Women and Iron: A Guide to Anemia Prevention

Iron is one of the most important nutrients that a woman must have a sufficient supply of. This is due to a woman’s unique condition where she needs more iron than men in order to supplement blood production to replace those lost during her menstrual period. Because of this, it becomes even more important for women to make sure that she has enough iron supply.

Understanding the Effects of Iron Deficiency

When a woman’s body does not have enough supply of iron, the result is anemia. This is a common disease among women especially those who pay scarce attention to their iron intake. What is even more depressing to note is that some women are not even aware they have anemia until it is too late. In order to understand anemia better, listed below are the signs and symptoms of the disease.

1)There is a general feeling of weakness, fatigue, and general malaise. Women commonly experience this during or on the first few days after menstruation. Because iron provides vitality to the body and adds stability to blood supply, lack of it results in a general decline in body activity. Poor concentration is also common among women with anemia.

2)There is shortness of breath when one engages even in the lightest physical activity.

3)There is palpitation or a sudden increase in blood pressure as if the chest is pounding. This happens because the lack of iron reduces the body’s ability to carry oxygen to various parts of the body. As a form of compensation, the heart increases its output as manifested by an increase in blood pressure.

4)A pale skin is also noticeable in women with anemia.

5)In some cases, bone deformities also happen to women with anemia. However, bone deformities alone is not a reliable sign in detecting anemia.

6)A woman with anemia may also experience chest pains.

The most important thing to consider in detecting anemia in women is that most symptoms are hardly noticed. As a result, most women are not aware of their condition. On the other hand, complicating the picture is the fact that anemia shares a lot of symptoms with other ailments. It is therefore very important for one to seek immediate medical attention once anemia is suspected.

Best Sources of Iron to Counter Anemia

When taking iron, the body must also take calcium-rich foods. This is because iron as a nutrient is something that is not readily absorbed by the body. It needs another nutrient that can make its absorption faster. This is why calcium is needed because it facilitates iron absorption.

The following are good sources of iron:

1)From animals, the best sources of iron are red meat, liver, and eggs. However, what is considered to be the excellent choice of iron from animals are seafood such as tuna, salmon, and oysters.

2)From vegetables, one may obtain iron from wheat and oats, beans, spinach, and soy products.

by: James Pendergraft