Anemia is a condition caused by an insufficient number of red blood cells (erythrocytes), that is, by a reduced amount of hemoglobin. A low number of red blood cells and a low level of hemoglobin (iron) bring fatigue, weakness and poor immunity. The most common symptoms are tiredness, getting worn out quickly, cold hands and feet, paleness, dizziness and depression. If anemia lasts a long time, it can seriously damage your health.
With the help of herbs, you can improve your blood count in a very effective and safe way. Here are proven traditional recipes for overcoming anemia, collected by Serbian herbalist Momčilo Antonijević.
Herbal Teas for Anemia
Tea Blend for Anemia
- Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) – 60 g
- Alfalfa leaf (Medicago sativa) – 20 g
- Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) – 20 g
Mix all the herbs, then pour 3 cups of boiling water over 4 tablespoons of the mixture. Stir, cover and leave for 30 minutes. Strain and drink throughout the day, sweetened with honey.
A One-Month Tea Course: Two Blends
Blend 1:
- Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) – 200 g
- Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) – 100 g
Mix the herbs, then pour half a liter of boiling water over three tablespoons of the mixture. Stir, cover and leave for one hour. Strain and drink throughout the day in small sips. Drink this tea every day for one month. After that period, drink the following blend.
Blend 2:
- Wild strawberry leaf (Fragaria vesca) – 150 g
- Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) – 50 g
- Lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) – 100 g
Mix the herbs, then pour half a liter of cold water over two tablespoons of the mixture and heat until boiling. Remove from the stove, stir and leave for half an hour. After that, strain the tea and drink it in small sips.
This tea is a diuretic, which means it increases urination. Wild strawberry leaf colors the urine a pinkish-brown. This is a completely harmless effect and should not alarm you. If you suffer from high blood pressure, use only this blend.
Fresh Nettle Juice
Freshly squeezed nettle juice is an exceptional remedy for treating anemia and strengthening the body. It is best to use freshly squeezed juice, made by grinding fresh, young, well-washed nettle in a meat grinder or blender and squeezing the juice through a double layer of sterile gauze.
You can also preserve this juice: pour it into small, perfectly clean and dry dark glass bottles with good stoppers. Arrange the bottles in a pot lined at the bottom with a few cloths, fill with water and heat at 80 °C for 3 to 5 minutes. The water must not boil. When the bottles have cooled, keep them in the refrigerator and use them up quickly once opened.
How to use: Take two tablespoons three times a day, with a little honey if you like. Nettle juice can color the stool, which is completely harmless.
Fenugreek Honey for Better Blood Count
Mix 100 g of freshly ground fenugreek seeds with half a kilogram of meadow honey. Stir well with a plastic or wooden spoon. Close the jar and for a few days turn it so that it stands alternately on its lid and on its bottom. This way, after three days, the ingredients will be completely mixed and combined, and the elixir is ready to use. This honey increases the number of red blood cells and improves the body's use of protein.
Honey and Royal Jelly Elixir
Besides tea, an excellent way to improve and strengthen your blood count is to take the following elixir every day.
Mix one kilogram of natural honey with 10 grams of royal jelly and stir well with a wooden or plastic spoon. Store in a tightly closed jar in the refrigerator.
How to use: Every morning after a meal, take one teaspoon of this elixir with a little water. This preparation also has an exceptionally beneficial effect on the stomach lining, so it is especially recommended for people who suffer from duodenal and stomach ulcers.
Reishi
Reishi is a mushroom from the Far East that can improve the blood count and stimulate the immune system. Reishi contains polysaccharides and triterpenes, enzymes that increase the number of red blood cells and so help the body fight disease. Reishi helps the body adapt to various kinds of stress: temperature, injury, sleep deprivation, poisoning, radiation, infection and even psychological stress. This mushroom is very safe to use and shows no side effects.
Beetroot and Lemon Elixir
To make this fruit mix, which also strengthens the immune system, you will need:
- 2 sour apples
- 2 carrots
- Half a kilogram of beetroot
- 2 lemons
- 1 kilogram of honey
Peel and grate the carrots and beetroot. Wash the apples well and grate them with the peel. Sour, russet-type apples are best for this mix. Squeeze the lemon juice, and finally stir everything together and add the honey. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator.
How to use: Take 3 to 5 tablespoons a day.
Traditional Serbian Remedy for Anemia
In Serbia, anemia was treated for centuries with the following folk remedy:
- 3 kilograms of beetroot
- 2 kilograms of sour apples
- Half a kilogram of lemons
- 2 kilograms of honey
Wash, peel and grate the beetroot and apples, squeeze the lemon juice and add the honey. Mix everything with a wooden or plastic spoon and store in a tightly closed jar in the refrigerator.
How to use: One tablespoon of this mixture three times a day will help you feel better and improve your blood count. Use organically grown beetroot and apples and natural bee honey produced near where you live.
Blackberry Wine
In Serbian traditional medicine, blackberry wine is considered one of the best remedies for strengthening the blood and increasing the number of red blood cells. Here is how to make it yourself.
Put two kilograms of ripe blackberries (wild blackberries are better; if you cannot find them, get cultivated, organically grown ones) into a clean container, crush them lightly, add half a kilogram of unrefined sugar and mix well. Cover the container with a clean cotton cloth, tie it and leave it in a warm place for seven days.
After that period, fermentation is under way. Stir the mixture and leave it in a cool place for another seven days. Then strain the wine, let it clear, pour it into sterilized bottles and keep it in the refrigerator.
How to use: Drink 1 deciliter (100 ml) of blackberry wine a day before a meal.
Alfalfa Sprouts
Alfalfa sprouts are your great ally in the fight against anemia. Eat them at least three times a week. This is especially recommended for women in menopause, because alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is rich in phytoestrogens, which are unusually important for easing the symptoms that menopause brings.
Aloe
Aloe (Aloe arborescens) is warmly recommended for everyone who suffers from anemia. You can grow this plant in a pot, or in the garden if you live somewhere with a warm enough climate. Fresh aloe leaves have been known for centuries as a remedy for strengthening the body, improving immunity and improving the blood count. Aloe preparations can be found in all health food and natural product stores.
Anemia often goes hand in hand with tiredness in spring. Read more in Spring Fatigue: Herbal Teas for Detox and Energy, and learn more about nettle in Five Herbs Every Home Should Have.
