Iron....

I cannot imagine someone will not want to know this:…

Iron is a mineral that is important to all body cells. Blood cells especially need iron to make hemoglobin. The hemoglobin in blood cells brings oxygen to the body cells. You can get iron deficiency anemia if your diet does not have enough iron.. This means that your blood has less hemoglobin than normal.

People who have iron deficiency anemia are often tired and don’t have much energy overall.

Iron deficiency anemia may result from:

1.       Not getting enough iron from your food

a.       Older adults with poor appetite or people on a very tight budget often show the signs of anemia. Vegan diet, if not managed properly, results in iron deficiency.

2.       Losing a lot of blood (like heavy menstrual periods)

3.       Changes during pregnancy

How much iron do you need?
It depends on your age and gender:

Group	(MG) per day
Children 7 to 12 mths old	11 mg
Children 1 to 3 years old	7 mg
Children 4 to 8 years old	10 mg
Children 9 to 13 yrs old	8 mg
Female 14 to 18 yrs old	15 mg
Female 19 to 50years old	18 mg
Female over 50 years old	8 mg
Male 14 to 18 years old	11 mg
Male over 18 years old	8 mg
Pregnant female	27 mg
Breast feeding female	10 mg

What foods are good source of iron?

Iron is found in variety of foods.  There are two types of iron, though: HEME and NONHEME.

HEMA foods that are very high in iron, such as liver, are also very high in cholesterol. Thus, chose your battles and eat those foods in moderation, balancing your iron needs by consuming vegetable sources..

HEME IRON
Food	Serving Size	MG Iron	Based on 18 mg requirement
Chicken liver	3 oz	7.2	40%
Beef liver	3 oz	5.8	32%
Shrimp	3 oz	2.8	16%
Dark turkey	3 oz	2	11%
Ground beef	3 oz	1.8	10%
Lamb	3 oz	1.5	8%
Dark chicken	3 oz	1.3	7%
White chicken	3 oz	1.1	6%
White turkey	3 oz	1.1	6%
White fish	3 oz	1.1	6%
Pork	3 oz	0.8	4%
Tuna	3 oz	0.8	4%
Salmon	3 oz	0.7	4%

NON HEME IRON
Food	Serving Size	MG Iron	Based on 18 mg requirement
Fortified* breakfast cereals	1 cup	5	28%
Soy beans, cooked	1/2 cup	4.2	23%
Pumpkin seeds	1 oz	4.2	23%
Molasses	1 table spoon	3.5	19%
Lentils	1/2 cup	3.3	18%
Spinach	1/2 cup	3.2	18%
Tofu	3 oz	2.7	15%
Prune juice	8 oz	2.7	15%
Potato, baked with skin	1 potato	2.7	15%
Red kidney beans	1/2 cup	2.6	14%
Green peas	1 cup	2.5	14%
Garbanzo beans	1/2 cup	2.3	13%
Asparagus, cooked avocado	1 cup/1 avocado	2	11%
Apricots, dried dates	6-10 units	1.2	7%

·         Many breakfast cereals are fortified with extra iron, please check the label. Avoid sugary cereals.

The body absorbs heme iron better that nonheme iron. Heme iron can be absorbed readily regardless of other foods or supplements consumed with it. Vitamin C helps the body absorb nonheme iron. It is recommended consuming Vitamin C food with the meals that have a good source of nonheme iron. For example, add mandarin to your spinach salads; or, drink a glass of a grape fruit juice with your fortified breakfast cereal. Also, eating heme (animal) iron food with nonheme (vegetarian) iron foods help the nonheme iron absorption (if you are not following strictly vegetarian diet, of course.)

Some foods, supplements, and medicines can make it harder for your body to absorb nonheme iron, such as:

1.       Coffee, tea, sodas. – THUS – do not drink those with your food.

2.       Foods with a lot of fiber

3.       Milk and other dairy products intervene with nonheme iron absorption; thus, do not add milk to your green smoothies.

4.       Calcium supplements

5.       Antacids ( acid reducers)

Do you need to take IRON supplement?

If you do not show any symptoms of iron deficiency, and your blood test do not suggest so, you do not need to worry about supplementing. You can over doze with iron and damage organs like the heart or liver.

If you have anemia, your doctor will recommend an iron supplement. Iron pills have side effects such as cramps, nausea or constipation…  Your doctor will have to manage your treatment and advise you on how to go about it.

But, the best way is to know your foods and to manage your diet properly! Eat a balanced diet , considering the high level of cholesterol in some heme source foods and knowing to eat foods high in vitamin C with all nonheme rich foods.

That should be good for now, my dear yogis…

With love and peace:

Truly yours