Mamashealth.com Home Digestive Health Appendicitis Celiac Disease Children With Ulcers Cholecystitis Constipation Crohn's Disease Digestive Bleeding Diverticulosis EG Esophageal Ulcer Fecal Impaction Fecal Incontinence Food Poisoning Gas Gastritis Gastroenteritis Gastroparesis GERD GERD and babies Heal Ulcers Heart Burn Hemochromatosis Indigestion IBS IBS Help Lactose Intolerance Liver Cirrhosis Mega Colon Menetrier's Disease Pancreatitis Peritonitis Proctitis Rapid Gas Emptying Reduce Gas Smoking effects Stomach Flu Stomach Ulcer Stomach Ulcer Diet Treating Ulcers Ulcerative Colitis Whipple's Disease Zollinger-Ellison Links Email Mama Gastric bypass surgery Gastric bypass surgery risks Gastric bypass surgery: afterward After tummy tuck surgery Tummy tuck surgery Tummy tuck surgery risks Sign up for the MamasHealth Newsletter	What is Hemochromatosis? Hemochromatosis is a hereditary disorder in which the body absorbs too much iron from food. Usually, excess iron that the body doesn't need is excreted. But in hemochromatosis, the excess iron is stored in the body. Some of the places it is stored are: the pancreas, liver, and skin. The excess iron damages these organs and tissues. Hemochromatosis is also called hereditary hemochromatosis. What are the Symptoms of Hemochromatosis? Some of the most common symptoms of hemochromatosis are: fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), and a change in skin color to bronze or gray. Long Term Affects of Hemochromatosis? Over time, hemochromatosis can cause liver disease, liver failure, liver cancer, heart disease, diabetes, impotence for men, and infertility and loss of periods for women. How is Hemochromatosis diagnosed? Hemochromatosis is diagnosed through blood tests that measure iron levels. If your doctor thinks liver damage has occured, a liver biopsy can be done to check for the amount of iron in the liver and for liver damage. How is Hemochromatosis Treated? One of the treatment options for hemochromatosis is to remove excess iron from the body. Iron can be removed from the body by drawing blood. The blood will be drawn periodically for the rest of the person's life. How to stay healthy if you have Hemochromatosis? Check-ups: It is important to have the amount of iron in your blood checked regularly. Food: Do not eat raw fish or raw shellfish. Raw fish and shellfish contains germs. Cooking destroys germs harmful to people with iron overload. Alcohol: Do not drink alcohol, especially if you have liver damage. If you choose to drink alcohol, drink very little. Iron pills: Do not take pills or supplements that have iron. Eating foods that contain iron is sufficient. Vitamin C: Vitamin C increases the amount of iron your body absorbs. Don't take vitamin C pills. Eating foods with vitamin C is fine. Exercise: You can exercise as much as you want.	Featured Book
	Health Topic: Tummy Tuck Surgery: What No One Tells You Medicare Part D: Everything you need to know Worst date story: "Sobbing and scandal " How to choose the best weight loss program Easy flirting tips How to deal with a stubborn husband or boyfriend Surviving a financial crisis Save money in the kitchen Inexpensive health insurance
	Information obtained from MamasHealth.com™ should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use. Contact us: PO Box 2170, Pasadena, CA 91102-2170 If you want a review of your product featured on MamasHealth.com, let us know. ©2000 - 2008 MamasHealth.com™. All rights reserved