How to tell if you have anemia

by Jen (February 13, 2008)

I was diagnosed with anemia years ago. The doctor who mentioned it to me said it was no big deal - just take iron supplements and I’d be fine. But since anemia tends to come and go, she offered me two great tips for telling whether I had it at any given time or not.

• Check your eyelids. Look in the mirror, quickly pull your lower eyelid down, and look at the skin inside that eyelid. Is it healthy and pink, about the color of raw chicken? Or is it close to white? It’ll flush pink after a few seconds, so pay attention to the color you first see. If it’s not pink, you’re probably anemic. This tip is supposed to work for people of all races. (The doctor who showed it to me was African American, and I’m white.)
• Check your nails. If your nail beds are pale rather than pink, you probably have anemia. This tip is considered less reliable for darker-skinned people.

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