Iron levels!!?

Question

I’m a Veggie, my doc recently told me my iron level in my blood is very low (8), and said I should start eating beef and told me there was no other option. I’m on iron tablets for a while, I was wondering if there’s any thing else I can do to raise my iron levels??

Answer 1

multi vitamin/multi mineral and cook with cast iron. the mineral content will leach into the foods and water as you are cooking.

pick up old and well used at a thrift shop, clean and cure it again. The new ones take too long to cure and aren't made as well as the one ones.

Answer 2

Uh, I apologize, but your doctor is an idiot.

In fact, he is an ARROGANT fool for thinking that a PhD in medicine grants enough knowledge to impart nutritional advice. It is most obvious that he doesn't know his @ss from his elbow in regards to the subject.

http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/iron

Answer 3

I would suggest eating more iron-rich foods: spinach, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, apricots, almonds, raisins, quinoa, brown rice, blackstrap molasses, black beans, pinto beans.

All of those foods are good sources of iron.

You might also want to eat foods that are rich in vitamin C. That will help iron absorption. Citrus fruits, green bell peppers, and strawberries are just a few that will help. Cooking in a cast iron skillet and eating iron-fortified foods will also help a bit.

Oh! Try to avoid coffee, tea alcohol and dairy. Those all hinder your body's ability to absorb iron.

I wish you good luck!

Answer 4

Drink blood...  Just kidding.  Other than the tablets, since you don't eat meat, I don't think there are any other options.

Answer 5

Firstly change your doctor because he's talking rubbish

supplements are important  but it is best to get your vits and mins from your diet. Iron can be found in dark leafy green veg , dried apricots,sesame seeds.

Answer 6

8 is certainly low, but telling a vegetarian they have to eat meat to correct it is simply wrong! Go to www.vegsoc.org/info/iron.html which will give you plenty of info on what you should be eating. If the iron tablets disagree with you, you can always take Spatone (at your pharmacy) which is a  well tolerated source of iron.  Get your blood rechecked every few weeks until it is up to 11.

I promise you that a balanced vegetarian diet of a broad selection of veg, fruit, nuts and pulses does not cause iron deficiency.  Obviously, those who just eat chips and pizza instead of meat may have nutritional problems.

Answer 7

eat lots of spinach, kale and other green leafy vegetables, and beans. take iron supplements.

Answer 8

Call your local blood donation center. My iron levels were low when I donated once and they gave me a list of foods that were high in iron. I believe broccoli and spinach are high in iron, but that was a couple of years ago and I don't recall for sure. There were definitely foods other than beef and liver on there. You can also take iron supplements.

Answer 9

I cannot believe that eating meat again is your only option! As people before me have said: there are plenty of alternatives. I am sorry but I have doubts about your doctors capabilities.

Answer 10

Are you eating lots of green leafy vegetables (spinach is of course very good for iron)?  Have a look on the internet and do a little research - probably stir frys are good...

Answer 11

i'm anemic so my iron levels are really low aswell! i drink this stuff called "Floravital" from the company "Floradix". You can get it from some supermarkets but your best bet is health stores like Holland & Barret. A good source of iron i always have is bran flakes :)

Answer 12

try .http://www.healthcastle.com/ironshtml this has foods on thta will help your iron be absorbed into your body more effectively. i had a similar problem. Also avoid tea as this will not help your iron absorbition levels. iron rich foods are some green like brocilli, asparigus and some grains

Answer 13

This is the major draw back on being a veggie, you don't get the correct minerals.

I suggest you take your docs advice or you will be on tablets the rest of your life.

Your choice, but you health must come first.

Answer 14

Eating BEEF is not the answer

1) It depends on IF your body is using the food you are eating FULLY. Many(most really) people do not. Suggestion a Digestive aid, taken at meals. I use Mega-Zyme by EnzYmatic.. there are plenty on the market that are good. The Vitamin Shoppe has HCI tablets which is good also.

2) There is more usable Iron in Dark Greens: Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Romaine etc. than in Beef.

3) Many young women need Iron Sups, Even when they are eating a diet heavy in animal flesh.

Slainté (to your health)

Answer 15

Enriched breakfast cereals

Cooked beans and lentils

Pumpkin seeds

Canned beans

Baked potato with skin

Enriched pasta

Canned asparagus  

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/iron.html - this is a handy factsheet!

http://www.tried-and-tested-vegetarian-r... - vegetarian iron rich recipes!

Answer 16

Look up brand name 'Meridian'- organic Molasses, pure Blackstrap. Tastes good on toast but looks like marmite'

Stay away form 'tea' because this weakens the body's absoption of Iron.

To answer 'Matthew B', Nothing is wrong with being Veggie, you can find nutrients in  lots of other things. There are whole peoples/tribes that are completely veggie and they survive.

I might need to have a word with your doctor who could only think of meat....but I'm sure he/she meant well...

Answer 17

Check out www.vrg.org for a list of iron-rich foods for veg*ans.  And as someone else pointed out, eat foods rich in vitamin C when you have your non-heme iron.  Just drizzling a little lemon juice over steamed kale or spinach is good.

Answer 18

Foods Rich in Iron* (Dietary Iron) are:

List of Grains Rich in Iron:                    

Brown rice

Whole wheat bread

Wheat germ

English Muffin

Oatmeal

Total cereal

Cream of Wheat

Pita, whole wheat

Spaghetti, enriched

Raisin bran cereal

List of Iron Rich Legumes, Seeds, and Soy:  

Sunflower seeds

Soy milk

Kidney beans

Chickpeas

Tofu, firm

Soy burger

List of Vegetables Rich in Iron:  

Broccoli

Green beans

Lima beans, baby, frozen

Beets

Peas

Potato, fresh baked, cooked w/skin on

Vegetables, green leafy

Watermelon

Answer 19

u can drink milk or have beet root ......... that increases the iron in the blood ........... the iron in the blood is determined by the haemoglobin content .......... so ur iron ........ thats haemoglobin is 8 ......... normal range for a man is around 12.. over it is also good but then the body requires more oxygen............ the iron comes down after an illness because the iron in the body is used by the antibodies to fight the disease

so u know u need to eat spinach ........ beet root and have milk ......... also have eggs ...... thats it