Iron Deficient/Anemic
Posted by tamikads on Mar 09, 2007 · Member since Mar 2006 · 25 posts
Hello Everyone,
I'm a little concerned.. I've been extremely fatigued and having dizzy spells lately. Sad to say, I actually fainted. How can I avoid being iron deficient?
Thanks,
Tamika
Eat dark leafy greens and legumes, especially lentils.
I am rather anemic owing to a chronic disease and I have to take iron tablets. I still have to eat plenty of leafy greens and lentils because the tablets will never be as good as getting it from food.
You can also cook in an iron kettle or skillet. I don't own one, but I do own a glass top stove, so I can't cook with iron pans. There is some argument about whether the iron from an iron pan is appropriate for humans. It is all elemental iron which is what we need. Once upon a time when meat was a treat and beans and bread the norm, people cooked in iron and managed pretty well from what we know.
One provision if you do decide to cook with iron. That is, don't cook tomatoes or high acid/vitamin C foods in it. Iron will turn tomato sauce a weird color.
I second the dark leafy green vegetables. If you don't like them, however, try raisins. They're loaded with iron
Maca powder (from a root vegetable) is a great source of iron. I add it to smoothies, but you can add it to just about anything. Since iron absorbtion is increased by vitamin C and inhibited by calcium, I generally add it when my smoothies are made with OJ or other fruit bases instead of high calcium soymilk.
I also write down what I eat so that I can visually keep track of my iron. If by dinner I realized I haven't much, then I make sure to sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on a salad, have some veg chili, or make sure I toss some tofu into my dinner, etc.
I take iron supplements because I have been deficient on and off for a few years. I get my blood checked a few times a year to make sure everything is fine. At a very low iron point a few years ago I was incredibly weak and fatigued too, but I never fainted. Perhaps you should see a doctor to not only get your iron tested, but also make sure that you are not experiencing these symptoms for another reason.
I agree with the leafy greens, raisins (or other dried fruits-- try figs as well!), and monitoring your food intake. And Applelover mentioned pumpkin seeds, or pepitas-- they're about the best source of iron I can think of. I buy the hulled, raw organic ones from Trader Joe's; they're fairly cheap (as nuts/seeds go), high in protein, add a nutty flavor to foods, AND they supply 20% (!!!) of your iron for the day! Make sure you're eating them with a NATURAL source of vitamin C, not a supplement; genuine Vitamin C has been shown to be more effective at increasing iron absorption than supplemental-vitamin C. (So, a real orange, as opposed to orange juice, which has the vitamin C re-added to it after it's pasteurized, which heat-fries the natural stuff out of it. :( ) Also, don't be afraid to go over and above your iron requirement a LITTLE bit; because your body only absorbs about 5-25% of the iron that you consume, depending on the availability of the iron in the food.
For the record, contrary to what their nutritional information states, spinach, tofu, and soy protein isolates/concentrates are NOT great iron sources, due to the oxalates they contain which hinder the bio-availability of their non-heme iron. Excessive fiber intake will also decrease your absorption, as well as calcium and zinc overloads. (Try to consume these at different times.) Whole-wheat couscous or quinoa, slivered almonds or milled flax, and lightly-steamed broccoli/brussel sprouts is a great iron-rich meal. Drizzle with a viniagrette or tahini sauce (for even more iron) and your favorite spices!
I would definitely recommend going to your doctor and getting your Iron and B12 levels tested. Add get Iron Supplements from the Chemist, the normal vitamin ones don't generally have enough Iron in them to raise Iron levels, they are more intended for maintaining already high/normal Iron levels. So make sure what your getting is made to treat Anemia. And ask the Chemist if they are vegetarian/vegan.
A couple more things, Do you drink a lot of tea? Tea is Iron leaching. I had slightly low iron for a bit and this is what solved it for it for me. I just switched to herbal 'teas'. For some people as little as 2 cups a day can lower your iron count.
Another item that is a good source of Iron is molasses. If you use sweetener in anything try giving Molasses a try, it has a flavor similar to brown sugar.
Also are you sure it is anemia and not hypoglycemia? Both of these can cause fatigue and dizziness.
I forgot a few good ones - quinoa (also protein packed) and cereals (raisin brans are often loaded with iron)
I also was tested as slightly anemic. But I'm not sure why. I eat a ton of dulse which is incredibly high in iron and lots of veggies.
Seaweed has lots of iron and blackstrap molasses.
I recommend that you not assume your symptoms are caused by iron deficiency. While they could be, they could just as easily be something else. Before you treat yourself, you should probably find out exactly what's going on.
Good luck!
i had the same syptoms last year and i started on iron and b-12 right away and felt better within a couple of days. i am now more aware of getting enough iron and b-12 through foods but i keep supplements on hand just in case and i do take a multi vitamin too. i think iron pills can be constipating so i took flax if i had too resort to the pill form. i saw a doctor later on and she wished i had taken blood work to really confirm by self diagnosis of anemia but i havn't had any problems since so something is working. in retrospect i probably should of seen a doc first though just to get baseline levels. good luck and feel better soon!
*bump* for myself
A couple more things, Do you drink a lot of tea? Tea is Iron leaching. I had slightly low iron for a bit and this is what solved it for it for me. I just switched to herbal 'teas'. For some people as little as 2 cups a day can lower your iron count.
Another item that is a good source of Iron is molasses. If you use sweetener in anything try giving Molasses a try, it has a flavor similar to brown sugar.
Also are you sure it is anemia and not hypoglycemia? Both of these can cause fatigue and dizziness.
Awwww, bugger. I've been feeling under the weather lately (and admittedly I've been eating kinda poorly), but based on some bizarre symptoms I've never really felt, I'm thinking it may be anemia. I'm realizing that although I cut out all other caffeine, I drink way way more green tea than I used to. I've been taking my multivitamins especially carefully these last few days, but I think I might need iron tablets.
I'm going in to the doc next week for a couple other tests, since my symptoms don't necessarily point right to anemia. Booooo.
Just a heads up for anyone taking iron pills, they work best on an empty stomach, and they REALLY work well if you take it w/ orange juice. Vitamin C helps the absorption. However, as I'm sure some of you know, they can be incredibly constipating, so you might want to take a stool softener at the same time, if it becomes a problem. OOH, one last thing, do NOT take the "slow release" iron, they do not work because iron can only be absorbed in one part of the intestine... and yeah, they're the biggest waste of money. Sorry to be all medical nerd, but I worked at a cancer center for two years, practically everyone that walked through the door was anemic, so I've got my iron instructions down to a T. Yay for raising your Hemoglobin!! :)
I started taking iron pills recently on the advice of my doctor and when I got them the pharmacist told me I should take them with a meal, because very few people can tolerate them on an empty stomach. But as Pinkerbell03 mentioned, I know they are supposed to be better absorbed on an empty stomach. So...what to do I wonder? I do always take them with orange juice so at least that is hopefully helping with absorption.
Everyone's giving really good advice. I used to take iron pills, and yes, if you take 'em on an empty stomach with some orange juice you will get maximum iron absorption, but you'll also probably get an upset stomach. Hence, the "take with food" recommendation. But unless you're severely iron deficient, you probably don't even need the iron pills, just boost your intake of vitamin C and that should probably do the trick.
Also, are you certain that it's iron deficiency, or just guessing? Because I had the same dizzy/fainting spell problem a year ago, got my blood tested and everything was normal. Turned out I just wasn't drinking enough water while staying up all night doing homework, and the dehydration was doing weird things to my blood sugar levels.
When I had a round of heat exhaustion last summer I went to the doctor and had my blood tested. I was low on my iron and bordering on anemia. The doctor (his nurse actually, over the phone no less) told me to take 300mg of iron twice a day. Now, I am no silly nelly. I looked up how much iron is a Daily Recommended Value and that dosage is WAY beyond it. What I did was stop in at my health food store and talk to the pill people there. I take a Blood Builder iron & B once a day.
I am pretty sure my horrific periods keep me on the edge of being anemic permanently. The iron helps and I can take my morning pills with a glass of Orange Juice and wait till I am at work to eat breakfast.
Also, are you certain that it's iron deficiency, or just guessing? Because I had the same dizzy/fainting spell problem a year ago, got my blood tested and everything was normal. Turned out I just wasn't drinking enough water while staying up all night doing homework, and the dehydration was doing weird things to my blood sugar levels.
If you're directing to the OP, the original thread is almost a year old, so the OP may not still be around. If you're directing to me, no, I'm definitely not sure it's anemia. (I've been doing research, and I'm thinking anemia, thyroid, Reynaud's??)