Are you getting enough iron???

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Did you know that up to 8 out of every 10 teenage girls and pre-menopausal women are deficient in iron? Did you also know most iron deficiencies go undetected because blood tests only check for anemia, the final stage in iron deficiency? I read this article about the symptoms of anemia. Of course symptoms vary depending on the level of anemia, but here are the most common: Fatigue, dizziness, headaches, cold hands & feet with brittle nails, unusual cravings. It can even lead to restless leg syndrome! Here's a link to the article: http://www.remedylife.com/general/articles/content?cid=1600&ctid=2 Here are some tips from a newsletter at remedylife to get more iron in your Diet: Eat some extra-lean red meat. The iron in meat (heme iron) is well absorbed; the iron in plant foods is not. Add meat to a stir-fry, spaghetti sauce or chili, and you boost absorption of the nonheme iron found in beans, pasta and vegetables. [b] Cook in a cast-iron skillet.[/b] Your food will absorb iron. Eat vitamin C-rich food, such as orange juice, broccoli or strawberries, at meals. Vitamin C boosts iron absorption and counteracts some compounds (such as phytates in brown rice) that block iron absorption. Select iron-fortified foods. While their iron isn't well absorbed, such foods do add some to the diet. [b] Drink tea and coffee[/b] between meals, not with food. Both of these beverages contain tannins, compounds that block iron absorption. Ask your doctor about supplements. A moderate iron supplement should be considered if daily caloric intake falls below 2,500 calories and serum ferritin levels below 20mcg/L. Severe deficiency requires prescription supplements.