Anita is a 40-year-old woman who prides herself on taking charge of her health. She exercises daily, whether it's walking her dog, playing golf, or a tai chi class at the senior center. She chooses a variety of whole grains; at least five servings per day of fruits and vegetables; and keeping her saturated fat, trans-fat, cholesterol, and sodium intakes to a minimum. She eats lean sources of protein, choosing poultry, fish, or vegetable sources of protein instead of red meat. She maintains a healthy body weight, has never had high blood pressure or high blood sugar, and doesn't take any medications or supplements. Last week, she went to a blood drive at her church with the intent of donating blood, but she was turned away because her hematocrit (a measure of the percentage of red blood cells in the blood) was slightly below the requirements for donation. Anita was surprised because she'd never had a problem donating blood before. The nurse told Anita that her low hematocrit level was indicative of anemia, which has many possible causes. As Anita thought about it, she realized that she had been feeling more tired than usual. QUESTIONS: 1. Iron deficiency is the most common form of anemia. What role does iron play in the health of red blood cells? From the description, is it possible that Anita has low iron stores? 2. A deficiency of vitamin B-6 is another possible cause of anemia. What role does vitamin B-6 play in the health of red blood cells? From the description, is it likely that Anita is deficient in vitamin B-6? 3. What dietary changes could Anita make to improve her iron status? 4. Low vitamin B-12 may result in anemia. What role does vitamin B-12 play in the health of red blood cells? 5. What should Anita do now that she knows she is anemic? Will changes to her food choices suffice to resolve the problem?