The Red Line of Life: Understanding Hemoglobin

ur blood is literally the life line of our body. 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. Normal hemoglobin levels vary and depend on gender and the person's age but in general normal values would range from 12 to 18mg/dl.

 

Straying from normal levels can be very taxing for the body and can likely lead to disease. Low hemoglobin levels are almost always associated with anemia caused by many factors like poor nutrition, bone diseases and genetic disorders. 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.

 

For those who are deficient in hemoglobin, consuming food rich in iron helps in elevating hemoglobin levels in the body. Some iron-rich foods are organ meats, seafood, dried fruits, nuts and even green leafy vegetables. For severe cases, a blood transfusion and supplemental injections and tablets will be prescribed by the doctor to correct the problem quickly.

 

On the flip side, if you are suffering from too much hemoglobin, there are several things to do to help you drop it down a notch. First, stop smoking since cigarettes lower oxygen delivery in the body which compensates this by increasing hemoglobin. Then start drinking sufficient amounts of water since dehydration also ups hemoglobin levels. If you are living up the mountains, maybe it's time for you to relocate to a lower elevation to help bring the hemoglobin levels down to a more acceptable range. But if all else fails and you want a quick fix, ask your doctor for a phlebotomy which simply means removing excess blood similar to a blood donation. However, if your hemoglobin levels are normal then all you have to do is maintain a healthy diet, engage in exercise and best of all donate some blood because it allows the body to renew its blood supply.

 

A simple blood test or the use of a hemoglobinometer can help determine how much hemoglobin is present in your blood. Knowing the level can help you assess your health status so that if you do have a problem, a simple doctor's appointment can help correct the problem.

 

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