Any Advice on an Iron rich diet?

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FuzzyB

Senior Cook
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
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Hi Guys,

I have recently been diagnosed with Anaemia, but it has gotten worse from one blood test to the next although I am on medication!

I just wanted to ask if anyone knew anything about this kind of stuff and what are the best things to be eating etc etc?

Any help is greatly appreciated :)
 
were you advised to take a vitamin C source, with your iron medication? I really really hope you were...the absorption of iron in the human body is greatly enhanced by taking vit C at the same time as the iron, doesn't matter the source of iron, food or med, but vit c must be present to enhance the absortion of the iron, other wise, the iron is......well....eliminated from the body;)
 
were you advised to take a vitamin C source, with your iron medication? I really really hope you were...the absorption of iron in the human body is greatly enhanced by taking vit C at the same time as the iron, doesn't matter the source of iron, food or med, but vit c must be present to enhance the absortion of the iron, other wise, the iron is......well....eliminated from the body;)


Ooooh no I was not and this is very helpful and could explain a lot! Will get some OJ in for when I take my tablets - thank you very much for that! :mrgreen:
 
Greens, like turnip greens or mustard greens are good sources of iron as is meat livers...but if your taking medication & vitamins, it might be wise to eat iron rich foods in moderation, as iron is subject to store-up and become a toxin issue to your health, particularly if you don't drink alot of water.................................BH51..
 
Cool thanks for that! I drink approx 3 pints a day along with about 4 herbal teas, 1 coffee and perhaps a juice in the am! Is that enough?
 
Fuzzy B, if you google "iron rich snacks" it might help. I would suggest you either buy some trail mix or make your own using raisins and almonds particularly. Almonds are a big help with the iron. As was mentioned all the dark green veggies are iron rich. If you can snack a bit on iron rich stuff it will likely help so you don't have to change your diet as much. Good luck!
 
Fuzzy B, if you google "iron rich snacks" it might help. I would suggest you either buy some trail mix or make your own using raisins and almonds particularly. Almonds are a big help with the iron. As was mentioned all the dark green veggies are iron rich. If you can snack a bit on iron rich stuff it will likely help so you don't have to change your diet as much. Good luck!


Good idea thanks for that - I will look it up and see what I can get :mrgreen:
 
What everyone else suggested, plus beans and lentils. As always, talk to your doctor.
 
I have been anemic for a long time. My iron count was shockingly low at one point and the doctors were not sure how I functioned with almost non existent iron.

Depending on how Anemic you are the iron rich foods will help but you will need supplements period and as someone indicated you need vitamin C to ensure it absorbs and stays. I also heard from my doctor friend that iron alone will not help but I also have to take folic acid with it.

In any case, the foods that are obvious are red meat including salmon and the big one liver. I personally dislike red meat and also dislike liver so my only choice is salmon along with leafy greens and they are by no means enough to build my iron reserves so I keep resorting back to supplements.

Also the iron supplements make me very sick but sigh there is no choice in my case.

All the best
 
Keep an eye on that, my friend. Mine got so critically low (4.5) that I was about to die from that alone.

I have read that spinach actually robs your body of iron...why don't you ask your doctor?
 
Hi Constance, I sympathize with you. My iron got down to 2. In a normal adult that number should be 12. They told me it was non existent in my body and they were not sure how I moved about, drove and did my normal chores. I was summoned to bed rest for a week and had to take 350 mg of iron supplements - 3 a day. I have built my reserve up but still it fluctuates tremendously.

You definitely have to watch it. You can eat iron rich foods but depending on the condition food alone by no means is enough in some cases as you said it so correctly.
 
I have been anemic for a long time. My iron count was shockingly low at one point and the doctors were not sure how I functioned with almost non existent iron.

Depending on how Anemic you are the iron rich foods will help but you will need supplements period and as someone indicated you need vitamin C to ensure it absorbs and stays. I also heard from my doctor friend that iron alone will not help but I also have to take folic acid with it.

In any case, the foods that are obvious are red meat including salmon and the big one liver. I personally dislike red meat and also dislike liver so my only choice is salmon along with leafy greens and they are by no means enough to build my iron reserves so I keep resorting back to supplements.

Also the iron supplements make me very sick but sigh there is no choice in my case.

All the best

Thanks for all of this! My problem has been that I do eat a lot of red meat and yet I was having this problem so they put me on the supplements, I went back for a check up and my iron levels had actually gotten worse! So they have upped my does :ermm: i hate them too - they make me feel a bit off some days and ok the next! I can never tell!

I am going to try the Vit C thing which I started with this am and see how that works, I will look into this folic acid thiong too! Thanks for all of this :mrgreen:
 
Keep an eye on that, my friend. Mine got so critically low (4.5) that I was about to die from that alone.

I have read that spinach actually robs your body of iron...why don't you ask your doctor?

The amazing thing is they never told me what it was just that it was low! On my next chgeck up in three weeks I will ask them and see :)

Im sorry to hear that you got that bad though! I didn't even know that this was a possibility :(

My doctor advised red meat and green veg! Very exciting isn't it? I have been trying slowly but surely! Thank you for all your advice :mrgreen:
 
I know I'm repeating what some have said already, but go for color. Darker greens, darker colored meat usually have more iron (this is a generality, not the bible). But One thing I don't see mentioned (and I may have missed it) is that sometimes, for some people (I hate disclaimers, but need to), when you increase iron in your diet (and I've had this problem with vitamins geared to women that have extra iron in them), constipation is a side effect. So make sure to add plenty of cruciferous veggies and whole grain starches when you add the iron-rich foods.
 
Beans and lentils are a decent source of iron and they've got plenty of fiber too, so they could provide a double whammy =)
 
Haha Thanks Guys so far so good for me and am already feeling better! More energetic! Not 100% but Id say 80% which is fab!
 
refried beans and seafoods

i suggest you eat beans as well as seafood such as clams and oysters....also liver is a good source of iron but not many people like to eat liver:chef:
refried-beans-400-kalynskitchen.jpg

frijoles refritos
 
i suggest you eat beans as well as seafood such as clams and oysters....also liver is a good source of iron but not many people like to eat liver:chef:
refried-beans-400-kalynskitchen.jpg

frijoles refritos


Believe it or not I love liver if it is cooked right I will eat it lol!
 
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