Monday, May 24, 2010

Am I Low On Iron??


Do you know what the symptoms of an iron deficiency are?? Do you know how much iron you should get daily?? Do you know what foods and diets give you adequate amounts of iron?/ Do you need an iron supplement??

Well here is a crash course on the basics of iron and how it effects our body, health, energy, etc. etc. Before we begin we would like to thank Stephen Sharp owner of Florida Herb House, Florida Herb House, which showcases over 2000 all natural and organic goodies including their ever so popular liquid iron ionic mineral supplement!

What is iron? Well you guessed it... Iron is just that. Iron is a metal or in more technical terms a metallic element possessing the symbol Fe on the periodic table of elements. Iron has been used by humans for hundreds of years and is essential to the human body in tiny amount also known as "trace minerals". Iron is mined from various "ores" which are a rocks containing metal compounds.

Why do we need iron? We need to eat foods high in iron to make our blood healthy. Iron allows our blood to carry oxygen to every cell in our body. Our cells need oxygen to live. Iron also helps to keep us from getting sick.

What are some good sources of iron? Iron is found in both animal and plant food sources. Many foods that are high in iron are also high in protein.
Our bodies absorb iron better when foods high in iron are eaten with foods high in vitamin C. Some foods high in vitamin C are oranges, strawberries, kiwi, dark
green vegetables, tomatoes, and peppers. See the Good Sources of Iron list for foods that are high in iron.

The recommended daily allowance for iron is:

Children, 1-3 Years: 7 mg
Children, 4-8 Years: 10 mg
Boys, 9-13 Years: 8 mg
Boys, 14-18 Years: 11 mg
Girls, 9-13 Years: 8 mg
Girls, 14-18 Years: 15 mg
Men, all ages: 8 mg
Women, 18-50 years: 18 mg
Women, 50 years: 8 mg
Pregnant women, all ages: 27 mg
Lactating women, 14-18 years: 25mg
Lactating women, 19 years and older: 28 mg

Even though iron supplements are available for those who are not getting enough iron, they should be taken only on the advice of a medical practitioner. Overload of iron can result in iron toxicity that can lead to illness and death. The Tolerable Upper Limit for iron intake for adults is 45 milligrams/day. It will be very difficult for a vegan to reach this level with diet alone, but it could be possible with a high iron diet in addition to high dose iron supplementation. Iron supplements in the form of chewable tablets should be kept out of reach of children due to the danger of kids mistaking the tablets for sweets.

A list of symptoms of possible iron deficiency from Anemia.org include but are not limited to: feeling tired, fatigued, weak, dizzy, irritable, short of breath or depressed. With anemia, you may also have pale skin, brittle nails, chest pain, a coldness in your hands or feet, or an irregular heartbeat. Some people with anemia also have a desire to eat ice or other peculiar things, experience sexual dysfunction, or have trouble concentrating or performing mental tasks.


For a complete list of ionic mineral supplements go here:
Ionic Liquid Minerals

Have a great Monday!!!
Going...Going...Gone Green!

Stephen Sharp
Florida Herb House
www.FloridaHerbHouse.com
www.SharpWebLabs.com
(888) 476-9414