A simple answer: Iron is essential for cell metabolism, and if it’s not available – no matter how well a person is eating (iron-deficient) or what their diet may look like (iron-deficient diets), they can develop iron-deficient anemia – which means that your cells lack enough iron. While iron may be easily found in seafood, it’s a more complicated topic with vitamin C, which is often used as a substitute for iron, being in some foods and supplements. To understand the basics behind this problem and its treatment, I’ll explain the difference between iron-deficient anemia and iron overload, why it causes various health complications, and why people should consider dietary changes to prevent it – especially if they are lactose intolerant.
What Is Iron-Deficient Anemia?
If you think about living without access to food and water, it would be hard to imagine life without all the iron you need and don’t have. This happens due to natural evolution, as iron is crucial for cellular survival for plants, animals, and humans. Without iron, we wouldn’t be able to make things with the power they do. Let’s take a closer look at how our bodies get iron and how it’s needed.
What Are Your Body’s Sources Of Iron?
Your body gets its amount of iron from your diet. Your body gets your minimum intake of iron from consuming foods and beverages. Your digestive system produces small amounts of iron when digesting dairy products and other nutrients. Vitamin C is one of many vitamins that may contribute significantly to your RBC hemoglobin levels. But there are also other sources of iron, including:
Older red meat: Older meats like pork chops and beef are rich in iron. As older meats decrease in iron, it makes sense; blood has less iron-carrying protein, and more oxidized iron. The risk for developing iron-deficient anemia is lower if you eat older red meats like pork chops and beef.
Older meats like pork chops and beef are rich in iron. As older meats decrease in iron, it makes sense; blood has less iron-carrying protein, and more oxidized iron. The risk for developing iron-deficient anemia is lower if you eat older red meats like pork chops and beef. Freshwater fish: Fish and shellfish are the second largest source of the mineral after rice. However, fresh fish often gets caught out because of low supplies. They’re also loaded in mercury, which can cause hormonal disorders. Despite these risks, canned or boxed fish and canned tuna tend to be most popular on grocery shelves today. You can find cans and boxes of both in stores and online at almost every store. Some canned fish may even have low levels of arsenic or PCBs or methylmercury
Fish and shellfish are the second largest source of the mineral after rice. However, fresh fish often gets caught out because of low supplies. They’re also loaded in mercury, which can cause hormonal disorders. Despite these risks, canned or boxed fish and canned tuna tend to be most popular on grocery shelves today. You can find cans and boxes of both in stores and online at almost every store. Some canned fish may even have low levels of arsenic or PCBs or methylmercury Beans and pulses: In order to survive and multiply, our ancestors relied on beans and pulses to produce energy. Not only did they start as a staple among hunter gathering groups, but they were consumed by ancient Roman settlers who lived in caves. People ate them for centuries, until people started to realize the impact that was having on food. After years of prohibition, processed bean and pulse soups became popular food staples and beans started to lose their nutritional value. More recently, beans like kidney beans and black-eyed beans are becoming more popular due to their nutrient content and plant-based ingredients. There are dozens of brands of soybeans, so it's easy to find a variety your preferences. Because our ancestors didn’t know how to cook these foods and make them healthier, they ended up substituting all other foods for beans and pulses. Today, there are plenty of brands offering soy-based, kidney-bean/black-eye soy products ranging from regular to extra-low-fat versions. Soybeans are a good choice for many kinds of people because some of them like their texture or color, while others prefer the flavor. Most people who are lactose intolerant benefit from soybeans; however, lactose allergic persons should avoid soy, soy milk and tofu, soy foods, tempeh and tempeh-based proteins in order to have the same amount of iron they need from soy, so they have more blood iron in their RBCs.
Another allergy is celiac disease, which affects almost 1 in 10 Americans. If you have celiac disease, then don’t consume soy in any form. Also, some Celiac patients may have other allergies to wheat, barley, rye and oats. Keep a close eye on soy products that may contain gluten or wheat, such as soy chips and cereals.
What Are Your Excess Amounts Of Iron?
Excess amounts can lead to many health issues when the body isn't getting all of the iron it needs. When we have excess iron stored in our RBCs, our thyroid gland starts overworking and producing too much thyroid hormone. That creates several endocrine problems – hypothyroidism, low growth hormone, low absorption, constipation, acne, infertility, osteoporosis, and skin cancer – leading us to feeling tired and weak. On top of that, elevated quantities of iron can affect your immune system. Even if your diet is low in iron, excessive amounts can harm your white blood cells and cause oxidative damage. Lastly, high concentrations of the mineral can lead too high of stress on the liver. We need zinc to maintain healthy bacteria in our intestines so that we can get rid of waste quickly. Zinc is also needed to help prevent free radicals from damaging our DNA. Too much of anything can eventually create unwanted side effects. These reactions occur when minerals react to substances and react badly. Therefore, it’s important to take care, especially if you are lactose-intolerant. Having excess amounts of iron can cause these long-term health issues, and those are just some of the risks you run by consuming too much iron. Many times, the symptoms of excess amount of iron can go unnoticed. If it’s not noticed when it feels like you’re about to blow up, it might be harder to correct.
How Can Symptoms Of Iron-Deficient Anemia Be Caused By Low Levels Of Vitamin K And Zinc?
Low levels of vitamin K and zinc are more common in men than women. Vitamin K deficiency is linked to increased clotting potential and fatigue, and zinc deficiency leads to lower bone mineral density. Vitamin B12 deficiency is related to poor nerve function (which is needed for a faster reflex response for fast-paced situations), fatigue, depression, sleep problems, and reduced sexual desire.
What Causes Iron Deficiency And How Do You Get It Corrected?
There are many different ways iron may become deficient, including:
Not being able to absorb calcium properly (especially from your diet). Not being able to absorb calcium correctly at first could cause a buildup of iron. This accumulation could result in insufficient amounts of enough iron to perform cellular functions. Not losing enough iron as it gets into your bloodstream (especially in pregnant women). Not being able to excrete enough iron as it goes down the intestinal tract. Not being able to produce enough iron. Not having enough iron to carry oxygen to the muscles in your hands and feet. Being sick. Being on medication or taking certain supplements. Exercising less than usual. Being a woman.
When do You Need To Start Taking Prevention Measures?
One way to combat iron deficiency is to drink lots of fluids. Drinks containing minerals like potassium are recommended both during pregnancy – both during the third trimester as well as the fourth – and throughout the week in case you are breastfeeding and your stomach is trying to push the contents all the way down into your intestines. Make sure you drink a glass of green tea daily, or try adding lemon juice to water, or orange juice.
Maintaining your adequate levels of Vitamin D during menstruation and premenstrual stages, and if you aren’t planning on breastfeeding can be beneficial. You don’t want to add too much Vitamin I to your diet to compensate for vitamin K or zinc deficiencies. Studies have shown that men need more Vitamin E than women. Vitamin E supplementation can help with Vitamin D deficiencies, and supplementation with zinc (or both) can help with Zn deficiency. Other factors include:
Foods rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which will help to reduce bowel movements and relieve bloating. Those can also improve how you feel while sleeping.
Green leafy vegetables and nuts that have omega fatty acids - to improve circulation and reduce inflammation in your brain
Foods, beverages, and supplements rich in fruits and vegetables, which will help boost the number of minerals that your RBC can draw out of your body. Those can help improve how well your RBC can dissolve calcium.
Foods that have antioxidants such as curcumin and flavonoids that can support better memory, less anxiety, and lower inflammation. Water (or milk, depending if you are lactose
0 Comments