Eeek! I'm still anemic!

The American Red Cross had a whole list of different types of foods...maybe there's something you can add to your diet?  Surprisingly (at least to me), a whole bunch of seafood is rich in iron.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/health-and-wellness/iron-rich-foods

Hope this helps.

Red wine sounds good--it was for me anyway.

Yikes, I didn't know that iron supplementation was such bad news. Thanks for the heads up.



I barely eat red met either and during chemo, when I did eat red meat on doc's orders, I did not find it to help my red blood cells much anyway.



How about eggs? I think they have a decent amount and some easy to use protein besides.

Leah,

Love your comment. My younger dd just decided she liked chicken livers sautéed with lots of onions. I'm going to teach her to make chopped liver. She has Celiac's disease and lots of digestive issues so I'm glad she likes the liver. Plus, I'm turning her into a proper Yiddishe maydele! Caryn

Polyphenols in beverages like chamomile tea and coffee, and beverages with tannins such as red wine interfere with iron absorption.  Generally, I avoid them all as much as possible. And phosphates in milk, and the phytates in refined grains also block iron absorption.

It ain't easy being mostly vegan. Plant based foods like beans and leafy green vegetables have plenty of non-heme iron, but it can only be absorbed when consumed with foods that contain vitamin c, so take that into consideration when you're preparing salads.  

I don't eat much red meat nor do I take iron supplements or a multi-vitamin.  But sometimes,   especially during that-time-of-month, I take one or two iron supplements or eat organic liver if my energy level is noticeably low.  Maybe you don't have to take iron supplements every single day and perhaps try having some organic liver every now and then.  Women should get 18 milligrams of iron each day. Elevated iron levels is toxic.

Anybody else old enough to remember the Adele Davis books we read about nutrition?  Brewers Yeast?

I use Vitamin  Methyl-B12.  Important to check what KIND of anemia - to determine if it's an absorption problem too.  I haven't eaten meat in years, and notice my blood levels DO drop if I'm not supplementing with the Methyl-B12.  I have it in drops, and also these little tablets that go under the tongue.

Still think Adele Davis had it right - but can't face brewer's yeast - tho lovely woman at my local health food co-op swears they have some better tasting kind now.  Harrummph...she's too young to know

I drink Starbuck's ice chai tea lattes or overpriced smoothies sometimes as treat.  As long as you are not having your ice coffee with your multivitamin, you should probably be fine. (That's 2 hrs or more apart.)

If you're using the ice coffee as an energy boost, that could be a sign that your iron level is too low and you need to cut back on the caffeine.  I keep gogi berries at my desk and snack on them throughout the day.  They have lots of iron, vitamin c as well as alkaline healing and cleansing minerals.  

also, pernicious anemia can include something re: "intrinsic factor" - not sure which one, but know just getting b-12 isn't enough if your body can't "process" it.

Friend has been getting b-12 injections from her doctor for 6 months, not really helping her.

What "brand" of brewer's yeast has the least awful taste?  Tho' I'm pretty happy with my methyl B-12 tablets.

Hi Sweetbean...



I had no idea about the iron supplement being cancer friendly! My oncologist has me on a high dose of iron... I will ask her about it at my next appointment! Think I'll cut back and try some of the suggestions in this thread. Thank you and hope your anemia improves...



Rose.

The salmon salad recipe sounds good! I'm a big spinach eater too. Will check the recipe thread. Thanks, as always...



xoxo