Red blood cell pathology is found in the Full Blood Count (FBC) or CBC for Complete Blood Count (CBC)
You may find this under the heading ‘Haematology’
Red blood cells live for 120 days, so the good thing is thy are always renewing, so once you get your nutrients in, you can have a whole new set of blood cells in four months.
What we are looking at here is the amount, size and shape of the red blood cells.
AMOUNT – you need just the right amount in the blood
Haemoglobulin
Is Iron (Haem) attached to a protein (Globulin)
It takes Oxygen around the body from the lungs and to the body and picks up the carbon dioxide in exchange and goes back to the lungs to exhale and collect more oxygen.
That is why breathing clean air is so important
A lower amount can’t carry much oxygen
A higher amount shows that there is not enough nutrients to make the cells, so more cells are needed to supply the oxygen
SIZE – the cells have to be the right size
MCV Mean Cell Volume
Is the average size of the red blood cell
Too small can also mean low Iron
Too many can indicate low B12 and folate to make the cells
Adequate protein intake is essential to make good amounts of Haemoglobulin
SHAPE – the blood cells need to be the right shape so they don’t stick together and flow freely in the blood vessels
RDW – Red Cell Distribution Width
Measures the difference in the sizes of the cells.
You want them all to be about the same size
Your Pathocize (exercise for your pathology)
Eat a good amount of protein to make the RBC
Ensure you have adequate dietary intake of B12, folate and iron
B12 is found in these foods https://draxe.com/top-10-vitamin-b12-foods/
| Food | Serving Size | B12 Content |
| Beef liver | 1 ounce | 20mcg |
| Sardines | 3 ounce | 2.6mcg |
| Atlantic Mackerel | 3 ounce | 7.4mcg |
| Lamb | 3 ounces | 2.7mcg |
| Wild-Caught Salmon | 3 ounces | 2.6mcg |
| Nutritional Yeast | 1 tblsp | 2.4mcg |
| Feta Cheese | 0.5 Cup | 1.25mcg |
| Grass-Feed beef | 3 ounces | 1.2mcg |
| Cottage Cheese | 1 Cup | 0.97mcg |
| Eggs | 1 large | 0.6mcg |
Folate is found in these foods https://www.mthfrsupport.com.au/top-20-folate-containing-foods/
| Food | Serving Size | Folate Content |
| Spinach raw | 100gm | 194mcg |
| Asparagus frozen | 100gm | 191mcg |
| Mustard greens raw | 100gm | 187mcg |
| Quinoa uncooked | 100gm | 184mcg |
| Lentils cooked | 100gm | 181mcg |
| Kelp seaweed raw | 100gm | 180mcg |
| Collard greens raw | 100gm | 166mcg |
| Lima beans cooked | 100gm | 150mcg |
| Black beans cooked | 100gm | 149mcg |
| Cos or Romaine lettuce raw | 100gm | 136mcg |
| Kidney beans cooked | 100gm | 130mcg |
Iron is found in these foods http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/resource/iron
| Food | Serving size | Iron content |
| Chicken liver | 100g | 11mg |
| Beef | 100g | 3.5mg |
| Kangaroo | 100g | 3.2mg |
| Kidney beans | 1 cup | 3.1mg |
| Green lentils | 1 cup | 3.0mg |
| Tofu | 100g | 2.96mg |
| Chickpeas | 1 cup | 2.7mg |
| Lamb | 100g | 2.5mg |
| Cashew nuts | 30g (20 nuts) | 1.5mg |
| Salmon | 100g | 1.28mg |
| Raw spinach | 1 cup | 1.2mg |
| Tinned tuna | 100g | 1.07mg |
| Rolled oats | 30g | 1.1mg |
| Almonds | 30g | 1.1mg |
| Lamb brains | 100g | 1.0mg |
| Dried apricot |
30g (5 dried apricots) |
0.93mg |
| Broccoli | 1 cup | 0.86mg |
| Pork | 100g | 0.8mg |
| Cooked brown rice | 140g (1 cup) | 0.7mg |
| Chicken | 100g | 0.4mg |
| Snapper | 100g | 0.3mg |
- eat foods high in vitamin C with foods that contain iron
- cook your plant foods to improve the amount of available iron
- avoid having tea, coffee or calcium during or directly after having a source of iron
If you’d like to know more about this or other topics, you are welcome to join my free membership on face book. Thyroid, Metabolic, Hormone Harmony Hub.
I’d love to see you there
Inspiring Wellness
Beth