For women, hemoglobin (the iron-containing protein in our red blood cells) levels of less than 12 is considered anemic, while it is less than 13 for men.  My number was 10, which is considered very low.  Iron deficiency Anemia is not only very common amongst pregnant women, but also amongst women in general.  Whether it is a result of pregnancy, blood loss during menstruation, or a lack of iron-rich foods in the diet, anemia is serious.

I could tell I was anemic, without the blood tests, simply because my energy was low, I felt dizzy and was short of breath.  I couldn’t stomach red meat and liver, which is high in iron and always encouraged for anemia.  I told my doctor that rather than taking her desired prescription of 150 milligrams of Iron daily, I would try to raise my iron holistically, in 1 month, and she agreed.  Although meat is high in iron, it also can be difficult to digest and a bit too acidic for my system.  My goal was to concentrate on the easily absorbed, iron-rich foods and corresponding food-based supplements.

Guess what, in 1 month, I raised my iron levels to 11.9.  The doctor and I were both amazed at how quickly it turned around.  Here is how I did it… 

• I ate one large salad daily, consisting of a mixture of greens (spinach, arugula, dark leafy greens and sprouts) and chopped up lots of red and orange vegetables.  The vitamin C in vegetables and fruits (especially red and yellow ones) helps to absorb the iron in food.
• I sautéed or steamed greens such as spinach, kale, chard or other greens daily.
• I made a morning baby shake consisting of Catie’s Vitamin C, Green Superfoods, Blue-Green Algae, and Goat Milk Protein Powder – Extremely high in minerals, iron, B’s, omegas, amino acids and antioxidants.  I highly recommend a morning drink to everyone, not just pregnant women.  Hey, my husband drinks it too!
• I ate salmon once a week with lemon juice
• I took 2 Tbsp of Black Strap Molasses every day with lemon juice.  It sounds odd, but molasses is one of the highest food sources of iron and easier to absorb than meat.
•  I avoided all caffeine and tea because the caffeine and tannins in coffee or tea can actually block absorption of iron and also calcium.
• I always separated my calcium and iron supplements and foods because when consumed together, they actually counteract each other’s absorption.
• Lastly, but most importantly, I found an amazing whole food iron supplement called “Blood Builder”, by Megafoods.  Most iron supplements, or ferrous sulfate, is made from hard minerals like rock and steel.  It is very difficult to absorb and causes much constipation!  Megafoods’ iron product is made from Hydrilla Algae, Alfalfa, Beet Root and various other greens and algae extractions.  Iron taken from natural foods, is easily recognized and utilized by the body.  Each tablet contains 26 mg of Iron and all I took was 1-2 tablets daily with other greens or fruit.

Unfortunately during my pregnancy I was not aware of how rich chia seeds are in iron (1 serving gives you 30% of your daily needs).  I would add to my list of recommendations to try drinking 4+ ounces of my chia milk daily or grind the seeds up in a coffee grinder and sprinkle over salads, cereal, etc.