An iron deficiency should be taken seriously and not ignored until you have more symptoms. Men, women and kids (especially athletes) are low in iron. We’ll look at natural sources of iron for anemia to keep your levels from going too low and leaving you tired and weak.
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Lack of sleep can also give us symptoms similar to anemia. If you struggle to sleep, try 9 Tips to Better Sleep.
Just a note: I am not a doctor nor do I want you to self diagnosis by reading this article. If you suspect you are anemic, please see a medical practitioner right away. They will need to check your symptoms and red blood cell count.
Define Iron Deficiency Anemia
First, let’s put a definition to “anemia”. It’s a condition where the body has a deficiency of red blood cells to function properly. When a person is severely anemic they have reduced oxygen flow to vital organs. Thus making your body feel “heavy” and tired.
As a really simplistic science lesson; red blood cells carry oxygen to our body’s cells and organs, which is vital to our energy levels and our body functioning optimally.
The types of anemia are numerous. You might be familiar with a few like; sickle cell anemia, vitamin deficiency anemia and iron deficiency anemia. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at iron deficiency anemia.
Iron deficiency anemia is caused from a lack of iron in our body.
What are the signs and symptoms of an iron deficiency?
- Extreme fatigue
- Overall weakness
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Cold hands and feet
- Brittle fingernails
- Pale face and skin
- Frequent headaches
- Chest pain with shortness of breath
- Tongue soreness
If you have any of these symptoms and do not know why, please see a doctor. A few reasons for iron deficiency can be; insufficient iron in your diet, heavy menstruation, ulcers, and inflammation of the stomach lining caused by over the counter pain relievers, especially aspirin.
Natural Sources of Iron for Anemia
Thankfully we can increase our iron levels by paying careful attention to what we put in our bodies. Iron is a trace mineral that is found in many common foods that we can eat on a daily basis.
Iron is essential to have a properly functioning immune system, aiding our body in naturally detoxing, and creating important proteins like hemoglobin.
Not sure how much iron you need? This chart gives the recommended dietary allowances for infants, children, teens, and adults.
10 Natural Sources of Iron
Consume organic lean red meat, chicken, and wild caught fish. Ultimately these are excellent sources for our body to absorb the proper amounts of iron. They are considered heme iron which is only found in animal meat.
Consume Dark Leafy Greens. Spinach, Salad Greens, Swiss chard and/or Bok Choy make great choices. They are also high in anti-oxidants and other nutrients our bodies need to be healthy.
Tree nuts, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds are both high in iron and dietary fiber. Chose Organic Raw Almonds for a healthy snack rich in iron.
Legumes. Green peas, white beans, lentils, chickpeas and navy beans provide our body with health iron. Build a healthy soup with this iron rich legumes.
Dark Chocolate. It’s no surprise that cacao has wonderful health benefits including being high in iron. To make it beneficial for us, avoid milk chocolate, and go for dark chocolate that contains 70% cacao or higher. Try Pure 7 100% Dark Cacao Bar for a treat!
White or Red Quinoa. This little seed is high in plant based protein, manganese iron, magnesium and the vital nutrients.
Unsweetened Coconut. Add coconut strips or flakes to your nest salad, granola or homemade treat.
Blackstrap Molasses. This dark sugar is the byproduct of extracting cane sugar from the sugar cane plants. It’s nutrient dense with iron, b-vitamins and potassium. I like Wholesome Organic Molasses.
Take a vitamin C supplement daily. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption. Even taking 100mg-500mg a day will be helpful. (Look for whole food sourced vitamin C supplements.)
Mushrooms. White mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and morel mushrooms are all high sources of non-heme iron. Sauté mushrooms and add them to your plate or cut them up raw for a topping to your salad.
Foods that Inhibit Iron Absorption
When you’re making a conscience effort to consume foods high in iron, you also want to make sure your body is absorbing this nutrient. A few common foods can inhibit our body from absorbing essential iron.
Phytates. You’ve most likely heard to eat foods that contain phytates in moderation. Foods like whole grains, soy, and legumes contain high levels of phytates.
High Calcium Food. The key to consuming calcium rich foods and iron is to keep them separate when possible. The meal that you have the highest amount of iron, chose not to eat it with a high calcium rich food.
Coffee and Tea. These hot beverages contain polyphenols which inhibit the absorption of iron. They are best served between meals if you are trying to increase your iron absorption.
Natural Sources of Iron
When you know that you are low in iron due to anemia, you can follow your doctors orders and chose natural food sources.
Plan ahead to add plenty of meat to your diet, as well as leafy greens, mushrooms, and seeds. A small amount of dark chocolate tops off a healthy meal and satisfies.
Remembering to take adequate amounts of vitamin C will aid your body in absorbing the iron.
I hope you begin to regain your energy and overall feel better! Please share with others in the comment section which natural sources of iron you found most effective.
Pursing Better Health Together,