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Good health is the most prized possession any of us could have. We know without a good health, we simply can enjoy life fully neither we can be productive at our work. Good health is largely based on our daily diet. The lack of well-balanced diet affects our body functioning. Among all nutrients and minerals, Iron rank as the most important one. Why? Let’s find out here.

Why is Iron important?

Iron is considered as the most vital mineral of our body. Iron is involved in many important body functions. Iron transfers Oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. Iron is also required for the formation of hemoglobin of red cells in the blood. Tissues also need iron for the oxidation-reduction reaction.  Body reutilized the iron and it is also stored in lungs and Spleen.

Lack of iron in the body results in Anemia. Iron is also required for the conversion of body sugar into the energy. Iron is responsible for the production of Enzymes. For a good immune system, a good iron is an essential must.

Lack of iron results in:

• Feeling of tiredness.
• Skin paleness.
• Headache and dizziness.
• Problem in breathing.

Is your diet always to blame:

Iron deficiency is majorly caused by an improper or iron deficient diet but they are other factors too. The body loses the major portion of irons through sweating, urination and internal bleeding. In women, a lot of iron is wasted in the periodic menstruation.

How much iron women need:

Women as compare to men need more iron. Women from the age group of 19 to 50 require 14mg/day iron intake.

Iron deficiency in pregnancy:

During pregnancy, the iron intakes of women are much higher than any other stage of her life.  The ideal iron intake during pregnancy is 10-20 mg more than the normal regular intake. These intakes get high because the fetus in woman body builds its own reservoir by taking iron from Mother’s body. Therefore, the mother needs to more iron in her diet. This can be achieved through an iron-rich diet. If your doctor recommends, the mother can start taking supplements too to fulfill her iron requirement.

Where can you get iron?

There are some foods which are very rich in iron. If we make them a part of our daily diet, we will never face an iron deficiency. Those are:

• Spirulina
• Liver
• Lentils
• Dark Chocklates
• Bean and pulses
• Whole grains
• Green leafy vegetables
• Pumpkin and Nuts
   

What about Spinach:

Spinach is always been crowned as the Great food. Spinach is easily available in the market throughout the year. It also tastes good and has high nutritional value. But too much consumption of spinach results in absorption of the iron. If you take lemon with Spinach, the absorption of iron will be limited.

Should we take iron supplements?

In case of high iron deficiency, the doctors often recommend supplements. But as it’s a medical product, it is going to have some side effects on your health. Even prescribed amount of supplements can affect your health. The common side effects are vomiting, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. In case of overdose, it could damage your liver too. The iron-rich diet should be preferred over the supplements as a variety of iron-rich food is available in the market to meet your iron needs.

Is there such a thing as too much iron?

Yes, you read it right. You can have too much iron too in your body which will lead to a problem called Hemochromatosis. The excess of iron can cause damage to the liver and heart. It also results in diabetes and arthritis. Men mostly tend to have an excess iron as compare to the women. Women lose as mentioned above iron through periodic menstruation.

What about you?

So above is our take on iron. We will like to know about your experiences about low iron or high iron. How did you overcome this deficiency? Do you have more information to add to the above content? We are always curious to know about your views on the above subject. So feel free to share with us.