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​Healthy Tips

Community Health Services of Union County, Inc. 

Stroke Facts:
 
*103 million is the number of U.S. adults with high blood pressure, a leading cause of stroke.

*795,000 number of strokes in the U.S. each year

*Stroke rate will more than double between 2010 and 2050

*90% of strokes can be prevented

*$40 billion annual costs related to stroke, including health care and lost productivity.

*6 million annual number of deaths caused by stroke worldwide.

*Stroke’s rank #2 in the top 10 causes of death worldwide.

*Of all the strokes that occur 1 in 10 happen to people ages 18 to 50

*In the U.S. a stroke occurs every 40 seconds.

Foods to Fight Iron Deficiency

 You may pump iron at the gym a few times a week, but your body pumps it continuously through the bloodstream every day. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin, a part of red blood cells that acts like a taxicab for oxygen and carbon dioxide. It picks up oxygen in the lungs, drives it through the bloodstream and drops it off in tissues including the skin and muscles. Then, it picks up carbon dioxide and drives it back to the lungs where it's exhaled.

Iron Deficiency

If the body doesn't absorb its needed amount of iron, it becomes iron deficient. Symptoms appear only when iron deficiency has progressed to iron deficiency anemia, a condition in which the body's iron stores are so low that not enough normal red blood cells can be made to carry oxygen efficiently. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies and the leading cause of anemia in the United States. 

Symptoms include:

·Fatigue

·Pale skin and fingernails

·Weakness

·Dizziness

·Headache

·Glossitis (inflamed tongue)

Sources of Iron

The body absorbs two to three times more iron from animal sources than from plants. Some of the best animal sources of iron are:

·Lean beef

·Oysters

·Chicken

·Turkey

Although you absorb less of the iron in plants, every bite counts, and adding a source of vitamin C to vegetarian sources of iron will enhance absorption. Some of the best plant sources of iron are:

·Beans and lentils

·Tofu

·Baked potatoes

·Cashews

·Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach

·Fortified breakfast cereals

·Whole-grain and enriched breads

How to Prevent Iron Deficiency

Eat a balanced, healthy diet that includes good sources of iron to prevent any deficiencies. Combine vegetarian sources of iron with vitamin C in the same meal. For example: a bell pepper-bean salad, spinach with lemon juice, or fortified cereal and berries.

If treatment for iron deficiency is needed, a healthcare provider will assess iron status and determine the exact form of treatment — which may include changes in diet or taking supplements.