Iron deficiency

What is iron deficiency?

Iron is one of the essential nutrients for the human body, as it performs many vital functions. It is part of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to all parts of the body. Iron also helps the body's muscles store and use oxygen, and in the formation of enzymes and proteins in the body. The body needs iron in certain quantities to be able to perform its vital functions, but iron deficiency for one reason or another leads to weakness, and if the deficiency worsens, it leads to iron deficiency anemia. However, excessive iron intake may lead to iron poisoning, and some people suffer from what is called hemochromatosis, which is a genetic disorder that leads to iron accumulation in the body. Stages of iron deficiency

Extra iron is stored in the body in the liver, and the body begins to use this reserve when the iron level in the blood begins to decrease. The stages of iron deficiency in the body are divided into three stages as follows:  Iron depletion stage: This is the first stage in which the hemoglobin level in the blood is normal, but the amount of iron stores is very small, and in this stage the person does not show symptoms of iron deficiency.  Iron deficiency stage: In this stage, the levels of iron stores and iron levels in the blood decrease, and the hemoglobin level also decreases, and the symptoms of iron deficiency begin to appear in this stage

 Anemia stage: At this stage, hemoglobin levels drop significantly, which transports oxygen to cells, and symptoms of anemia caused by its deficiency begin to appear, such as severe pallor, dizziness, fatigue, and other symptoms that may affect the growth and development of the brain in children. Harmful effects of using iron deficiency medications or supplements  Take iron supplements if recommended by your doctor, and be sure to drink orange juice with them to increase iron absorption. Iron pills may cause some side effects such as stomach pain and heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and black stools.  Taking iron supplements in high doses can also cause some individuals to develop hemochromatosis as a result of iron accumulation in the body, which can lead to damage to the body's organs, including the heart, liver, and pancreas. Iron supplements can reduce the absorption of some other nutrients, such as: zinc, copper, magnesium, and manganese.

Treating iron deficiency: If symptoms of iron deficiency appear, whether moderate or severe, you should consult a specialist doctor to diagnose the condition and take the necessary treatment. Iron deficiency can be treated in the following ways:  Increasing the intake of foods rich in iron is one of the most important ways to treat it, which includes red meat and poultry, dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and turnips, dried fruits, such as raisins, available in our granola with dried fruits, apricots, peas, beans, other legumes, seafood, iron-fortified foods, seeds (available in our chia and pumpkin seeds) and nuts, most notably Brazil nuts

 Help the body enhance iron absorption by taking vitamin C in conjunction with iron-rich foods or iron supplements, as vitamin C increases the body’s ability to absorb iron.  Avoid some foods that prevent iron absorption when eaten in conjunction with iron sources, to treat iron deficiency and reduce the appearance of iron deficiency symptoms, such as tea, coffee, and calcium-rich foods such as dairy products and whole grains. We have available organic oats, whole grain bread, granola, and Moringa oleifera leaves

Moringa leaves contain iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium. This herb provides humans with about 28 milligrams of iron, and is rich in iron even when compared to spinach leaves. You can take 20-25 moringa leaves, grind them, and add them to your breakfast to provide a dose of iron early in the morning. This is one of the ways to treat iron deficiency with herbs. Gum Arabic with Beetroot Beetroot is a vegetable rich in vitamins and minerals that help improve health in ways that treat anemia, as it contains many effective beneficial substances. Among these benefits, beetroot is a treatment that helps increase the percentage of hemoglobin in the body. Beetroot also contains a large amount of iron, which is considered the best way to deal with iron deficiency. In addition, beetroot contains folic acid, which is very beneficial for pregnant women, as folic acid enhances the production of hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is the protein found in red blood cells and helps transport oxygen to the tissues in the body.