Iron Deficiency Day (November 26)

 
It's Iron deficiency day today so I've decided to share some basic info about IRON! 

🤔IRON? Can eat one ah?🤔

What is Iron?

Iron is an essential mineral that helps to transport oxygen throughout the body. Iron is an important component of hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to transport it throughout your body. If you don't have enough iron, your body can't make enough healthy red blood cells. Insufficient healthy red blood cells will cause insufficient oxygen in the body which then cause fatigued. 
It can also affect everything from brain function to immune system. If you're pregnant, severe iron deficiency may increase your baby's risk of being born too early, or smaller than normal.

Where do I get Iron?

Dried beans and dark green leafy vegetables are especially good sources of iron . Iron absorption is increased markedly by eating foods containing Vitamin C along with foods containing iron because Vitamin C enhance iron absorption in the body. Vegetarians do not have a higher incidence of iron deficiency than do meat eaters.

What if I don't get enough Iron?

A lack of red blood cells caused by insufficient iron intake is called iron deficiency anemia. People often don't know they have anemia until they have signs or symptoms such as pale, fatigued, or have difficulty exercising.

If you're low in iron, you may also:

• Feel short of breath
• Have a fast heartbeat
• Have cold hands and feet
• Crave strange substances such as dirt or clay
• Have brittle and spoon shaped nails or hair loss
• Sores at the corner of the mouth
• A sore tongue
• Severe iron deficiency can cause difficulty in swallowing

Iron deficiency can also affect metabolism, mental health and even sexual function. As a summary, without enough iron, the human body cannot work properly.

Is Iron the more the better?

More is definitely not better. Adults shouldn't take any more than 45 mg of iron a day unless being treated under close medical supervision. Iron overdosing can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dark stools, or constipation. 
However, it's difficult for adults to overdose on iron just from food or supplements, because an adult body has systems in place to regulate the amount of iron it absorbs.

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Sam says