Take your iron. Seriously.

This is a story all about how
my life got flip turned upside down
I'd like to take a take a minute just sit right there,
and tell you why should take your iron, kids.

Take your iron, children.

Seriously though. A lot of veggies (myself included) don't keep up with taking supplements. Yeah, it's tough to remember. Yeah, life gets busy. But do it. Trust me.

Foods like spinach and soy beans contain spinach, and its great to eat dark green veg and beans, but it's not enough. Adult males need 8 mgs a day, and adult women need 18 mgs.

Iron is more important then you think. It helps to transport oxygen throughout the body, and helps with cell growth and regeneration. Again, doesn't sound important, but trust me, if you don't have enough iron, you can tell.

I've been on and off anemic (severely iron deficient) since my teens. I didn't know what it was at first, but I found myself feeling sluggish and slow, I couldn't think properly, I got fatigued easily, I had problems breathing, I was getting sick more often, and I was cold. All. The. Time. I started finding school more difficult. (I started losing hair too. Can't guarantee it's related, but it seemed to lesson after I started taking iron).

All because I wasn't taking iron.

I started taking supplements a while back (you can find non-gelatin capsule ones) and oh my gosh, do I ever feel better. I'm more alert, awake, active. I don't have breathing issues. I'm not freakishly cold, and my ginger pale skin isn't quite as pasty! (I was surprised, you wouldn't think it would affect skin colouring but it does!)

In extreme cases you can even get a decreased immune system and an inflamed tongue (glossitis).

So, yes, it's a pain to remember to take supplements (try to take B-12 as well to help iron absorption, especially if you're not only iron deficient, but your iron stores are low), but it's worth it. Trust me. If you have anemia, and you start taking iron, you'll feel more...you.

Body and Health Canada states the following symptoms as signs of anemia. So if these sound familiar, take some iron!

• irritability
• weakness
• shortness of breath
• low blood pressure (especially when going from lying or sitting to standing)
• sore tongue
• brittle nails
• unusual food cravings (called pica)
• decreased appetite (especially in children)
• headache

Honest to blog, I often forget to take my iron and I find myself feeling these symptoms, and to have to get my butt kicked into getting back on track (normally by my aunt).


So, serious. Take iron. Love iron. Don't make the mistake of thinking it's not important.

Don't forget meeee!