World Sickle Cell Day 2020: The Warrior’s Diet and Lifestyle

Sickle Cell Day - Warriors Health Guide

Today’s World Sickle Cell Day 2020. The Warrior’s Diet and Lifestyle aims to provide nutrition education and lifestyle tips in Sickle Cell Disease. It is especially important to eat an adequate diet and make lifestyle changes that reduce crisis episodes. We must ensure that we give our body the energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals that it needs to keep us healthy and strong.

What Is Sickle Cell Disease?

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. Healthy red blood cells are round and they move through small blood vessels carrying oxygen to all parts of the body. But, in SCD, the red blood cells become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle”. Sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. Sickle cells can get stuck in small blood vessels and block the flow of blood and oxygen to organs in the body. These blockages cause repeated episodes of severe pain, organ damage, serious infections, or even stroke.

Sickle Cell - Warrior's Health Guide

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Tips for eating an adequate diet

Drink plenty of non-caffeinated fluids each day; ask your doctor or registered dietitian how much fluid you should be drinking.

Keep foods with you when you are away from your home, this will help to ensure that you have a healthy snack with you at all times.

Try to have foods from at least 3-4 of the food groups each time that you eat; this helps you to eat a balanced variety of foods throughout the day.

Consult your registered dietitian for specific recommendations for weight loss or weight gain as appropriate.

 

Ref:

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/minority-health-and-health-equity/sickle-cell-disease-fact-sheet

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/sicklecell/documents/SCD-factsheet_What-is-SCD.pdf

https://www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/aboutus/departments-services/sickle-cell-and-thalassaemia-service/

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