Iron is found in every cell of the body. I have struggled my whole life with having low iron levels, so naturally when I became pregnant and the volume of my blood increased my hemoglobin levels have been low. Hemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that transports oxygen all over the body. If you don¹t have enough iron, your body has to work a whole lot harder to get the energy it needs, which has left me feeling tired, weak, irritable and unable to focus. The nurse practitioner suggested I take Ferrous sulphate, which is commonly prescribed to prevent and correct iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy, I chose to avoid it because ferrous sulphate is often times poorly absorbed by the body and taxes the organs of elimination – liver, kidneys, intestines – and can be very constipating. I chose to fight my extreme fatigue I have been experiencing caused by this iron deficiency, I first turn to iron-rich foods. By changing my diet, and adding iron rich foods I could see significant changes in your energy level within a couple of days.
Yellow Dock Root tincture that I made, its an herb widely used by herbalists as a general health tonic. It grows throughout North America and is used in Native American herbal formulas. You can purchase some at my online shop! Yellow Dock Root has historically been used as an iron-builder for pregnant women because it replenishes the bloods hemoglobin. It’s also a great digestive aid that alleviates heartburn by increasing the digestive enzymes in the stomach. Who doesn’t need that when they are pregnant?? No more heartburn! Always listen to your intuition before adding an herbal supplement to your diet.
Below is a list of iron rich foods that I have been trying to include in my diet along with nettle tea, dandelion root coffee and a kelp supplement called ErythroPro by Premier Research labs, it contains organic kelp, organic Irish moss, organic oat grass, organic beet root, as well as organic chlorella, Organic tomato, Organic bilberry and reishi mushroom extract. Great supplements combines with great greens and beets I make sure to add plenty of vitamin C to help with absorption and assimilation of the iron has made a huge difference in my energy levels!! My favorite vitamin C sources are grapefruit and strawberries!!!
There are some foods to avoid and that would be coffee, excess bran, alkalinizes and phosphates as they inhibit the absorption of iron.
Energy Building Juice:
4 beets
2 carrots
2 grapefruits
Juice and enjoy!!
Anemia Prevention Brew:
1/2 ounce dried Nettle leaves
1/2 ounce dried Parsley leaves
1/2 ounce dried Comfrey leaves
1/2 ounce dried Yellow Dock root
1/4 ounce dried Peppermint leaves
Measure herbs and put in half gallon mason jar …….. Pour boiling water in jar until it is totally full. Steep herbs for 8 hours.
This brew contains 3 excellent sources of iron: nettle, parsley and yellow dock root. It provides folic acid from the parsley and vitamin B12 from the Comfrey. The green eras all contain vitamin C which aids iron absorption and the Mint makes it taste good!
Drink freely up to four cups a day for up to 1 week. You can use this medicine every month as a blood builder and purifier!
Enjoy these blood builders and many blessings on your journey!
Many Blessings!
Michelle
~ A mother lovingly nourishes her child who has entered her womb, and brings them forth with care. ~
