Food choices for people with hemophilia

Maintaining a healthy body for patients with chronic diseases is the most important thing, including hemophilia patients. This blood clotting disorder makes the body more prone to bleeding for longer, as well as developing joint and bone problems. Therefore, maintaining joint and bone strength for hemophiliacs is very important, and this can be started from the right food choices. What is the recommended diet for people with hemophilia?

Healthy and nutritious food choices for hemophilia sufferers

Hemophilia people are prone to complications that affect the joints. According to the Hemophilia of Georgia website, excess weight can put extra strain and strain on the joints.

That is why people living with hemophilia should try to maintain their normal body weight by adjusting their diet. The reason is, excess pressure can increase the risk of internal bleeding, especially in the joints.

Not only that, people with hemophilia who are overweight need replacement treatment for blood clotting factors more often than people with normal weight. If body weight is kept within normal limits, patients do not need to spend more money and time on treatment.

Patients with any type of hemophilia are strongly advised to choose healthy foods with balanced portions. The following are food choices that should be included in the daily menu of hemophilia sufferers:

1. Green vegetables and fruits

The preferred food choices for people with hemophilia are vegetables and fruits. It is no secret that vegetables and fruit are high sources of vitamins and minerals.

To maintain bone and joint strength, getting intake of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K is crucial. With these vitamins and minerals, bone strength and density can be maintained.

Plus, a diet with vegetables and fruit certainly contains high fiber. Apart from lowering cholesterol, controlling appetite, and maintaining body weight, fiber also helps maintain your digestive health. Thus, you will avoid digestive problems that increase the risk of internal bleeding which is also dangerous for people with hemophilia.

Some vegetable choices that may be useful for people with hemophilia include:

• broccoli
• Kale
• spinach
• lettuce
• carrot
• sweet potato
• pumpkin

Apart from vegetables, people with hemophilia are also advised to eat fruits in their daily diet, such as:

• orange
• Apple
• banana
• pear
• strawberry

2. Whole grains

Other foods that must be consumed for hemophilia sufferers are whole grains. The content in grains which are full of vitamins and minerals is very beneficial for the health of the body, especially people with hemophilia.

Reporting from the Harvard School of Public Health website, whole grains contain important nutrients, such as fiber, B vitamins, iron, antioxidants, and magnesium. Overall, the benefits of consuming whole grains are:

• helps maintain blood sugar levels
• lowers cholesterol
• maintain digestive health
• maintain the immune system

With the various benefits above, you can prevent various health problems that lead to complications of hemophilia, and maintain a normal body weight. So, instead of eating white rice, you should replace it with bread whole wheat (whole wheat), oats, quinoa, or flax seed (linseed).

3. Meat

A diet containing meat is also recommended for hemophilia sufferers. Remember, maintaining a normal weight doesn't mean you shouldn't eat animal products at all.

Meat is a good source of protein and is rich in iron. Maintaining iron levels in the body for people with hemophilia is very important. The reason is, hemophilia patients are also prone to experiencing iron deficiency. This is reviewed in an article from Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences in 2017.

Choose meat with low fat content. Some options that you can try are red meat, skinless chicken breast, and fish.

In addition, the processing process also needs attention. You should cook meat by boiling, grilling, or grilling without excess seasoning and oil.

4. Dairy products

You can still eat foods and drinks that are processed from milk. Calcium and vitamin D intake is an important aspect of the diet for people with hemophilia.

Apart from calcium and vitamin D, dairy products also contain other nutrients that you need to maintain a normal health and weight, from probiotics, fiber, to phosphorus.

Plus, products such as cheese that are rich in phosphate are useful for maintaining the acid balance in the mouth, so that gums and teeth can be cleaned. This is important to reduce the risk of gum bleeding which is common in people with hemophilia.

However, make sure you choose low-fat dairy products. Various choices that you can consume are low-fat milk, yogurt, and so on cottage cheese .

Then, what are the dietary restrictions for hemophilia patients?

In general, people with hemophilia should reduce their consumption of foods high in saturated fat and sugar.

You can still occasionally eat fried foods, soft drinks, or cakes, but do it within reasonable limits. Here is a list of foods that you should start reducing in your daily menu:

• soft drinks or soft drink
• packaged tea
• coconut milk food
• high fat dairy products
• candy
• foods with trans fats, such as pizza, biscuits, or pastry)

Apart from food, also avoid using vitamin E supplements or fish oil for hemophilia sufferers. The reason is, vitamin E and fish oil have the risk of inhibiting the work of platelets in clotting blood. You should consult first before deciding to take certain supplements or vitamins.

Not only maintaining food intake, hemophilia sufferers also need to maintain their body weight by exercising. However, be careful to choose the right exercise when you have hemophilia. One-one, instead of being in shape, sports that are not right are at risk of aggravating bleeding. Talk to your doctor about the right exercise for you.