Yams, which most of us know as vikuu, are considered locally as breakfast delicacies especially in the village. Few are, however, aware that these are a natural remedy for sickle cell anemia. The disease gets its name from the fact that a person’s red blood cells are shaped like sickles (a farm tool with a curved edge) instead of their usual round disc shape. Round is the healthiest shape for red blood cells because they can move easily through the body.

Any time a person’s body does not have enough blood cells, the person is said to be anemic. When the cause of the disease is the sickle shape of the red blood cells, it is called sickle cell anemia.

Patients often get painful episodes also called ‘crisis’. It happens when the sickle cells fail to move easily due to their shape and get stuck, especially inside smaller blood vessels. This keeps blood from flowing properly in the body which can cause a lot of pain.

Yams have thiocyanate, which has been proven to greatly reduce the sickling of red blood cells, hence may prevent the sickle cell crisis. Thiocynate, sometimes called sulfocyanate or simply ‘yam vitamin,’ is a natural substance found in certain plants called nitrilosides among which are yams.

Reportedly, during the times when African yams were consumed as staples in African, sickle cell anemia was non-existent. These foods are still consumed in Africa, but in smaller quantities, and now sickle cell anemia exists here.

Patients are also advised to follow a diet high in organic iron, cleansing natural chlorophyll, and the all natural anti-sickling nutrient, thiocyanate.

African yams are believed to be the richest sources of thiocynate, but millet, buckwheat, lima beans, greens, cabbage, carrots, cashew nuts, cauliflower, strawberries, lentils, broccoli, chickpeas, plantain matoke, and sorghum are other known sources of thiocyanate.