Living with sickle cell disease (SCD) can be a daily balancing act. Between managing pain, preventing complications, and staying on top of medications, it’s easy to overlook two simple but incredibly powerful tools in your toolkit: hydration and nutrition.
While they may sound basic, proper hydration and good nutrition can make a real difference in how often and how severely sickle cell crises occur.
Let’s break it down and talk about why what you drink and eat matters so much.
If you live with SCD or care for someone who does you probably already know that dehydration can trigger a crisis. But why?
In sickle cell disease, red blood cells become stiff, sticky, and shaped like crescent moons (sickles).
These abnormal cells can clump together and block blood flow, causing pain and damage to tissues and organs. When you're dehydrated, your blood becomes thicker and flows more slowly, increasing the risk of these blockages.
Staying well-hydrated helps by:
Water should be your go-to drink, but don’t ignore electrolyte-rich fluids (like oral rehydration solutions, coconut water, or sports drinks in moderation) especially in hot weather or during physical activity.
To be Continued..
