Haemophilia Nutrition Tips: Foods To Eat And Avoid
Haemophilia is a rare, inherited condition in which your blood does not clot normally due to the lack of sufficient blood-clotting proteins or clotting factors. An individual with haemophilia will have excessive bleeding, as the blood doesn’t clot properly.
If an individual with haemophilia gets injured, they can bleed for a longer time. While small cuts do not pose any risk, deep bleeding inside your body, especially in your knees, ankles and elbows, and can damage your organs and tissues .
According to the World Federation of Hemophilia, about one in 10,000 people are born with this genetic disorder . In some individuals, haemophilia can develop after birth and is called acquired haemophilia. Haemophilia is of three types or forms, haemophilia A, B, and C and haemophilia A is the most common type . Most forms of haemophilia are inherited, however, 30 per cent of people with haemophilia have no family history of the disorder.
1. Calcium-rich Foods
Calcium can help in building strong bones and maintaining healthy teeth. Calcium-rich foods can help support platelet formation and blood clotting, as well as prevent excessive wound bleeding. Add foods such as broccoli, tofu, yoghurt, figs, kale, milk, cheese, soy milk, asparagus, orange, almonds etc.
2. Iron-rich Foods
When you bleed due to the condition in excess, iron is lost from your body. So, having a diet with iron-rich foods can help the formation of haemoglobin in our body [12]. Include lean red meat, beans, poultry, and dried foods like raisins in your diet. Also, iron is better absorbed when you eat with vitamin C such as oranges and tomato [13].
3. Vitamin C Foods
Eating a vitamin-C rich diet can help improve blood clotting and the production of collagen in our body . Collagen can help reduce the severity of bruising associated with haemophilia. Include foods such as strawberries, oranges, apples, kiwi, spinach, blueberries, pineapple, papaya and Brussels sprouts .
4. Vitamin K Foods
Beneficial for the production of prothrombin, a coagulation or clotting factor that is needed for the normal clotting of blood, and glycogen, which may help to improve our liver function and blood clotting . In addition to this, consuming foods rich in vitamin K also helps to control excessive bleeding . Include foods such as spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, cabbage, asparagus, dark green lettuce, oats, bran, alfalfa, canola, olive oils, green tea.
5. Vitamin B Foods
Vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 helps in the production of red blood cells and all the B vitamins are rich in riboflavin and niacin which improve the blood circulation and production in your body [18]. Include foods such as bananas, peas, corn, orange juice, peanut butter, egg yolks, poultry, fish, fermented cheese, whole grains and soybeans [19].
6. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is very important for individuals with haemophilia. Your whole body and its system need water to function properly. Try to drink 8 to 12 cups of water every day and more if you are very active .
Foods To Avoid For Haemophilia
Avoid foods high in saturated fat and sugar . Fatty snacks, fried foods, soda, sugary candies should be avoided at any cost, while it is alright to eat a piece of chocolate or healthy sugar once in a while.