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 Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:43 pm
Some beneficial advice for anyone who has trouble getting enough iron.
Iron Needs
are increased:
-from blood loss (including menstruation)
-during infancy
-during pregnancy
-for premature babies
are decreased:
-for male
-after menopause
-for omnivores
Your iron needs also depend on genetics. Some of us are born with either iron deficiency or iron overload.
Iron Absorption
(the absorption of nutrients are affected by the other nutrients you consume with them)
is increased:
-by vitamin C
-by cooking with an iron pot
is decreased:
-by calcium
-by phytic acid (in beans, soy, seeds, and grains)
-by polyphenols (in tea and coffee)
Iron Overload
Too much iron is just as bad (if not far worse than) not enough iron. This is a great counter-argument for that "vegetarianism is unhealthy" bullshit... although it's so disturbing that they probably won't believe it.
Side Effects of Iron Overload:
-Erectile dysfunction
-Fatigue/weakness
-Joint pain
-Brain disorders
-Heart disease
-Liver damage
-Diabetes
-Arthritis
-Osteoporosis
-Premature aging
-Cancer (I am not entirely convinced about this one.. but there is evidence and logic supporting it)
-Premature aging
-Testicular shrinkage
-Loss of fertility (for males or females... although it's far more common in males)
-More.. I seriously can't list it all.
I don't think iron itself causes birth defects (other than mental disabilities), but the chemical reactions from cooking meat can. HCA's can affect sperm, eggs, and fetuses.
Iron Deficiency
Side Effects:
-Paleness (of course, some of us are naturally pale)
-Menstrual Cramps (an iron deficiency can make cramps much, much worse.. if you have a heavy flow then your iron needs will go through the roof during that time)
-Fatigue/weakness
-Swollen tongue
-Swollen spleen
-Pica (craving to eat dirt)
-Anemia (insufficient amount of red blood cells)
-More... pretty much anything caused by anemia can be caused by iron deficiency
As Catch 22 as this is, all nutrients are still healthy and important parts of your diet. However, some nutrients interfere with one another.
Do not let anyone convince you that phytic acid is unhealthy. It is an antioxidant that most people don't get enough of... as far as it being an anti-nutrient goes... well... every nutrient can be an anti-nutrient. rolleyes
Summary:
-If you are female, still growing, bleeding for whatever reason, eating a lot of beans/seeds/grains, getting too much calcium, or pregnant then your iron needs are increased.
-You can increase your iron intake by eating fruits with iron rich foods and/or using an iron cooking pot.
I spend a lot of time researching dietetics, and I never believe anything I hear or read without it being proven. The information in these links may not be as extensive as my personal knowledge.
But here are a few sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/iron.html
http://www.irondisorders.org/iron-overload
http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/content/28/9/2019.full
Some sources I have used tested on animals... which is really disturbing considering what was tested. D:
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Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:51 pm
I might have left out some important things.. and I always make typos. sweatdrop
Anyway, I have a lot of personal experience with this. I was iron deficient long before I became a vegetarian.. I might have even been born iron deficient. I see now that my eating habits were making it worse... when I was little I drank milk by the gallons, never ate fruit, and hardly consumed any iron. As an adolescent I frequently experienced heavy blood loss.
My life was a formula for iron deficiency. gonk
Nontheless, I have fixed my problem.
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