blood

My hemoglobin is 8.2 and I need to build it up, what diet or how would I go about building it back up?

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

A. The most important thing is to find out why your blood count is low. Are you having heavy bleeding from your uterus? Do you have an ulcer and bleeding in your intestinal tract? Are you just after an operation and lost a lot of blood?  You should be talking with your doctor to find out why. A low blood count can make it difficult to stand up without getting dizzy, make you short of breath and make it hard to fight of infections.

The best way to build up your blood count is by taking a multivitamin and an iron supplement and you will need to take it for at least 3 months. Check your blood count each month until it is close to normal. Eat lots of green leafy vegetables, red meat and liver.  If you are dizzy, you might have to be given blood.  There are too many questions left unanswered about your condition. It is important you go to talk with your doctor and get a plan.  A nutritionist is also a good resource to look at what you are eating and which foods are most helpful for you.

Machelle M. Seibel, MD