Answer to Question 1
Iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia are not one and the same, though they often occur together. Iron deficiency develops in stages, and the distinction between iron deficiency and its anemia is a matter of degree. People may be iron deficient, meaning that they have depleted iron stores, without being anemic; with worsening iron deficiency, they may become anemic. A body severely deprived of iron becomes unable to make enough hemoglobin to fill new blood cells, and anemia results. A sample of iron-deficient blood examined under a microscope shows cells that are smaller and lighter red than normal. These cells contain too little hemoglobin to deliver sufficient oxygen to the tissues. As iron deficiency limits the cells' oxygen and energy metabolism, the person develops fatigue, apathy, and a tendency to feel cold. The blood's lower concentration of its red pigment hemoglobin also explains the pale appearance of fair-skinned iron-deficient people and the paleness of the normally pink tongue and eyelid linings of those with darker skin.
Answer to Question 2
A proven eating pattern that can help people to reduce their sodium and increase their potassium intakes, and thereby often reduce their blood pressure, is DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). This pattern calls for greatly increased intakes of potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, with adequate amounts of nuts, fish, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products. At the same time, red meat, butter, other high-fat foods, and sweets are held to occasional small portions.
iron
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Structures of iron–sulfur clusters
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Plant foods such as grains and vegetables are the main sources of nonheme iron in your diet
(a) The distribution of sickle cell anemia in the Old World. (b) The distribution of malaria overlap