Contents
An increased level of hemoglobin in the blood is a problem no less serious than low hemoglobin. This is a condition that indicates the presence of a disease or a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the body.
Very often, this problem appears as a result of bad habits, a long stay in the mountains and physical exertion. This causes disturbances in the digestive and nervous systems, appetite and sleep worsen.
Causes of high hemoglobin
An increased level of hemoglobin in the blood in most cases occurs due to smoking, causes a lack of oxygen, as well as blood clots that provoke a heart attack and stroke. Signs of a problem include symptoms such as loss of appetite, fatigue, blurred vision, and pale skin.
Other causes of high hemoglobin:
heart failure
diabetes
bowel obstruction
excess glucose
oncological disease
erythrocytosis
negative environmental impact
pulmonary fibrosis
dehydration
hemoglobinemia
smoking
blood clots
taking steroids and anabolics
Most often, this problem occurs in people who practice an active lifestyle (athletes, climbers, climbers, pilots, skiers), as well as those who live in the highlands. True, for the latter, increased hemoglobin in the blood is considered the norm, since due to a lack of oxygen, the body compensates for its deficiency.
How to lower hemoglobin level?
Hemoglobin levels should be reduced after consultation with a general practitioner, hematologist, and test results. To cope with this disease will help drugs that thin the blood.
For the entire period of treatment, sleeping pills, sedatives, tobacco and alcohol are completely excluded. Medical leeches (hirudotherapy) help to reduce blood viscosity (as well as bloodletting) – it is enough to go through several sessions to improve well-being. The saliva of leeches contains enzymes that normalize blood composition and regulate hemoglobin levels.
If the hemoglobin level is not greatly increased, then radical measures are not required here. First of all, you need to increase the amount of fluid you drink per day and change your diet. It is necessary to exclude from your menu red meat, liver, red berries (with the exception of cranberries), cereals (except for oats, buckwheat and pearl barley) and seaweed. As well as butter, sweets, smoked meats, fatty milk and sour fruits (except lemon).
It is recommended to give preference to the following products:
soy
bananas
River fish
fresh herbs (except nettles)
vegetables (raw, boiled and stewed)
cottage cheese
soups
legumes
berries
grapes
apricots
spinach
beans
herbal tea
cereals (rice, buckwheat and milk)
soft tofu cheese
variety of nuts
fish fat
herbs (snot, wood lice)
sauerkraut
chicken meat
seafood (squid, shrimp and mussels)
dairy products (cheese, kefir, sour cream)
salads
fresh juice
Also, once a week, you should arrange a “unloading” day – drink tea, water and non-acidic juices during the day. Exclude dishes that contain animal protein (beef and pork meat). In addition, it is necessary to abandon sea fish and algae – they contain a large percentage of iron, which maintains a high level of hemoglobin. It is best to go completely vegetarian for a while. Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are prohibited.
In order to effectively lower hemoglobin in the blood, you need to start leading an active lifestyle: do exercises regularly, walk a lot, run, swim, harden – this is necessary for the bone marrow to start functioning properly, this is what will bring hemoglobin back to normal.
If hemoglobin is too high
If the level of hemoglobin in the blood is too high, then neither diet nor drug therapy will help here. In this case, the doctor prescribes erythrophoresis, a procedure by which “extra” red blood cells are removed from the bloodstream. But these are extreme measures that are rarely used. A very good solution to the problem is donation, as new young blood is produced.
Additional tips
The following additional tips can lower the level of hemoglobin in the blood:
Every day for three months, drink three liters of water with the obligatory addition of lemon juice (more: 10 reasons to start drinking lemon water every day).
For breakfast, prepare a fruit salad of finely chopped bananas, apricots and grapes (preferably pitted).
You need to be careful with herbs – most of them increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood. Lower only gout and wood lice in any form.
Conclusion
This condition is treated with blood thinners, a vegetarian diet, quitting tobacco, and an active lifestyle. Elevated levels of hemoglobin in the blood in women can occur as a result of smoking, physical activity, prolonged exposure to highlands and the use of steroids. The symptoms are the same as in men, only weakness is added, which is very dangerous during pregnancy – there may be complications in the liver and kidneys. Hemoglobin levels are normalized with the help of vitamin B12, folic acid, a healthy diet and walks in the fresh air.