Being fatigued or having cold hands is no fun – here’s how to avoid any anemia symptoms during your next trip.
You’ve waited weeks, nay months for this vacation. You’ve planned every last detail, confirmed your reservations, and the car’s already packed.
And then your anemia kicks in. You planned so many fun things and yet you can’t enjoy any of it because you feel fatigued, or the slightest activity makes you feel dizzy. Vacation ruined.
Living with anemia can be difficult, especially when you’re on the road, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Besides doing things like making sure you’re eating enough iron, there are many other things you can do to keep your hemoglobin levels up so you feel energized all day.
Here are some of our favorite tips and tricks to keep in mind next time you want to make the most out of your well-deserved break.
Keep Snacks on Hand
You should make sure that most of your meals have iron-rich foods on them, but that can be difficult depending on where your trip takes you. To avoid this problem, we recommend keeping plenty of nutritious snacks on hand. If you feel yourself getting fatigued at any point, simply eat a little bit and your energy levels should pop right back up.
Examples of iron-rich foods include:
- Beef jerky
- Sunflower seeds
- Fruit & nut bars
- Hard-boiled eggs
Take it Easy
We get it, you’re excited to do everything you couldn’t do while you were busy at work. That doesn’t mean you need to run from one thing to the next with no breaks in between, however.
The more physical energy we exert, the more hemoglobin our body needs to deliver oxygen to our muscles, which zaps our energy levels pretty quickly. It’d be like trying to complete a 10-hour road trip by going 100 miles-per-hour the entire time — eventually, your car is going to need some more fuel. If you drive a little slower, your car will be able to go longer distances because it won’t get overworked. Your body’s no different.
Enjoy the Weekend, Responsibly
Go ahead and crack open a cold one, or two…or hell, even three. You might even be doing your body a favor, as studies have shown people who drink an average of two alcoholic beverages a day actually have higher iron levels.
Heavy alcohol use, however, has been linked with many health problems, including malnutrition and defects in the shape of our red blood cells, both of which can lead to anemia-related symptoms.
Keep AnemoCheck on Hand
You’ll have your smartphone on hand for most of the weekend anyway, so why not download AnemoCheck and check your hemoglobin levels to make sure you have the energy to tackle whatever’s on your itinerary? You’ll be happy you did.
