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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staff
Choose a vitamin-rich diet
Many types of anemia can't be prevented. However, you can help avoid iron deficiency anemia and vitamin deficiency anemias by choosing a diet that includes a variety of vitamins and nutrients, including:
- Iron. Iron-rich foods include beef and other meats, beans, lentils, iron-fortified cereals, dark green leafy vegetables and dried fruit.
- Folate. This nutrient, and its synthetic form, folic acid, can be found in citrus fruits and juices, bananas, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes and fortified breads, cereals and pasta.
- Vitamin B-12. This vitamin is found naturally in meat and dairy products. It's also added to some cereals and soy products, such as soy milk.
- Vitamin C. Foods containing vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, melons and berries, help increase iron absorption.
Consider genetic counseling if you have a family history of anemia
If you have a family history of an inherited anemia, such as sickle cell anemia, talk to your doctor and possibly a genetic counselor about your risk and what risks you may pass on to your children.
- Anemia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/anemia/anemia_all.html. Accessed Jan. 6, 2011.
- Marks PW. Approach to anemia in the adult and child. In: Hoffman R, et al. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06715-0..X5001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-443-06715-0&uniqId=230100505-56. Accessed Jan. 6, 2011.
- Anemia. American Society of Hematology. http://www.hematology.org/Patients/Blood-Disorders/Anemia/5225.aspx. Accessed Jan. 12, 2011.
- How is pernicious anemia treated? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/prnanmia/prnanmia_treatments.html. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
- How is hemolytic anemia treated? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ha/ha_treatments.html. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
- How is sickle cell anemia treated? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Sca/SCA_Treatments.html. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
- Laboratory reference values. Hematology group. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; January 2011.
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