Iron

"Iron is an important element in our body which helps with carrying oxygen in the blood, cell metabolism, and providing energy. Iron deficiency may lead to anemia, inability to think well, as well as an increased chance of infections." Well.....that explains a lot. The doctors told my mom I was born "borderline anemic". It has been a challenge my whole life to keep my iron levels up. I often felt fatigued and that "inability to think" happened too often. I have been told to "eat liver"; well, being a vegetarian, I couldn't quite bring myself to eat liver. So I have become an expert on which plant foods provide me with the iron I need. It has to be a consistent iron rich diet for me to stay balanced and well. 

A great way to get enough iron in your diet is to eat something from this food list everyday:       

lentils

cowpeas, also called black-eye peas

dried beans like kidney, lima, navy, black and pinto beans

spinach and all leafy greens



firm tofu

blackstrap molasses 

dried fruit, i.e. raisins, apricots

Combination of these foods with good sources of vitamin C from oranges, grapefruit and tomatoes will increase iron absorption. Taking iron supplements on a daily basis can lead to constipation. I have found two "supplements" that don't have the usual side effects of supplemental iron: Spa Tone+ is iron from well water high in iron for those who need a quick boost and Juice Plus, which is whole food in a capsule which is packed with iron. 

 As always - EAT your vitamins and minerals in whole foods whenever possible.

Spatone+: http://www.nelsonsnaturalworld.com/en-gb/uk/our-brands/spatone/

Juice Plus+: gale4health@yahoo.com