The Red Line of Life: Being Aware Of Hemoglobin

The thick fluid that courses through our veins is a very important component to life without it, we would never live. It courses through our vascular network carrying vital nutrients and precious oxygen needed by the cells in our body in order for it to function properly. The blood cells in our blood are like cars each carrying different passengers with special functions. Take for example hemoglobin which is a passenger in the red blood cell.

Basically, hemoglobin is the oxygen carrying molecule in blood. Every cell in the body requires oxygen in order to work properly so maintaining a balanced hemoglobin level is crucial. But normal hemoglobin levels are different from one person to another and factors like age and gender affect how much of the red stuff is in your body. But normally, hemoglobin levels should be between 12 to 18mg/dl to have a clean bill of health.

Small differences in hemoglobin levels can cause a lot of strain to the body and can also mean that your body would start to complain. Low hemoglobin levels usually mean that you have anemia and it’s likely caused by poor diet and blood diseases. On the other hand, high hemoglobin levels are also dangerous. It is usually connected to lung and blood ailments even diabetes, which is associated with elevated hemoglobin A1c. But there are ways to counter the deviations.

To correct low levels of hemoglobin, all you need to do is start eating food that are high in iron, a vital element necessary in the production of new blood. Liver, seafood, dried fruits and nuts are just some of the food items that are rich in iron. But if anemia is severe, a blood transfusion will be done to quickly correct the problem to avoid further complications.

On the other hand, if you want to correct elevated hemoglobin levels, there are a few things that can be done. Smoking should be stopped, not only can you correct elevated hemoglobin levels but you also avoid other disease like a heart attack. Being hydrated is also important since dehydration also causes the elevation of hemoglobin. If you live on elevated areas like mountain sides, your hemoglobin levels would most likely be high since these areas have low oxygen levels and in order to maximize such a limited supply more hemoglobin must be made. So to correct the problem, just transfer to a lower area which has more oxygen. But for those who have no deficiencies, good diet, exercise and donating blood can help you maintain normal levels of hemoglobin.

Blood counts and portable machines like a hemoglobinometer can determine hemoglobin levels with just a small amount of blood. Having the knowledge of your blood levels can give you the idea on how healthy your blood is and whether you need to visit the doctor or not.

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