What type of food can I use to build up a low blood count?

4 answers | Last updated: Jan 19, 2012
Q
Maggy asked...
What type of food can I use to build up a low white/red blood cell count. What is the cause?
 

Caring.com User - Beth Reardon
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Beth Reardon, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., is Caring.com senior food and nutrition editor and the director of integrative nutrition at Duke Integrative Medicine. As...
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Beth Reardon said...

A low white blood cell count can indicate a variety of conditions, some of them serious. Before you start a program to try to up these numbers, consult with your See also:
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doctor to rule out viral infections, cancer and autoimmune disorders. Once you've established that no serious problems are present, you can start making changes on your own to improve things.

Step 1

Add foods to your diet that enhance the immune system. These include all fruits and vegetables, which is rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients in general. Garlic and ginger also increase white cell count and may also help fight opportunist infections that take advantage of a compromised immune system. Foods high in zinc, such as squash seeds and oysters, can also help.

Step 2

Take a multivitamin. This is especially important to increase your natural defenses and help protect your body against opportunist infections. Vitamins will also improve your overall health and help your immune system.

Step 3

Start an exercise program. Healthy living will improve your overall health and affect your white blood cell count favorably. Any type of exercise will help, whether you join a gym and work out regularly or simply try to be more active on your everyday life.

Step 4

Have a cup of green tea daily. Green tea contains EGCG (catechin/epigallocatechin gallate), which stimulates white cell blood production. You can add the tea to your regular diet or, better yet, replace a cup of green tea for a cup of coffee or a soda.

Step 5

Try acupuncture. The American Acupuncture Society claims that acupuncture can help strengthen the immune system, raise white blood cell count and help the body fight infections and other health issues.

Step 6

Treat any underlying medical problems you may have. If you suffer from allergies, autoimmune conditions or were recently vaccinated, your body may be under stress and have less energy to fight health conditions and restore defenses. By attending to other medical issues you may have, you will be helping your body naturally restore its cell blood count balance.

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An anonymous caregiver said...

A diet good in vitamins and iron

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my name is agha raheel khan iam from pakistan. my platelet is low in my blood so pls i send u mail can u give any advice to build up my red and white cell in my blood

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Prayers gonzalez535

 

Rachel Tucker said...

also, vitamin C (citrus, tomatoes if your tummy can handle, and other fruits) helps the body process the iron in fodds to help w/ red blood cell, hemoglobin, hematacrit levels mindfulness breathing as outlined by Jon Kabat Zinn and Deepak Chopra will help your body AND mind AND psyche to heal. GOOD LUCK!!!!!

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