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Posted 5/19/2010 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
any suggestions for foods that are easy to eat and supply a lot of iron?

I was in the ER for a kidney stone the other night and the nurse said my blood count was 9.9 (low is 12 she said)

I am feeling really tired and have some of the other symptons of iron deficiency...weird feeling in extremities etc...am going to call GI tomorrow but want to start eaing a bit better- i know meat is good but red meat and i are not the best of friends these days...

any thoughts?

thanks!

Posted 5/19/2010 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
I think which foods are easy to eat is different from person to person.

Here is a list of some high-iron foods though: www.momswhothink.com/diet-and-nutrition/foods-high-in-iron.html

For me personally, my gut seems to have no problem with fish like Halibut so I've been eating lots of that. Lean chicken, cooked spinach, or lentils might be a good choice if you can personally tolerate those. I think you can also get iron supplements, but I don't know much about supplements.
Posted 5/19/2010 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
Proferrin iron pills helped me get my count up. Eating chicken livers every day also helped. Unfortunately the amount of iron you actually absorb from leafy greens like spinach is miniscule.
Posted 5/19/2010 2:06 AM (GMT 0)
It is unlikely that you can get enough iron from food. There's just not that much in there, even in meat. UNLESS you eat liver.

My daughter does well on iron supplements - Solgar's Gentle iron or the ones Rider suggests. Don't waste your time trying to get enough iron from food.   

Posted 5/19/2010 3:48 AM (GMT 0)
I just started taking dessicated liver pills today. While it only says 11% of your daily intake, I figure it should be highly absorbable.

If I could find organic liver (for some odd reason, I can't find a store that has it), I would do the frozen raw liver "pills." Shred/cut liver into tiny little pill size pieces, freeze for 2 weeks (to kill any uglies, since it's raw), and then swallow the little pieces like you would pills.

Your best bet would be to get a nice iron (Venofer) infusion. If my hemoglobin was 9.9, but hematologist would order a set of 4. It's been almost 2 years since my last set of infusions, and hemoglobin is still above 12. My ferritin has slowly dropped over that time from 300 to 30, hence why I'm starting the dessicated liver.

http://www.iherb.com/Solgar-Desiccated-Liver-250-Tablets/11320?at=0
Posted 5/21/2010 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
thanks for all of the advice!
i picked up some extended release iron pills until i can talk to the doc- hopefully that will do some good...
although a nice think juicy steak soounds so good!! yeah right...
Posted 5/21/2010 2:45 PM (GMT 0)

spookyhurst said...
freeze for 2 weeks (to kill any uglies, since it's raw), and then swallow the little pieces like you would pills.

I don't know that freezing something and then thawing it would actually kill any bacteria....
Posted 5/21/2010 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
I got the info at http://www.westonaprice.org/The-Liver-Files.html. Weston Price is all about healthy food practices, so I believe them.

The How-to-do-it of Eating Raw Liver

This takes some getting used to! There are two basic methods. One calls for freezing the liver for 14 days in large chunks. (Fourteen days will ensure the elimination of pathogens and parasites.) You can then grate the liver on the small holes of a grater and add it to milk or juice, or even hot cereal. A teaspoon or two of grated raw liver can be added to baby’s egg yolk, or even to mashed vegetables.

The second method turns liver into pills! Cut fresh liver into pea-sized pieces and freeze for 14 days. Swallow like vitamin pills.
For both methods, the liver should be of the highest quality available and very fresh.
Posted 5/21/2010 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting!
Posted 5/22/2010 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
The problem is finding quality liver. After watching Food Inc., I don't think I'd want to eat conventional liver they sell at the grocery store (in fact, I'm a little disgusted to eat a lot of things after Food Inc.). You would think a place like Trader Joe's or Sprouts would have some organic, but nope.
Posted 5/22/2010 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
How about spinach popeye swore by it!!!! seriously though it has a high iron content, also watercress is good along with the iron pills Bev x
Posted 5/24/2010 4:39 AM (GMT 0)
I have iron infusions now, but I was told years ago to cook my liver in a cast iron frying pan. I really don't know if it helps or not as I don't eat liver, but it was from a reliable source.

All the best,
Julia
Posted 5/24/2010 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
If you cook anything in cast iron, but especially acidic foods like tomatoes, you'll get some iron. That's apparently how all the vegetarians living in India maintain healthy iron levels.

I take ferrous something-or-other, a slow release iron, but only when I'm menstruating. It bothers my bowel too much to take it daily. And I do love the occasional beef meal, plus dark leafy greens. I was anemic with no iron stores two years ago and after 6 months of daily iron I've been maintaining this way successfully.
Posted 5/24/2010 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
Low B12 can cause a weird feeling in the extremities plus fatigue. The fastest way to get it is via a shot - very safe.

If you are not taking folate (folic acid), you might want to start taking about 800 mcg daily. Works with B12 and iron.

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