Healthy blood requires a balance of iron, oxygen, and regulated sugar levels. Learn how diet, stress, and exercise influence your white blood cell count, platelet levels, and overall circulatory health.
There are several potential causes of elevated levels of protein in the blood. The type of protein circulating in the blood is often an antibody. The plasma cell that produces antibodies is part of the immune system, and thus, elevated protein levels in the blood may indicate an immune system disorder.
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The thickness of your blood depends on specialized blood cells, called platelets. After tissue damage, your platelets activate, clump together and begin to synthesize protein fibers that hold the cells together in a blood clot to prevents bleeding from the injury site.
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Your body needs to maintain an optimum acid-base balance, or pH level, to ensure the various processes within your body occur without problems, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. When your body’s pH level becomes high, the condition is known as alkalosis.
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The circulation of blood into and out of the heart is critical for health. Blood flows throughout the body courtesy of the pumping action of the heart. The blood carries oxygen to the body's tissues through blood vessels, consisting of arteries and capillaries.
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Approximately two-thirds of the total iron in our bodies can be found in the oxygen-carrying protein of red blood cells known as hemoglobin, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, elevated platelet count, also known as thrombocytosis, is a disorder in which excess platelets are produced, leading to abnormal blood clotting or bleeding. Platelets are small fragments of the red blood cells produced in bone marrow.
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Blood type diets focus on how specific foods effect people with different blood types. Dr. D’Adamo, creator of the Geno Type Diet, researched the origins of each human blood type and constructed eating plans to optimize health and help dieters lose excess weight.
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Aerobic exercise can alter the number of red blood cells in several ways. Red blood cells carry oxygen and carbon dioxide through the bloodstream. In general, endurance training increases the number of red blood cells. However, in some cases, exercise can also lead to their destruction.
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Nearly 14 million -- that's how many people ages 50 and up are expected to have osteoporosis by 2020, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. That statistic can be a motivator to make bone health a priority in your life. Evaluating your calcium intake is likely one of your first considerations.
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Vitamin deficiency is normally not the main cause of a low white blood cell count. Powerful infections such as AIDS or cancer are the main culprits.
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Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Because iron is an important component of hemoglobin, consuming iron-rich foods will raise your hemoglobin levels. Low hemoglobin levels can lead to iron deficiency anemia.
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Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs during pregnancy because hormones can affect how your body processes glucose. You'll also be using more energy -- growing a baby can be hard work -- so you may need to adjust your eating habits.
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Blood sugar levels that become too high or too low can cause a variety of health problems and can even be life-threatening. Mild, moderate and severe blood sugar fluctuations can also affect your mood and behavior.
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Albumin, a blood protein, is routinely measured to assess overall health status. Albumin has also been commonly used to determine nutritional health, but the interpretation of albumin levels -- and how to manage low levels -- has changed in recent years.
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