Ring those bells. Next week is the last week of the school year! Did you know that kids are a risk group for iron deficiency? As your kids count down the minutes until the final bell, here are some tips to ensure your child is meeting their iron needs this summer: Got a picky eater? … Continue reading School is (almost) out for the summer

Many of the symptoms related to iron deficiency can be attributed to other causes in today’s often busy lifestyle. You may not even realize that you or a loved one could be iron deficient. Here’s a quick snapshot and a link to a symptoms checker for adults. Be sure to share with your friends! Content … Continue reading Could it be iron deficiency?

It’s perfectly normal for a new mother to be tired as she adjusts to life with a new baby, but if she is suffering from iron deficiency, then the fatigue and other symptoms can make it especially difficult and may even lead to long-term consequences for her and her baby. Iron deficiency in pregnancy is … Continue reading Iron & Pregnancy Series with Dr. McLeod: Post-Partum

It’s no surprise that a woman’s body will undergo changes during pregnancy to accommodate the baby as it grows. One of the biggest changes is that of her blood. While this might not be an obvious change (like that of a growing belly), it’s a very important change that requires some effort on the mother’s … Continue reading Iron & Pregnancy Series with Dr. McLeod: During Pregnancy

Throughout the month of May we are honouring women – mothers in particular. Moms do A LOT for their families, and it’s important that they take time for themselves once in a while and ensure that their health is in check too! Iron deficiency can affect one’s entire family, but women and children are among … Continue reading Iron Articles Just for Mom

  All kinds of preparation and planning goes into having a baby, yet want-to-be moms often don’t consider one of the most important things to plan for, which is her health before she even gets pregnant and in particular the role that iron plays pre-pregnancy. This is the first article in my 3-part series, Iron … Continue reading Iron & Pregnancy Series with Dr. McLeod: Pre-Pregnancy

My name is Esther – I have been married for 8 years to a very thoughtful and loving husband, Steven, and we were blessed with our beautiful daughter in 2013. That may sound like a “happily ever after story,” but life is not without struggle and I would like to share mine with you.

As a parent, you can’t help but be tickled pink when your child is a good sleeper. Getting enough sleep is important for them (and you!), but if your child seems to be sleeping an awful lot, then there might be a problem. There’s a difference between sleeping through the night and having chronic fatigue, … Continue reading Is Your Child Overly Tired and Sleeping A Lot? It Might Be Iron Deficiency…

World Health Day is tomorrow (April 7th) making this the perfect time to talk about iron deficiency, which happens to be the world’s most common nutrient deficiency and one that affects people of all ages. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that 2 billion people are anemic, many due to iron deficiency. That’s more than … Continue reading Is Your Family At Risk?

March is National Kidney Month, making today’s topic of Chronic Kidney Disease (also known as CKD) very fitting. A common issue of CKD is iron deficiency anemia, particularly for patients on dialysis.  

My name is Kelly and I am iron deficient. My iron levels were never great after the birth of my first child. The blood loss was massive, the doctors pondered my need for a blood transfusion and prescribed me ferrous sulfate to help out. It brought my levels up enough, but I had low iron … Continue reading Kelly: From the Challenges of Iron Deficiency to an IronMan Challenger

As the recipient of 70 units of blood last year (for bone marrow failure), I know first-hand how important blood donation is, and I am forever grateful for those who helped me when I was in need. On the weekend, I heard an announcement from Canadian Blood Services (CBS); while they are always in need … Continue reading I Wonder if MY 70 Blood Donors Know The Importance of Post-Donation Iron Supplementation

We’ve talked about the impact that chronic iron deficiency can have on your heart and now, continuing on with our series of Iron and Your Heart (in honour of Heart Month), I want to talk about the effect that too much iron – also known as hemochromatosis – can have on your heart.

We’ve been talking about heart-related issues in honour of Heart Month, and this particular article may be among the most important of all because it will give you a look into the impact of iron deficiency anemia on your heart. I want to ask you a question: How quickly would you get yourself to a … Continue reading Iron & Your Heart Part 1: Chronic Iron Deficiency

Today, in honour of Heart Month, I want to talk about the link between iron deficiency and heart failure because it’s far more common than you might realize. According to a paper published in the Cardiology Journal Heart, iron deficiency is present in 30 – 50% of patients with heart failure and has been associated … Continue reading The Connection between Iron Deficiency and Heart Failure

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder in which gluten – a protein found in wheat – damages the lining of the small intestine, which is the same part of the gut that absorbs nutrients from food. According to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, it is believed that 333,000 Canadians (approximately 1% of the population) are … Continue reading What’s the Link Between Celiac Disease and Iron Deficiency?

Wait right there! Thinking of skipping past this article because you don’t exactly consider yourself an athlete? Well, when it comes to iron deficiency in athletes, you don’t need to be a professional athlete or out running regular marathons, recreational athletes should know about the possible risks too.

Are you a vegetarian, vegan, or flexitarian? What’s a flexitarian, you ask? According to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary that officially listed the word in 2012, a flexitarian is “one whose normally meatless diet occasionally includes meat or fish”, in other words, a semi-vegetarian! With an estimated 4% of Canadians living a vegetarian lifestyle, as many … Continue reading Vegetarian or Vegan Doesn’t Have to Mean Iron Deficiency…

Each year, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) collects about 950,000 units of blood from approximately 600,000 donors. That’s a lot of blood, and a lot of lives that can be saved because of it! Did you know that a single donation can save up to 3 lives? While donating blood is an extremely generous act to … Continue reading Are You a Blood Donor? You May Need to Replenish Your Iron!

You might already know that iron plays an essential role in your child’s health, but did you know that not getting enough of it has the potential to cause life-long issues? Iron helps oxygen move from the lungs to the rest of the body. Thus, iron deficiency can have a lasting impact on your child’s … Continue reading Iron Deficiency Can Affect Your Child’s Cognitive Function