Very few people know this but I have struggled with my health for many years, due to various health reasons which I will focus on one -iron deficiency- in this blog post.
I suffered from an iron deficiency which tends to affect predominantly women of childbearing age. Men also suffer from iron deficiency but women do the most. For me, I never understood why I was increasingly tired and fatigued. Someone who enjoys exercising, I noticed it was becoming hard to stick to my exercise routines. I generally exercise 3-4 days per week but I started to notice that this was not feasible due to increased fatigue.
I visited my doctor to know if there was something I was doing wrong. She recommended running some blood tests and it was revealed that my iron deficiency level was very low. She recommended putting me on iron deficiency improving supplements for the foreseeable future. I was on this medication along with other supplements for roughly 2 years. I noticed during this time the effects of being on Iron supplements. The most annoying of it was that I felt bloated most of the time; feeling nausea and constipated for the better part of two years.
In January 2017, I decided to come off every form of medication. A decision that greatly changed the trajectory of my health and life as a result. It was not easy initially as I suffered from excessive fatigue and dizziness.
Changing my diet
So, before I made the decision to quit my medications. I embarked on research to know what type of food I needed to boost my iron deficiency. Like any deficiency, the reason for it is due to a lack or shortage of that vitamin for our body. As I was Iron deficient i.e Anemic, I need to find food that is rich in IRON.
Iron is a vitamin/ mineral that your body needs to produce red blood cells. Some people suffer from health issues that mean their body produces and destroys red blood cells which can result in your body lacking this mineral. The effects can be feeling dizzy; lacking energy and feeling excessively weak.
Please note – I am not a doctor, just sharing my personal experience and the cause of Iron Deficiency can be a variety of issues- mine is what I am sharing. If you feel you suffer from this, kindly consult your doctor to know more.
As my search for Iron-rich food began, I made a long list of food and nuts that are essential for my diet which taken consistently daily should get me to a place where I no longer needed the supplement. This list included Spinach, Kale, beetroot, liver, Red Meat, oily fish such as tuna, sardines, mackerels, salmons, shellfish; seafood, beans, nuts, berries ( strawberries, blackberries, red berries, raspberries, blackcurrants) Pomegranates, oranges ( Vitamin C). You may wonder, why you need oranges. Oranges are necessary to break down Iron to help it absorb into your body.
How I practically did this
To ensure I consumed enough Iron-rich food daily, My diet all through the day had elements of these food/ vegetables included. Don’t forget you also need other vitamins for your body. Good thing is that food and vegetables provided more than 1 vitamin. Here are the practical ways I achieve this
- I stopped eating out and cooked all my meals at home
- I broke down my weekly shopping into 3 categories – Iron-rich Fruits and vegetables; other necessary fruits and vegetables necessary for my body; Meat and Fish.
- Breakfast comprised of smoothies with Spinach or Kale, Avocado, bananas or pineapples, beetroot, ginger, and a squeeze of lemon – berries and other types of smoothies to mix it up.
- Lunch comprised of oil-rich fish such as sardines, mackerels ( canned); couscous or rice; lettuce or boiled cauliflower or broccoli/ boiled kale if not included in breakfast smoothie
- Mid lunch comprised of nuts and dried fruits ( various types mixed)
- Dinner – Either Red Meat, Liver, Fish with vegetables and some yogurts
Of course, I will mix and match my meals so they didn’t become boring. But bear in mind, that this was a change of lifestyle. Therefore, it needed to be a routine for a few months before it began to change my health.
After six months of doing this, I noticed that the lack of energy and dizziness started to fade away. So, I went in for another blood test six months later. And the result showed that I was no longer anemic. My doctor was very pleased and encouraged me to keep at it.
A year later, I returned to exercising 3-4 times a week without feeling fatigued or aching for days after exercise. I also noticed that my immunity increased and was no longer susceptible to catching viruses as easier as I did in the past.
This health issue changed my food habit and for 4 years now, I continue to cook and eat in this manner. Only buying the fruits and vegetables that are essential for nutrients. I have added more to this list as I’ve studied the health benefits and best ways to cook vegetables to ensure I am getting the nutrients needed to stay healthy and energetic throughout the day and have a restful night’s sleep.
Supplements
As I mentioned previously, during my transition phase, that I stopped taking any iron-deficiency improving supplements. This was to ensure that my body adjusted to its natural state and able to fight out whatever I was suffering from. For example, if I had a headache, I will rest. Because I recognized it was my body’s way of telling me it needs rest or lacking enough of it. So I’d respond by having an early night or extended sleep in the morning. It would also give my body some rest from the phone – this is a blog post for another day- ways I manage a healthy life in our phone crazy world!
I started re-introducing supplements to my body by way of natural superfoods. When I make my smoothies, I add superfood organic blends into the smoothie to increase the vitamins that may be lacking. I have used Organic Nature’s Living Superfood green alkalized plant-based supplement for daily use.
I focused on purely natural products with no preservatives or additives. Omega 3 fatty acids oil are essential for your body and have numerous health benefits – I added these to my supplement intake.
I like to travel as most of my readers know, so I try to include 3 holidays per year to a sunny country for my vitamin D intake. However, with Covid and the challenges, we are facing currently. I added Vitamin D and D12 to my supplement to increase my body’s natural supply and boost any shortage of it.
I have just recently started taking MotherWort and Tumeric to reduce antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components. Motherwort helps the lining of the womb and helps with cramps during the menstrual cycle. I’ll feedback on these two additions after I have taken them for 2-3 months. I have seen some changes but it’s too early to give my review.
I hope you find this post helpful. Here’s also a post on how to cut down junk food. Comment below on your health struggles and how you are managing them. Remember, you do so great already!
Until next time, keep being the best of yourself.
Much Love,
C x
