How I Fixed My Anemia in 3 Steps and Regained an Abundance of Energy

Via a combination of treatments by specialists and healthy lifestyle changes, I improved my condition and regained my energy and vitality.

Anemia, characterized by a deficiency in red blood cells and low hemoglobin caused by various factors, can often go unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms in the early stages.

However, as the condition progresses, it can lead to adverse effects on overall health and well-being, including fatigue, weakness, and reduced cognitive function.

Struggling with metabolic syndrome and autoimmune conditions at the time, I was unaware of the underlying anemia contributing to symptoms of chronic fatigue, weakness, and brain fog.

It was only through a serendipitous encounter with a caring and attentive physician that I got a proper diagnosis and treatment. Previously more experienced physicians did not notice it.

This young physician ordered comprehensive blood tests. Upon reviewing the results, she determined that my hemoglobin and Vitamin B12 levels were deficient. She also noted my oxidative stress and chronic inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

Therefore, she urgently referred me to a hematologist for further evaluation and treatment. This experienced blood specialist, while treating my condition, also helped me understand the importance of a holistic approach to my health.

Through a combination of treatments like vitamin B12 injections and other nutritional supplements, healthy lifestyle changes, and support from other specialists, I was able to improve my condition and regain my energy and vitality.

After three decades of addressing anemia and other related issues, I gained abundant physical and mental energy and felt much younger in my fifties than in my mid-twenties.

I hope that my experience can serve as a reminder of the importance of regular blood tests, timely professional support, and the value of a holistic approach to health and well-being.

The Importance of Hemoglobin for Anemia

Anemia is a health condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to cells, tissues, and organs. Oxygen is essential for the body to survive and produce energy.

Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. When the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells, we lack oxygen levels due to insufficient hemoglobin.

Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. It transports oxygen to various body parts and releases it where needed.

When hemoglobin levels are low, the body cannot receive enough oxygen. So low hemoglobin levels indicate anemia and usually show symptoms of pale skin, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and rapid heartbeats.

Major root causes of anemia include vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The common ones are insufficient iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid. These two vitamins are needed to make the DNA in red blood cells.

Some medications, such as anti-inflammatories and painkillers, can also cause anemia as they might lead to internal bleeding. In addition, chronic stress and other health conditions might also lead to anemia.

Treatment for anemia typically involves identifying and addressing the underlying cause of the condition.

Treatment approaches can include taking supplements, consuming foods rich in specific nutrients, managing chronic disorders, improving living conditions, and addressing the underlying cause of blood loss. The particular focus is on optimizing hemoglobin levels.

Common considerations to optimize hemoglobin levels are addressing iron, B12, and folic acid deficiency, preventing blood loss that might cause by medications, refraining from tobacco smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and high altitude training.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), “Anemia is a serious global public health problem that particularly affects young children and pregnant women. WHO estimates that 42% of children under five years of age and 40% of pregnant women worldwide are anemic.”

Summary of how I naturally and sustainably optimized hemoglobin levels, eliminated anemia and regained my energy.

In this section, I highlight three significant factors that helped me solve anemia and summarize the key points.

1 — Addressed nutritional deficiencies.

The most crucial nutritional deficiency that caused anemia for me was vitamin B12. Despite following a plant-based diet restricting animal products, my family doctor did not test my levels of this critical vitamin.

Only later, when a vigilant physician noticed my symptoms of fatigue and weakness, my deficiency was identified and fixed with an urgent action plan by a hematologist.

Apart from fatigue and weakness, Vitamin B12 deficiency shows symptoms like numbness, unusual sensations, inflamed tongue, depressive feelings, yellow skin, paresthesia, memory loss, reasoning difficulty, lack of focus and attention, headache, lack of balance, mobility difficulties, muscle cramps, vision disturbances, and erectile dysfunction in men.

After initial support from a hematologist to fix immediate deficiency, I fixed my vitamin B12 deficiency by moving from a plant-based to an animal-based diet, called keto-carnivore, which solved nutritional deficiencies for other conditions like Vitamin D, zinc, and choline deficiency.

2 — Lowered oxidative stress.

I did not have stress awareness in my younger years. I knew the body needed acute stress to perform but had no clue about the effects of chronic stress, which was the significant cause of anemia and other health conditions I covered previously.

Chronic stress is a long-term response to ongoing or persistent stressors. It occurs when the body’s stress response is activated for an extended period, leading to an imbalance in the body’s hormones and immune system.

In my case, excessive oxidative stress played a triggering and aggravating factor in my health conditions. Thus it has an indirect effect by breaking the balance of the body, leading to nutritional deficiencies and chronic inflammation, which I cover in the next section.

I approached stress management holistically by making substantial changes in my lifestyle. The most important one fixing sleep deprivation, which helped me optimize elevated cortisol levels.

Personalizing my diet and exercise regimen was the next significant contributor to defeating chronic stress. In addition, eating my food in a specific window (intermittent fasting) and leveraging the power of thermogenesis made a sustainable impact on my stress profile.

Besides physical improvements, I also focussed on mental and emotional aspects. The best solutions were mindfulness practices such as regular meditation, expressive writing, self-talk, and working in a flow state.

Furthermore, I paid more attention to relationships and social connections to improve my emotional maturity and mastery. Setting emotional boundaries was a noticeable contributor to lowering emotional stress.

3 — Addressed chronic inflammation holistically and stopped NSAIDs.

Chronic inflammation did not directly contribute to anemia, but it indirectly impacted due to the excessive use of anti-inflammatory and painkilling medication, which caused internal bleeding. I will cover the details of this undesirable situation in another article.

The relevant point to anemia was initially reducing NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and later cutting them totally and solving chronic inflammation issues holistically.

In a nutshell, NSAIDs work by inhibiting COX enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of prostaglandins. They do the job well but inhibit COX1, which is needed for protecting the stomach lining, regulating blood flow in the kidneys, and promoting blood clotting. Inhibition of this vital enzyme can cause internal bleeding, leading to anemia.

Previous items like fixing nutritional deficiencies, solving sleep issues, stress management, and personalizing my workout regimen lowered inflammation to some extent.

However, the most significant impact was entering deep ketosis and making my body fat-adapted with time-restricted eating, such as one meal a day, occasional long-term fasting, a ketogenic diet, and a fast-mimicking lifestyle.

Another lifestyle change was to stop drinking coffee and replace it with cold showers, which significantly lowered inflammation. In addition, using dry saunas lowered the toxins in the body and improved inflammation markers.

Summary and Conclusions

Anemia happens when the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen. This is caused by low hemoglobin levels, a protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen.

Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and pale skin. Common causes of anemia include deficiencies in specific vitamins and minerals, loss of blood, chronic stress, other health conditions, and medications.

Despite various types of anemia, typical treatment approaches focus on addressing the underlying causes and optimizing hemoglobin levels through supplements, diet, and lifestyle changes.

Takeaways from the Article

1 — Educate yourself on the signs of anemia and have your hemoglobin levels and nutrient deficiencies checked by your family physicians.

2 — Seek a referral to a hematologist (blood specialist) for further evaluation and treatment.

3 — Address nutritional deficiencies with the help of a dietitian or nutritionist who can provide you with a personalized diet.

4 — Manage stress with restorative sleep, regular exercise, rest, recovery, mindfulness practices, and working in a flow state.

5 — Address chronic inflammation using a holistic health approach. Understand the potential side effects of anti-inflammatory medication and seek help from your physician to lower their use.

6 — Improve your relationships, and cultivate strong social connections to lower your stress and boost your mood.

Anemia is a severe health condition. However, with timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and healthy lifestyle changes, it can be effectively managed.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

Besides aiming to increase the hormonal intelligence of my readers and writing about neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, GABA, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine, one of my goals as a writer is to raise awareness about the causes and risk factors of prevalent diseases that can lead to suffering and death for a large portion of the population.

I aim to educate, create awareness, and empower my readers to take control of their health and well-being.

To raise awareness about health issues, I have written several articles that present my holistic health findings from research, personal observations, and unique experiences. Below are links to these articles for easy access.

Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, and Major Diseases.

I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:

Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients to improve metabolism and mental health.

Disclaimer: Please note that my posts do not include professional or health advice. I document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives only to provide information and create awareness.

I publish my lifestyle, health, and well-being stories on EUPHORIA. My focus is on metabolic, cellular, mitochondrial, and mental health. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.

You might join my six publications on Medium as a writer by sending a request via this link. 24K+ writers contribute to my publications. You might find more information about my professional background. You may join Medium with my referral link.