Brief Answer:
Details Requested

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for posting the query.

Before I give you an advice on diet, can you please share her weight and height. Kindly mention the details if she has suffered from any illness, other than low heamoglobin count, during the last year.

Also, please share your child's current diet routine, so that I can suggest a plan that would not shift him from his current feeding schedule. Kindly mention the foods that he does not take.

Waiting for your response.


Meenakshi

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Brief Answer:
High protein and high iron diet

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX

The continuous tiredness, weakness and fatigue are common when the blood haemoglobin level is low. Body requires it to carry oxygen to its different parts. The condition may be caused due to multiple factors but dietary deficiency of iron or folate is the most common. Her BMI, based on her height and weight is also low, 19.9 kg/m2. This indicates the requirement to improve the diet and lifestyle to add few kilos, mostly by gain in muscle mass. Therefore a high protein diet with moderately high carbohydrates would help.

The increased calorie protein intake will have to be justified by including weight training / anaerobic exercise routine in the existing fitness plan. Light weights and other exercises require energy which is supplied by the calories that one gets from diet. Encourage her to take smaller but frequent meals and add nutrient dense foods like fresh cream, nuts and dry fruits and whole grains etc. to the daily diet. Discourage eating or drinking around the main meal timings to save the appetite for main meals.

She must include potato, yam, rice and bread in the diet along with fruits and vegetable as they provide means for better digestion and assimilation of the food consumed. The handy snacks like Peanut Chikki, roasted nuts, dry fruits, sprouts and roasted channa provide protein and energy instantly. Bakery and commercially prepared foods should be avoided as they contain additives and preservatives that may interfere with nutrient absorption.

Starchy fruit like XXXXXXX banana, Sapota etc. are excellent sources of fiber; these may be combine them with milk and its products for improving their overall nutritive quotient. Fruit milk shakes and fruit yoghurt smoothies are refreshingly good foods that provide a blend of nutritious foods.

Remember that weight gain is a slow process, following the diet, eating routine and timings would help. It is very important to keep the body hydrated, drink plenty of water and other healthy drinks like soup, lemon juice, tender coconut water etc.

To improve the condition it is important to take iron rich foods along with a liberal intake of folic acid rich foods and vitamin C. Dark green leafy vegetables, dry apricots, whole wheat bread, dry Fruits like prunes and raisins, beans, lentil, chick peas and soya bean, Rice Flakes with lemon, Pumpkin seeds and watermelon seeds, honey,), Green onion, beetroot and reddish are good sources of Iron. Dried beans, lentils, soaked almonds, spinach, broccoli, cabbage and asparagus supply the mush needed folic acid.

If she takes non veg then eggs and lean portions of red meat are good.
Vitamin C improves the absorption of iron and folic acid. Thus, she must take foods like orange, lemon juice, amla, guava etc. along with iron rich foods. Milk and its products should be taken at a difference of 45 min to 1 hour after taking iron rich foods.

SAMPLE PLAN FOR THE BABY:

EARLY MORNING:
Breast milk / top milk with sugar Followed by powder mix of nuts like almond and walnuts.

BREAKFAST:
Blended rice kheer (cow’s milk) OR fruit custard OR soft curd rice OR thin sooji upma – ¾ cup
If you have already started wheat products, you may try soft XXXXXXX with chopped vegetables and pulses also. Add little salt or sugar as needed.

MID MORNING:
Fruit shake / fruit juice / fresh curd / soft cooked vegetables / payasam – 1 Glass or ¾ cup

LUNCH:
Rice 1 katori + Light Dal 1 katori + curd ½ katori OR Vegetable XXXXXXX / poha / upma etc. ¾ katori + fresh curd – ½ katori OR curd rice / lemon rice – ¾ cup

EVENING SNACKS:
Blended vegetable soups OR fruit juice– 1 Glass With biscuits

LATE EVENING:
Milk – 1 Glass

DINNER
Same as Lunch.

Also, avoid chocolates, excessive dairy (milk and its products), and banana caffeine. Limit the intake of bakery, especially those made with refined flour. Cookies, biscuits and rusk etc. are few examples.

Hope this helps, Please feel free to contact me for further details and questions.

Meenakshi

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