I think I'm anemic.?

Question

I'm craving a hamburger. I'm tired. I'm cold. I eat lots of dark green veggies, but I am so tempted to go to the nearest grille and indulge in a hamburger. I know I'd feel awful and I'd have stomach cramps and everything because I haven't had seared flesh in a very long time. Any ideas on how to load up on iron?

Answer 1

Do not self medicate. Go to a doctor. Sounds like you may be having problems with your THYROID!!! a simple blood test will tell. In the mean time here is a quick way to see if it is your thyroid or have a iron deficiency.

HERE IS A SIMPLE AND ACCURATE TEST FOR HYPOTHYROIDISM
~THE BODY TEMPERATURE TEST
There is one simple thing almost anyone can do at home to uncover an underactive thyroid:
Take your own temperature.
The "basal body temperature" test was developed by Broda O. Barnes, M.D.,
Because thyroid hormone is so vital to cellular metabolism, reduced thyroid function often manifests as a drop in body temperature to below the normal level of 98.6*F. Barnes recommended the following procedure:
Immediately upon awakening, and with as little movement as possible, place the thermometer under the tongue or in the rectum.
Leave it there for 10 minutes.
Record the readings on three consecutive days
If the average temperature over the three days is less than 97.8*F, then, according to Barnes, you may have hypothyroidism. Even if you have had a blood test and were told your did not have a low thyroid reading, you might go back and look at the test results again. You may find that your blood levels of thyroid hormones are actually low normal. Many people who are within the so-called "normal" range but below the midpoint could benefit enormously from thyroid supplementation.

Your optimum oral temperature should be 98.0 in the morning before arising. Your oral temperature should rise to 98.6 to 99 degrees for about 10 hours a day (from 8 am until 11 am).
A good test time is to take your oral temperature between 11 am and 3 pm. The next time to do this is 20 minutes after lunch which is when your thyroid function should be at its best.

It is so important to work on getting and keeping your temperature at 98.6. The thyroid system is a vicious circle, one thing leads to another until bacteria, parasites, and viruses attack and cause other diseases and symptoms, including the body's wanting to attack itself. When body enzymes are not the correct temperature, 98.6, they don't turn into correct hormones, which then cause illness.

Even if your temperature is normal and you still have symptoms, you may have a low grade infection that is raising your temperature. Symptoms are a really important factor that need to be taken into account. Once the low grade infection is taken care of, you will be able to pick up a low temperature.
~IRON DEFICIENCY
Purchase an inexpensive bottle of the brownish-red iodine in the drugstore. Paint a circle about the size of a silver dollar on your stomach, If this color is absorbed in two to six hours there could be an iodine deficiency. And since this nutrient is necessary for the body's production of tyrosine.

Slainté(to your health)

Answer 2

You should really go to a doctor and get tested for anemia. Being tired and cold can be symptoms of others problems and it is always a good idea to know what is wrong.

A simple blood test will tell you if you are anemic. Then you can try eating more iron containing food.

If you are tempted for a hamburger than eat a veggie burger. Cravings are sometimes psychological. Just because someone on a diet craves a candy bar doesn't mean they need sugar. It is simply a craving because the body is used to eating it and the mind feels the need to have it.

Taking one multi-vitamin(which is recommend weather you eat meat or not) should cover 100% of the iron you need.

If you are feeling that bad you should get a physical to be sure that your health is ok and then go from there, instead of guessing at the problem.

Answer 3

If you don't have insurance, see if you can get a blood panel done at a local clinic. It really sounds like you have the symptoms of anemia but to treat it properly, you will need a diagnosis first. Consuming too much iron can be hazardous, so be careful when taking this.

Below is a website about iron, its uses and overdosing:
http://www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/iron-overdose.html

Also, many YMCA's have a dietitian on staff. That may be another good resource to try.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

Answer 4

Definitely check with your doctor to get tested. Being vegetarian in and of itself does not necessarily make you anemic. I've been vegan for 15 years and give blood on a regular basis (they check my iron first and it's always fine).
Take a multivitamin with Iron and B-12. I take Pangea's VeganLife brand, available at veganstore.com (see link below). Personally, I eat a lot of vegan chili and rice and spinach. Blackstrap molasses has a good dose of iron (plus calcium and other minerals). You could take a spoonful per day. Check the Vegan Society website below for more sources. A good book on Vegan and Vegetarian nutrition is always helpful, too, so try your local library for more thorough information.

Answer 5

Iron pills are good but broccoli has iron believe me i had plenty of that when i was anemic.

Take the iron pills but don't take to many if its not helping go to your Dr. they will give you a iron pill with something else in it to boost it up. It make you taste copper for a long time. Chewing Gum will help with this a tiny little bit but it helps get your mind off it.

Also do things slower cause you can pass out that's why i had to go to the Dr. but yeah
Iron pills will be the best take them for a week nothing happens call your Dr.

Good luck take it easy and be careful

Answer 6

there are vitamins and supplements that provide iron, available at the nearest costco or local supermarket.
also, eat lots of food containing vitamin c, because it enhances the absorption of iron into your body.

the following is something i copied from a page listed in my sources. it's basically a list of sample foods rich in iron.
GRAINS
Brown rice
Whole wheat bread
Wheat germ
English Muffin
Oatmeal
Total cereal
Cream of Wheat
Pita, whole wheat
Spaghetti, enriched
Raisin bran cereal

LEGUMES, SEEDS, AND SOY
Sunflower seeds
Soy milk
Kidney beans
Chickpeas
Tofu, firm
Soy burger

VEGGIES
Broccoli
Green beans
Lima beans
Beets
Peas
Potato, fresh baked, cooked w/skin on
Vegetables, green leafy
Watermelon

Answer 7

Take a multivitamin, eat iron rich cereal, chick peas have alot of iron, soy milk.

You need to make sure you are eating things that help you absorb the iron as well. Vitamin C helps you absorb it, while caffene stops you.

You need to go to the doctor if you have aneamia.

Answer 8

Get to a doctor for a blood workup. Then stop and get yourself a great burger on the way home. I will BET emotionally you will feel better and that it will feel like a great weight has been lifted from you.

If you do it, let me know if I was right. I'll bet I am, truly.

Answer 9

I would suggest making some vegetable juice.

Something like celery brocolli and spinach.

Some exercise might help too :)

Also, i would look at your diet to see if your eating anything that might deplete your iron stores, or anything that might block iron uptake.

Answer 10

When all else fails, take a supplement. (And make sure you take it with food....as it will easily upset your tummy).

I am in the same situation and when I start feeling like that, I take a pill with every major meal I eat.

Good luck...
~peace love & light~