Low Iron Count:
a.k.a. Iron Deficiency Anemia
Low iron count or Iron Deficiency Anemia may not be showing an appreciable number of people calling off work or staying home in bed with an illness, but a low iron count does rob your body of stamina, energy and memory skills. But more importantly, it is the weakening of the immune system's capabilities of effectively fighting off infection. Iron is a vital part of hemoglobin, the "red color" in your blood cells. Hemoglobin then carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of your body. On its journey, hemoglobin aids in the removal of waste products from some of the major organs like the lungs, kidney, and large intestine. When Your Body Is Deficient In IronA low iron count results in a shortage of hemoglobin in your system. Iron has a necessary role in the production and distribution of the hemoglobin. Without enough iron, your body is short on oxygen in the cells. This results in red blood cells being destroyed each day. These must be replaced for the health of your system.Poor memory skills, slow or impaired learning skills and a reduced sense of awareness of your surroundings also seems to affect children that are iron deficient. These disabilities can and do re-adjust themselves after several months of increased iron intake by foods or supplements. Symptoms Of Iron DeficiencyMany of these symptoms are of a general nature which can point to other conditions as well. It therefore is not unusual for it to take some time and patience before your doctor can pinpoint the exact cause. Some common symptoms are:- apathy or depression
- brittle nails
- dizziness, fainting or rapid pulse
- hair loss
- headaches
- pale lips and skin
- weakness in legs
Common Sources Of Iron-Rich FoodsMost of these sources are of animal origin or are in foods of color, mainly red, yellow and green. Also whole wheat grain products supply a high level of iron concentrations. By adding the following to your diet, you can effectively build up the iron stores in your system:- beef
- chicken
- heart
- pork
- goose
- kidney
- liver
- whole wheat bread and crumbs, oatmeal
- Greens: beet greens, kale ,chard, spinach
- reds: apples, cherries
- yellows:apricots, golden raisins
Being gluten intolerant, gluten allergic or having a wheat allergy sets you up for having a low iron count because all whole grain products are an excellent source of iron-rich foods in our diet. Taking an iron supplement may be recommended by your doctor but be very careful how much you take. Just as iron deficiency creates a problem, too much iron in your system is the cause of another condition. So by careful planning of your meat sources and heavy reliance on fruits and green vegetables, you can often make up any loss effectively that iron supplements will not be needed to prevent low levels in your life.
Return to "Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency" from "Low Iron Count".
*Disclaimer*
This site is not intended to replace the advice and supervision of your professional medical treatment plan. Although all of the information is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge, we still recommend you carefully check all food labels before consuming any food product. We can not assume any legal responsibility for any illness obtained while following the advice contained on this site.
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