Hi,
I've been compliant for over 4 months now and ONLY fell off the wagon twice ... sigh ...

I went for bloodtests last week and got back disasterous results as to where my Iron is concerned ... What's going on here ???!!!
I'm extremely confused
I'm always tired, I have NO energy and my breathing is quite shallow ...
It seems that I'm always trying to catch my breath  and throughout the day, I make a conscious effort to take in deep breaths  ... etc ...

It's VERY  frustrating 'cause I'm eating healthier YET the bloodworks aren't what I thought they would be; aren't we supposed to get better with BTD ??!!
H-E-L-P please

Thanks everybody  

Lisalea

r u taking any meds?
have you gone off meds?

how low is your iron?

are your periods heavy?

do you suffer from any intestinal problems?

Occasionally, in women over 40, iron deficiency can be a symptom of a condition called Plummer-Vinson syndrome. This also causes swallowing difficulties and occasionally web-like growths in the oesophagus.

anemia is also caused from folate and b12 deficiency and I know you probably are getting enough if you are eating right but some people because of genetic differences beyond blood need more then other people

I would suggest a b vitamin complex (Polyvite B is also an option) or  FLoradix which is a very safe liquid iron supplement.

Try eating some liver once a week...lots of iron and b12 in it

and Vit C helps Iron absorption so check if you're eating enough food with vit C...eat the liver with sweet potatoes for an Iron, B12 and Vit C punch

here's a list of high iron foods that B's can eat.. some have folate and b12 as well)

Beef liver
Caribou
Kangaroo
Mutton
Rabbit
Duck liver
Goose liver
Halfmoon fish
Smelt
Caviar
Broad bean, fava
Cannelloni bean
Copper bean
Flax seed, linseed
Great northern bean
Hemp seed
Kidney bean
Mothbeans
Navy bean
Watermelon seeds
White bean
Yeast, bakers
Olive oil
Rice bran oil
Flaxseed bread
Oat bran
Quinoa
Rice bran
Soybean flour
Fenugreek
Ginger
Jute, potherb
Sea vegetables, irish moss
Molasses
Molasses, blackstrap
Mustard,wheat-free, vinegar-free
Yeast, nutritional

I use floravital, since the type A diet is naturally low in iron. If you use this make sure to brush your teeth afterwards it kind of stains them. I have been eating the blood type diet for almost two years and I still have problems absorbing enough. It took 8 or 9 months to get from 8 to 29 I can only remember the numbers and not what they are measurements of and I was taking an 85 mg pill. Now I recently talked to my doctor and they will test me in july but she thought I should go back on a supplement because 29 was still way below the normal line of 50 or something. I think the one Im using now only has 8 mg but it is more absorbable. Good luck I think Bs have an easier time absorbing iron due to there higher stomach acid so use that to your advantage.

Hi mikeo,

I thank-u for ur thorough answer ...  I do eat the following:

Beef = 2x per week.
Salmon/ Cod/ Sole or Haddok = 2x per week.
Turkey = 2x weekly.
Once in a while I eat Lamb.

Kidney beans or Navy beans with brown rice for a perfect protein = 2-3x weekly.

Olive oil = 1-2 teaspoons on a DAILY basis

Ginger/Curry powder =  I use LOTS of spices (pungent therapy)
on a daily basis.

Molasses (blackstrap) =  3-4x per week.

Nutritional yeast = 1 tablespoon 2x per week.


I also eat:

2 Eggs =  2x per week.

Dried raisins and Walnuts =  2-3x per week.
Almond butter =  2-3 tablespoons on a daily basis practically.

Barley = 2x per week.
Millet = 2-3x weekly.
Quinoa = 1-2x weekly.

Parmesan = weekly basis.

I also eat Spinach or Asparagus every other week.
Broccoli and Green peas = 3-4x per week.
Red beets = 2-3x per week.

I eat ALL types of vegetables; ESPECIALLY,  the beneficials ones EVERYsingle day  at least 2x per day = Total 5-6 cup veggies per day EVERY day  and 4-5-6 fruits = DAILY.

Sweet potatoe = 2x weekly.

I also add Parsley quite often to my dishes.

I beleive that I should be getting quite a bit of Iron from the various foods ... I just do NOT get it ... sigh ...
I'm really being compliant !!
Perhaps I'm doing something wrong  
Can eating too many grains lower my Iron levels ?
What else can lower Iron in the body ??

I do have digestive peroblems and LOTS of burping actually and I wake up everysingle morning with a pasty sour bitter taste in my mouth ... I'm going to see another Gastro in August 'cause the last one that I saw a few months ago had NO clue


Btw: I don't take any medication besides the birthcontrol pill for the past 11 years.
My periods last long sometimes but NO they aren't really heavy.

I'm gonna read up on Plummer-Vinson syndrome today and find out about the symptoms etc ...

I read that too much Vitamin B suppresses the immune system after a while, hence it's BEST to take it in Nutritional yeast, Grains and/or Superfoods instead of supplements ... what's ur view on this??

FLoradix is an idea, thanks mikeo ... since the pill form of Iron constipates me big time ... sigh ...

I hate liver

I was wondering if anybody can explain the difference between Iron deficient versus Anemic

I will post my results as soon as I go pick them up at the doctors office, I thank-u again  

Lisalea,

In light of your digestive problems, make sure to take a good probiotic if you aren't already doing so.  The good bacteria helps to process the food so that the nutrients are usable.  If the nutrients aren't used correctly they can be stored in an unhealthy way in your body.  (I know that I process iron from meat so much better than from grains.  Perhaps that is true with you also.  Maybe go light on the grains until more good bacteria is present to process them.)

Also, you could try broth.  Broth has special properties that supplies nutrients in a very usable form and is also very healing for the digestive tract.  An easy way to make your own broth is to put meat (beef, lamb or turkey), vegetables and water into a crockpot on low setting right before bed and in the morning it's ready to eat.

interesting....birth control pills actually decrease the need for iron

Quoted from mikeo

interesting....birth control pills actually decrease the need for iron

What r u saying mikeo ??
Thank-u

Quoted from Karen74

Lisalea,

In light of your digestive problems, make sure to take a good probiotic if you aren't already doing so.  The good bacteria helps to process the food so that the nutrients are usable.  If the nutrients aren't used correctly they can be stored in an unhealthy way in your body.  

I eat yogurt everyday practically and also drink kefir often !!
Isn't that better than probiotics since it's the natural form of probiotic ??

Quoted from Karen74

(I know that I process iron from meat so much better than from grains.  Perhaps that is true with you also.  Maybe go light on the grains until more good bacteria is present to process them.)

Perhaps u have a good point Karen  

Quoted from Karen74

Also, you could try broth.  Broth has special properties that supplies nutrients in a very usable form and is also very healing for the digestive tract.  An easy way to make your own broth is to put meat (beef, lamb or turkey), vegetables and water into a crockpot on low setting right before bed and in the morning it's ready to eat.

Lamb is pretty fatty though hence won't I have to eat all the fat that is usually discarted when I cook the meat in the oven ??


Thank-u Karen

when I make lamb broth using the crock pot, I wait for it to cool, place it in the fridge, next day you have a thick white fat cover, discard that and you get the clearest most delicious lamb broth, fat free and full of nutrients.

Lisalea
intresting that you posted this..
I seem to be low in iron as well
and then I noticed that when I put my last 2 weeks diet into a database I was low in both iron, b12 and folic ??!!!
Maybe that is the reason that I feel a bit dizzy, tired and almost fainting some days( I´ve got a pretty low blodpressure as well)  I´going to get checked next week when my exams are over....

There is no doubt that I have had a tiny bit more grains than normal and s bit more sugar as well- the presure of final exams.... but in general I would say my diet is pretty good....

But I do eat much more meat and eggs than you do !
I eat aprox 7-10 servings meat pr week
50 % turkey, 30% beef/veal, 20 % lamb

fish about 1-2 a week mainly cod - and sometimes salmon or scallops.
eggs aprox 6 a week.
I eat 1 serving of grain pr day ; mainly whole spelt, brown rice, oats and millet.
Plenty of green veggies... at least 2-3 servings pr day + 3 servings of red and orange veggies...
so I don´t get this.
My periods takes apox 7 days... but I don´t bleed a lot....
Still I wonder what is going on ???

I started yesterday with floradix and a multi B vitamin with b12 and folic - just to be on the safe side..

Lisalea,

Concerning the probiotics, I agree it would be ideal to get all you need from food sources, but there may be a reason you need more.  Consider the source of your yogurt and kefir.  Do you make your own or if not do they have avoids in them or contain a lot of sugar which might hinder their effectiveness?  Perhaps just a short time of extra supplementation will help get things back in balance.  (If your food source is a good one you could just try more of it.)  Also, most comments I've heard say to take probiotics on an empty stomach but I seem to do better with digestion when I take them with meals.

I do what Lola does with broth.  Although I do enjoy the first serving warm in the morning before the fat has separated, the following servings are after the meat and veggies have been separated from the broth.  The broth is then in a separate container and when cooled and the fat can easily be scooped off the top to discard.

One other avenue to explore is toxins.  You appear to have a great diet plan in place so if that isn't working maybe there are toxins that are keeping you from benefiting from it.  Your digestive issues could be a sluggish liver.  There are cleanses that can clean the liver and reduce the level of toxins.  Or try working with different quantities of the foods you are already eating such as more olive oil and less nut butters.  
Chlorella would be a great supplement to add because it binds many toxins.

Just some ideas to explore!

Quoted from lola

when I make lamb broth using the crock pot, I wait for it to cool, place it in the fridge, next day you have a thick white fat cover, discard that and you get the clearest most delicious lamb broth, fat free and full of nutrients.

That souns so delicious Lola ... what part of the lamb do u use to make ur broth
Can u post ur recipe, I really want to try it !!
G

Quoted from lola

when I make lamb broth using the crock pot, I wait for it to cool, place it in the fridge, next day you have a thick white fat cover, discard that and you get the clearest most delicious lamb broth, fat free and full of nutrients.

That sounds so delicious Lola !!
What part of the lamb do u use to make ur broth ?
Can u post ur recipe please ... I really want to try it !!

Muchas gracias senorita

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

Lisalea
intresting that you posted this..
I seem to be low in iron as well
and then I noticed that when I put my last 2 weeks diet into a database I was low in both iron, b12 and folic ??!!!
Maybe that is the reason that I feel a bit dizzy, tired and almost fainting some days( I´ve got a pretty low blodpressure as well)  I´going to get checked next week when my exams are over....

U sound exactly like me,  it's incredible !!

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

There is no doubt that I have had a tiny bit more grains than normal and s bit more sugar as well- the presure of final exams.... but in general I would say my diet is pretty good....

But I do eat much more meat and eggs than you do !
I eat aprox 7-10 servings meat pr week
50 % turkey, 30% beef/veal, 20 % lamb
fish about 1-2 a week mainly cod - and sometimes salmon or scallops.
eggs aprox 6 a week.

Perhaps I should start to eat more organic meats like u do  

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

I eat 1 serving of grain pr day ; mainly whole spelt, brown rice, oats and millet.

I eat 1 cup per day (UNCOOKED), I should cut down I realize; however I just love grains !!

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

Plenty of green veggies... at least 2-3 servings pr day + 3 servings of red and orange veggies...
so I don´t get this.

I'm also EXTREMELY confused Henriette !!

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

My periods takes apox 7 days... but I don´t bleed a lot....
Still I wonder what is going on ???

My point exact

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

I started yesterday with floradix and a multi B vitamin with b12 and folic - just to be on the safe side..

Oh wow funny u should mention THAT, I went to the store today and Floradix is 30.00 plus tax !!
Sooo expensive  

Thanks so much for sharing Henriette  

Quoted from Karen74

Lisalea,

Concerning the probiotics, I agree it would be ideal to get all you need from food sources, but there may be a reason you need more.  Consider the source of your yogurt and kefir.  Do you make your own or if not do they have avoids in them or contain a lot of sugar which might hinder their effectiveness?  Perhaps just a short time of extra supplementation will help get things back in balance.  (If your food source is a good one you could just try more of it.)  Also, most comments I've heard say to take probiotics on an empty stomach but I seem to do better with digestion when I take them with meals.

I do what Lola does with broth.  Although I do enjoy the first serving warm in the morning before the fat has separated, the following servings are after the meat and veggies have been separated from the broth.  The broth is then in a separate container and when cooled and the fat can easily be scooped off the top to discard.

One other avenue to explore is toxins.  You appear to have a great diet plan in place so if that isn't working maybe there are toxins that are keeping you from benefiting from it.  Your digestive issues could be a sluggish liver.  There are cleanses that can clean the liver and reduce the level of toxins.  Or try working with different quantities of the foods you are already eating such as more olive oil and less nut butters.  
Chlorella would be a great supplement to add because it binds many toxins.

Just some ideas to explore!

Now THOSE r some very intelligent ideas to explore and great advice, I thank-u so very much Karen74

leg of lamb is what I like, but have the butcher chop the bone in smaller pieces.....love to gnaw on those.......

water, salt and pepper......herbs to your liking.......nothing fancy, just make sure it cooks all night on low!

Quoted from lola

leg of lamb is what I like, but have the butcher chop the bone in smaller pieces.....love to gnaw on those.......

water, salt and pepper......herbs to your liking.......nothing fancy, just make sure it cooks all night on low!

Sounds simple yet delicious, Thank-u Lola

Attention to all my fellow B's !!

Floradix contains wheat germ dry extract for additional B - vitamins. Note: This wheat germ extract is gluten free.

Isn't this an avoid  


Another important note on Floradix:

The best time to take the tonic is 5 – 10 minutes before a meal. This way the iron has access to the greatest amount of digestive juices as possible for maximum absorption, needed, since iron is one of the toughest substances for the body to digest.
Floradix appear to have the best results when looking at increased hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels.


More questions ... and answers ...  

Good food sources of iron?
Dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, kelp, brewers yeast and molasses.


Floradix: Ferrous elemental iron – from a gluconate compound plus iron from a biologically active nutritional yeast. These will give 10 mgs of iron from 10 mls of the tonic. This yeast does NOT feed candida.

Floravit (Gluten free): Ferrous elemental iron – from a gluconate compound to give 10 mgs per 10 mls of tonic. This formula has no yeast and no wheat germ in it, so it is gluten free. It is absorbed about 2-3% less efficiently than Floradix.

Cheers everybody  

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

I started yesterday with floradix and a multi B vitamin with b12 and folic - just to be on the safe side..

How's that going Henriette?
R u feeling anymore energetic
Do u find that Iron constipates u

I found an interesting product that contains BOTH the Vitamin-C and B 12 ... perhaps u can go take a look

http://thecatalog.com/1442.html

Cheers  

Well I have actually felt pretty good the last days - no dizzyness- and less tired.
I have been feasting on strawberries with cream as well plenty of vitamin c and some folic..

Looks quite interesting that product.
I have always had a hard time dealing with iron supplements- makes me nausea and constipated...
but floradix works and gives me no side effects.
My doc told me it was not as effecient as iron supplements... but after I had my daughter it made my levels raise fine ...

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

I feel a bit dizzy, tired and almost fainting some days( I´ve got a pretty low blodpressure as well)

Those are also signs of adrenal stress which is highly probable given the stress you were under to finish school.

B vitamins are great for overtaxed adrenals, as is licorice, siberian ginseng, vitamin C and of course rest... and sleep... and relaxation...

The adrenal threads have alot of great information on them

Quoted from Henriette_Bsec

Well I have actually felt pretty good the last days - no dizzyness- and less tired.
I have been feasting on strawberries with cream as well plenty of vitamin c and some folic..

Looks quite interesting that product.
I have always had a hard time dealing with iron supplements- makes me nausea and constipated...
but floradix works and gives me no side effects.
My doc told me it was not as effecient as iron supplements... but after I had my daughter it made my levels raise fine ...

Glad to hear that  

Quoted from Kristin

Those are also signs of adrenal stress which is highly probable given the stress you were under to finish school.

B vitamins are great for overtaxed adrenals, as is licorice, siberian ginseng, vitamin C and of course rest... and sleep... and relaxation...

The adrenal threads have alot of great information on them

Yes I remembered that when I was finished...
Hm maybe I should add a bit of licorise and siberian ginseng as well.
I have slept 9-10 hours pr night the last week- so unusual for me during summertime- where 7-8 hours just seem fine...
just showed that I had used myself too much.

Licorice tea helps me a lot Henriette, I sometimes drink three, but if it is that many I also take potasium [99mg] supplement.

alek

Thanks Alek
I havn´t done the licorice since I had an ulcer and it worked a lot
- so maybe I should get it again.
Do you drink it hot or cold- do you add other herbs ?
I find it a bit strong flavoured....

Henriette, I drink it hot, and because it is so sweet I sometimes add few drops of fresh lime [addicted to this citrus fruit].
Love the taste of licorise tea. I leave my bag in for 5 min.
Sometimes I add a pinch of origano [pinch between three fingers], I love that combination as well.

alek

Sounds interesting
Thanks