Happy Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I want to boost my iron intake. My iron counts are on the low side and my platelets are high. Doc says the platelets might be high because the iron is low. So...I want to boost my iron intake. My first thoughts are to eat beef and take a supplements...I figured Dr. Hive might have additional tips and info... How would you go about boosting your iron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Eating vitamin C rich foods at the same time that you eat iron rich foods increases your absorption of the iron. I think certain types of shellfish are also really high in iron, but I'm going to check to be sure. ETA: Yeah, I don't typically eat them, but clams, mollusks, mussels, and oysters are apparently very high in iron, as are chicken and beef liver. Also, animal sources are recommended because they contain heme-iron which is more absorbable than the non-heme type in plant foods. Beef and turkey are both apparently good sources, though not as good as liver and shellfish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Cook in a cast iron pan is a easy way to get some extra. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Cream of Wheat has 50% RDA of iron, so it's easy to add a serving to your day. You don't even have to chew. If you drink smoothies, toss in a handful of spinach. Also, cook everything, especially tomatoes, in non-enameled cast iron pan. If you like oysters, a tin of smoked oysters is an easy way to get iron. Beans are good too. If your family complains about beans, just purée them and add them to thicken up soups. They will never know you did it. My DH likes my new chili recipe so much better since I reduced the beans by half. Yeah, I just purée half of them now and it looks like I'm using fewer beans and more meat. The recipe is the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 So, do you drink a lot of coffee or milk? Calcium blocks your iron absorption so iron rich foods need to be taken at a separate time. Vitamin C helps increase - so a nettle and rosehip tea is great if you like tea. Cast iron Eggs Green smoothies - I think the Bolthouse Green smoothie was high but I can't remember. If you take an iron supplement realize that most of the effect is just constipation because you absorb very little. You really need to focus on foods and food combining! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Going through this thread, it looks like your best bet is to make a bean-beef-tomato chili in a cast-iron pan and toss some spinach in it :-). 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 You can purchase a Lucky Fish. If you don't have a lot of cast iron, that can be an inexpensive alternative to replacing all your cookware, and it's charitable as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Floridex liquid iron. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Are you speaking of your iron or your ferritin levels, and have they checked your saturation? I cringe when I read about how a doctor mentions low iron without checking a full panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplejackmama Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Floradix. Liquid iron supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Going through this thread, it looks like your best bet is to make a bean-beef-tomato chili in a cast-iron pan and toss some spinach in it :-). Don't forget to add a little pureed chicken liver. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 I sometimes add drained canned clams to my spaghetti sauce (for myself, not dh and the kiddos). Also, red meat -- tacos, cheesesteak, steak fajitas, beef vegetable soup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJosMom Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Red clam sauce simmered in a cast iron pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted October 7, 2015 Author Share Posted October 7, 2015 Are you speaking of your iron or your ferritin levels, and have they checked your saturation? I cringe when I read about how a doctor mentions low iron without checking a full panel. Those are good questions. I'll be asking. Any cringeworthiness is more my fault than the Doc's... I just needed a short way to ask for help on the boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted October 7, 2015 Author Share Posted October 7, 2015 This is GREAT! I knew y'all would know more than I did! I do cook with cast iron a lot...so more now. I drink a lot of milk, a little coffee, a little tea, and a lot of soda (I know, I know...it's my only vice. snicker, snicker. yeah, sure.) The liquid iron may be useful, and I love all the great food tips. I like spinach in salads--I can add to smoothies. I like eggs. I have a great Tex-Mex stew that fits the beef, tomatoes, and beans bill perfectly. Never been much of a shellfish eater, but I could add to a sauce for sure. Adding a touch of liver could work, too. Thank you, everyone! This is good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Every time I get anemic I go to this Mexican restaurant in town and order beef fajitas. They have some special pepper flavoring they marinate beef liver in so you can barely ever even taste that it's liver and not steak. Then they serve it with pepper and onion strips, which is high in vitamin C. This meal always makes a faster difference than iron supplements. Eating it twice can take my gums from very pale to a normal pink. I still haven't figured out how to make home made fajitas that taste that good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 A very quick and efficient thing to do is add vitamin C. It makes the non-heme iron (from plant sources and dairy, etc.) more bio-available. Just because a food is high in iron, like spinach, does not necessarily mean that you actually get more iron from it than other sources. You can add vit c to your diet, but the most effective thing is to add it to foods you are cooking. For example, I always add a squirt of lime juice to our black beans because it can increase the bio-availability of the iron in them considerably. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Every time I get anemic I go to this Mexican restaurant in town and order beef fajitas. They have some special pepper flavoring they marinate beef liver in so you can barely ever even taste that it's liver and not steak. Then they serve it with pepper and onion strips, which is high in vitamin C. This meal always makes a faster difference than iron supplements. Eating it twice can take my gums from very pale to a normal pink. I still haven't figured out how to make home made fajitas that taste that good. Do a lot of Mexican restaurants use beef liver for their fajitas? I hadn't realized that. Of course, I almost never order beef so I don't pay close attention. I've been eating more vegetarian meals, and I rarely eat red meat, but I may not be able to keep that up. My B12 is on the low side, where it's starting to affect my red blood cell production. I'm taking a supplement, but I don't know if that will be enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Do a lot of Mexican restaurants use beef liver for their fajitas? I hadn't realized that. Of course, I almost never order beef so I don't pay close attention. I've been eating more vegetarian meals, and I rarely eat red meat, but I may not be able to keep that up. My B12 is on the low side, where it's starting to affect my red blood cell production. I'm taking a supplement, but I don't know if that will be enough. I'm not sure. I would think liver is lean, tender if quickly cooked, and cheap, so maybe? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 Red meat is a the best food source. Most other food sources will also contain something that inhibits iron absorption. http://www.irondisorders.org/diet/ The worst offender is actually egg--the yolk and white have different inhibitors. Enough egg in the diet will inhibit absorption of iron from other sources throughout the day. So if you do eat eggs, do them at least three hours away from iron rich food or supplements. Green vegetables, like spinach, also contain oxalates that inhibit iron absorption. Red fruits like berries, plums, etc block absorption due to polyphenols. Keep iron away from coffee, tea, milk, soy, beans, and nuts as well because all inhibit. Phytates in grains will inhibit too, but you can get around that some with vitamin C. So all that to say this: take a good supplement with vitamin C and 3 hours (preferable/at least 2) away from anything that inhibits iron. I take mine before bed or first thing in the morning with vitamin C. Then I only have to worry about eating inhibitors for 3 hours one direction. I use Gentle Iron by Solgar. It's well absorbed, and not affected by phytates (grains) particularly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted October 7, 2015 Share Posted October 7, 2015 What about using molasses as a sweetener? I like it on hot cereal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 What about using molasses as a sweetener? I like it on hot cereal. I was going to mention molasses, but it has to be blackstrap molasses. I'm always anemic in my third tri and have a hard time restoring iron levels while nursing, and blackstrap molasses definitely helps. I do two tbsp in warm water with a squirt of lemon juice first thing in the morning. Definitely get a full panel, because low iron also comes with (or is caused by) other mineral deficiencies, and it can be hard to bring up your levels without focusing on balancing everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribbean Queen Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Floradix. Liquid iron supplement.Yes! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I was going to mention molasses, but it has to be blackstrap molasses. I'm always anemic in my third tri and have a hard time restoring iron levels while nursing, and blackstrap molasses definitely helps. I do two tbsp in warm water with a squirt of lemon juice first thing in the morning. Definitely get a full panel, because low iron also comes with (or is caused by) other mineral deficiencies, and it can be hard to bring up your levels without focusing on balancing everything. This. I add it to my RRL tea when pregnant. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Good advice so far and I suggest starting with Stuart's prenatal vitamins. For some reason their iron is the most accessible for me, and it does not contribute to tarry constipation like straight iron doses can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Cream of Wheat. Raises it quickly and it is so nummy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 This is GREAT! I knew y'all would know more than I did! I do cook with cast iron a lot...so more now. I drink a lot of milk, a little coffee, a little tea, and a lot of soda (I know, I know...it's my only vice. snicker, snicker. yeah, sure.) The liquid iron may be useful, and I love all the great food tips. I like spinach in salads--I can add to smoothies. I like eggs. I have a great Tex-Mex stew that fits the beef, tomatoes, and beans bill perfectly. Never been much of a shellfish eater, but I could add to a sauce for sure. Adding a touch of liver could work, too. Thank you, everyone! This is good stuff! Milk and soda will suck your nutrients. Ditch 'em both. :) You'll feel a lot better. The Floradix Iron and Herb formula is one that I'd wholeheartedly recommend. http://www.amazon.com/Salus-Haus-Floradix-Iron-Herbs-8-5/dp/B00PYTQ8EY/ref=pd_sim_121_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1BGY2M8SNCJGRQ94DRQD&dpID=51282YD5RDL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_ But be prepared for the taste.... Oh. My. Gag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJosMom Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 Also, has anyone warned you about the potential consequences of iron supplementation? As is, you might want to up your fiber, too? :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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