Dear Santa, I Want Foods That May Help Build Platelets

After I found out I had aplastic anemia, I had to know more. I wanted to know, first, what it was. According to the internet, that was scary enough. My case was brought on by ITP (immune thrombocytopenic purpura) which personally, I can barely pronounce, and I'd never heard of it either. The way ITP is presented on the internet, it looks like "you got a stigmatic virus and, oh boy, you better hold on." Except for the "holding on" part, that's not exactly the case. What I wanted to know was "how to fix it."

So if you have googled here to find out some positive nutritional information to help *build* platelets, at least with what I know and am experiencing, you googled to the right place. Me, I took ATGam intraveniously for 4 days and am now maintaining my bone marrow growth with cyclosporine for at least 3 months, and taking blood and platelet transfusions as needed until I grow my own platelets again. And now, I'm researching proper nutrition to hold and build platelets.

"What can I do to grow my own platelets again?" is all I could think. Then I'd get The Pitiful Look like I had just asked someone the truth about Santa Claus.

I went to message boards, looking for foods that help build platelets. I walked away with one, black comment posted on my brain that tied my stomach in a knot:

"Nothing you can eat will help you build platelets."

How grim is that, even if it does have a certain amount of truth to it. And then, someone swore Strawberry PopTarts helped them, and that just ended up in a firey thread of accusations and frustrations. So I never went back to that board. Instead, I researched everywhere else, and started with folic acid, especially studies for pregnant women building up nutritional levels for healthier babies.

To me, proper nutrition in growing babies could also help in growing baby platelets. Hey, why not? Hell. I'd eat moondust if it'd build platelets. But it seems folic acid was something easier and readily accessible to try.

Finding a list of foods containing folic acid, I began eating more oranges and the leafiest green salads I could get -- namely my mom's. She'll put at least 7 to 10 different chopped ingredients in them on top of a spring mix with spinach and toss with oils to coat lightly. Check it out, they are gorgeous.


This one has romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, red seedless grapes, mandarin oranges, chopped pecans, balsamic-vinaigrette dressing (this was "No-Carb Gourmet" brand) and sesame oil, for flair. Yummy "platelet-making-maybe-why-not" flair.

Pair it up with vegetable soup or a small bit of lean protein which is always good for the blood overall, especially red meat for your iron intake and building hematocrit levels.

One note: The only thing I can say about adding oranges to your diet is to make sure they and grapefruit are okay to eat with the prescription medications you are taking. Grapefruit has been found to interfere negatively with certain medications.

Also, I just found this link on Carepages.com with Healing Recipes and tips ~ looks good. Through Carepages.com, we keep up with a patient who's very special to us at St. Jude. I'll have to tell you that divinely, unbelievable story someday soon. It's long but good and will have a happy ending.

And another thing: It takes energy to make a salad. And when your body and soul is worn down, drive-thru. If you are too tired to make a salad, I can recommend the salads at Arby's, and even Wendy's or McDonald's, these days. In that order, Arby's has the absolute freshest drive-thru salads, like the Arby's Market Fresh Martha's Vineyard salad featuring grilled chicken, apples, cheese, dried cranberries, and toasted almonds with a raspberry vinaigrette.

And, at Arby's, you can also get lean protein roast beef or turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread. Or, try a wrap. When you are sick, remember that you can heal faster with healthy eating, medications taken as directed, and especially rest. So eat well, and remember to treat yourself with a comforting food or just a beautiful cookie or two now and then ~ because that will make you happy, and you need "happy" to get well.

And The truth about Santa Claus is that he does exist, he really does, as long as you believe in the spirit of giving and receiving happiness and joy. And, he likes beautiful cookies, too.