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TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF IRON DISORDERS ON THE HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS, TO ENCOURAGE MEDICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION TO STEM THE TIDE OF THESE DISORDERS, AND TO DECLARE THE MONTH OF JULY 2015 AS "IRON DISORDERS AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, the term "iron disorder" defines any condition of iron in the body which allows too much or too little iron for the body to function normally; and
Whereas, those who suffer from iron disorders can have many vague symptoms or health issues, including fatigue, joint pain, bone or joint disease, shortness of breath, irregular heart beat, liver trouble, diabetes, infertility, impotence, depression, mood or mental disorders, poor cognitive skills, or neurodegenerative diseases; and
Whereas, while some iron disorders are simple to detect or manage, others can consist of multiple iron disorders, disease, or other factors that create challenges or barriers to good health; and
Whereas, major iron disorders include hereditary hemochromatosis, iron deficiency anemia, anemia of chronic disease, and iron overload with or without anemia; and
Whereas, nearly half of the population in the United States is affected with an iron disorder, and South Carolina has the highest rate of genetic hemochromatosis, or iron overload, in the nation, a condition which can be fatal if left untreated; and
Whereas, teenage girls are often first diagnosed with anemia during high school blood drives but are not given proper education about their risks and the necessary diet to maintain a healthy lifestyle; and
Whereas, with proper education and medical attention, a person with an iron disorder can incorporate substances or foods to increase or improve iron absorption and can avoid foods or substances that impair that absorption; and
Whereas, some patients have other medical issues that complicate iron balance, such as sickle cell disease, thalassemia, blood diseases, and cancers, and they need to develop individual diet plans; and
Whereas, iron disorders can increase the incidence of other diseases, such as atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, multiple visceral types of cancer, type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis and osteopenia, hepatocellular carcinoma, sarcopenia or muscle wasting, hepatitis C virus, and Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases; and
Whereas, a healthy diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, adequate protein, and limited dairy, fats, and sugars constitutes the basis for a good eating plan that will assist the proper absorption of iron and lower the risk of associated diseases. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, promote understanding of the destructive effects of iron disorders on the health of our citizens, encourage medical research and education to stem the tide of these disorders, and declare the month of July 2015 as "Iron Disorders Awareness Month" in the State of South Carolina.
This web page was last updated on April 29, 2015 at 2:49 PM