Foods You Should Eat to Manage Hemophilia
Hemophilia is a disorder of the blood in which the blood loses its clotting ability. This may cause excessive bleeding after injury or surgery or even spontaneous bleeding. The proteins responsible for clotting, clotting factors are missing in the case of hemophilia. The amount of clotting factor in the blood determines the severity of hemophilia.
Let us have a look at some foods to eat to manage hemophilia.
Fruits and vegetables
Foods that are rich in vitamin C help in the formation of collagen, while those with vitamin B help in the formation of new blood cells. Thus, it is important to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables to manage hemophilia. Foods that are rich in proteins and good fats should be considered. Some of the common sources of vitamin C include strawberries, oranges, papaya, apples, kiwi, blueberries, and pineapple. Some of the vegetables rich in vitamin K should also be consumed, like spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, asparagus, cabbage, and dark green lettuce. Vitamin K helps improve the function of our liver and improves blood clotting, countering excessive bleeding.
Whole grains
Whole grains are healthy and have various nutrients. However, there is another important benefit of consuming whole grains. They increase the energy levels and reduce the cravings for sweets. They also curb one’s appetite and maintain blood sugar levels. Therefore, they help in improving the ability of blood clotting. One should always opt for brown grains instead of processed or whole grains. Whole-grain bread, oats, or brown rice can be healthy alternatives.
Avoid meat
Avoid meat if you’re suffering from the condition of hemophilia, as meat is more likely to aggravate the condition. Instead, you should consume more of dried beans, seeds, and nuts in the meals. These are good sources of proteins and are very healthy for the body and improve blood clotting. Dried beans are extremely rich in proteins and have high fiber with very little fat and zero cholesterol.
Understand portion size
Sometimes, it gets difficult to understand the kind of portion sizes you should be opting for. It is very important to understand how much food from every food group you must consume. The amount of food the body needs depends on the age and sex of the individual as well as the amount of physical exercise one performs. Managing portion size is as important as knowing the foods to eat to manage hemophilia as the body needs a certain amount of iron. The level of sugar must be restricted.