with vitamin C. Therefore, you also need to take vitamin C as well every day. |
[Examples of vitamin C-rich foods]
Broccoli, lotus root, sweet potatoes, komatsuna (a type of Japanese rape), cauliflower, cabbage, kiwi fruit, lemons, oranges, strawberries, persimmons |
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| (7) |
Also, vitamin B12 is essential for making healthy red blood cells. |
[Examples of vitamin B12-rich foods]
Broccoli, spinach, green asparagus, tomatoes, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage, onions, carrots, bananas, peanuts, figs, walnuts |
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| (8) |
Chew well when you eat. |
Gastric acid plays an important role in making effective use of iron, protein and other nutrients in foods to produce blood. Gastric acid is contained in gastric juice. If sufficient gastric acid is not secreted, you will lose appetite, and the required nutrients are not thoroughly digested and absorbed. Chewing well promotes the secretion of gastric acid.
About iron drugs
In the case of iron deficiency anemia, you need to take iron drugs to make up for the iron shortage. Major oral iron drugs include Slow Fe (ferrous sulfate), Ferrum (ferrous fumarate), and Ferromia (sodium ferrous citrate). Some may suffer nausea, queasiness, diarrhea, etc. when taking iron drugs because they stimulate the membranes inside the stomach. If you suffer such symptoms, and cannot take the drugs as prescribed, consult your doctor.
Anemia improves in about six weeks if iron drugs are taken properly. However, you should not stop taking them as soon as you feel improvement. Those who are anemic have exhausted all the iron supply in their body, so must continue taking iron drugs until they have built up their iron supply again, and the doctor thinks you have no need to take them any longer. Also get medical checks regularly.
If you cannot take iron drugs orally, or if oral drugs do not turn out to be effective, you can take them by injection.
While you are taking iron drugs, do not drink green tea or coffee for at least one hour after taking the drugs. Iron drugs take around 30 minutes to be absorbed in the body, and the above drinks contain tannin, which inhibits the absorption of iron. While taking an iron drug, you will find your stools to be deep green or black. You donft need to worry about it, though, because the colors are caused by the iron drug.
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