Let’s Talk Kids…

Children are our future, and we want to give them the best possible shot to be all they can be. However, you’d be surprised to find out that a good number of our young people are actually iron deficient! Based on small recent studies, it’s estimated that almost 12-64% of them are iron deficient!

Is your child at risk?

You may be wondering why so many kids are suffering from iron deficiency. Commonly, for children between the ages of 9 months and 3 years and also during puberty, this can be explained by their growing bodies. Literally, they’re growing, and rapid growth creates a need for increased blood volume (and iron). If children are not absorbing enough iron from their diet, the body may not be able to keep up with the new increased demands. There are other reasons that children at various ages can develop iron deficiency – take a look at all of the child risk groups here.

Iron deficiency not only impacts children in Canada but also children abroad. By the numbers, iron deficiency anemia affects almost 750 million children worldwide. That’s a lot of children who are not getting enough iron, especially since iron deficiency is preventable!

So what happens if a child is iron deficient?

Well, iron deficiency can not only cause your child to feel tired or lethargic and reduce their exercise tolerance, but various studies have shown that untreated iron deficiency can have a significant impact on a child’s cognitive function. A child with iron deficiency may experience changes in their behavior including issues concentrating, learning disabilities, and/or reduced emotional responsiveness.

There are ways to prevent and treat iron deficiency

Add more iron-rich foods (like iron-fortified cereals, poultry, fish, etc…) into your child’s diet. Even if you have a picky eater, there are ways to get around this! Check out my 10 clever ways to get more iron into your child’s diet without them even knowing!

If diet alone is not enough, you could also introduce a pediatric formulated iron supplement (liquids or powders). Learn about the different pediatric iron supplements and talk to your doctor/pharmacist for more information on choosing the right one for your child.

There are effective options for treating iron deficiency, but the key is to stay aware and know how to recognize the symptoms to ensure you can take the best next steps to prevent iron deficiency in your children.

Iron Intake on Summer Weekends

Summer is here! Like me, I’m sure you’re ready to say goodbye to winter and finally enjoy the hot weather.  As we head into summer weekends, here are some ideas on ways to enjoy the food, fun and sun while making sure you and your family are keeping up your iron intake.

Enhance Absorption with These Top 10 Vitamin C Rich Foods

Strawberries? Brussel sprouts? Yes, please! Vitamin C helps your body to better absorb iron. Add these Vitamin C rich foods to your plate or glass this weekend to help you better absorb your iron. As an added bonus, some of these foods are locally grown in the summer!

10 Clever Ways to Get More Iron into Your Child’s Diet

Hosting a BBQ this weekend? Here are 10 clever ways to get your fussy eaters to eat more iron – #3 and #4 sound like a perfect addition to a backyard fiesta!

Adding ‘Superfoods’ to Your Diet in 2015

We’re hitting the halfway point for the year. If you made a new year’s resolution to eat better in 2015, consider adding these superfoods to your plate this weekend!

Top 12 Iron-Rich Foods for Vegans & Vegetarians

For my vegan and vegetarian friends, there are still plenty of foods to eat that are great sources of iron and taste great on the BBQ. Did you know one large potato has 3.2 mg of iron?

Cheers to the weekend!

Iron Deficiency: From Symptoms to Supplements

You know those days where fatigue just gets the better of you and you spend your day feeling sluggish and unable to concentrate? If you were up late the night before or have had an especially hard and stressful week, then having a day like this may feel pretty normal. But, if you can’t pinpoint a cause for the way you’re feeling or find yourself feeling like that far too often, then you could be experiencing the symptoms of low iron.

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The Iron Maiden: The 10 Most Popular Posts

My goal is and always has been to empower my patients to be health care consumers rather than be consumed by health care. It is so important to be well informed and contribute to the process that determines the direction one’s care takes.

This is why I am so happy to use this platform to help spread awareness and educate people just like you! Since I’ve been blogging on The Iron Maiden for a little over 7 months now, some people have been asking me what the “most popular” articles are. So, I’m going to count down the 10 most popular posts – whether you’ve been following my blog for a while or are a new reader, these are the articles you don’t want to miss!

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Top 12 Iron-Rich Foods for Vegans & Vegetarians

Even though you may not be eating meat – or as much meat as the average person – iron deficiency doesn’t have to be a problem. The risk of having low iron is definitely higher when you cut (or limit) meat from your diet, since the heme iron found in meat is easier to absorb than the non-heme iron in plant-based foods.

If you make the effort to choose vegan or vegetarian-friendly foods that are high in iron, there are ways to help keep your iron in check. For instance, I’ve come up with a list of the top 12 iron-rich foods suitable for vegans and vegetarians:

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Experiencing Chronic Fatigue? It May Be Iron Deficiency

Many of us may live a busier life than we would care to. We’re always on the go and trying to juggle a dozen things at once. So, feeling tired is normal then, right? Well, feeling tired after a long and busy day is typical, but feeling that you are constantly in a state of fatigue is not. In fact, chronic fatigue falls under my ‘triad of symptoms related to iron deficiency.’

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In the News – Whole Grains

Whole grains have been given a bad rap in recent years because of the whole gluten-free craze. Don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware of some people’s needs to eat gluten-free and I’m happy to see this craze leading to a bunch of new options for people. The reason I refer to it as a craze though, is that unless you have been diagnosed with celiac disease or some other medical issue that requires you to avoid gluten; whole grains are actually an extremely important part of a healthy diet!

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Adding ‘Superfoods’ to Your Diet in 2015

Happy to see that you’re out of your turkey coma and ready to get back on track with some healthy choices for the New Year!

You’re not alone in wanting to eat better – most of us crave a healthier diet after a December of making merry with sweets and other holiday goodies. Even those who have made the effort to eat iron-rich foods over the holidays have probably managed to over-indulge in even these foods. ‘Tis the way of the season, it seems! You can have too much of a good thing though, and eating loads of red meat and other iron-rich foods, depending on how you prepare them, fat content, etc., can actually be a not-so-healthy choice.

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What’s On the Menu at My House for Thanksgiving?

Anytime we’re told to alter our diets, for medical reasons or otherwise, we’re quick to think “yuck” and assume that meal time is going to become a bit of a pain in the you-know-what. And with the holidays fast approaching, you may be worrying about what that will do to your family gatherings. Thankfully, increasing the amount of iron-rich foods in your diet doesn’t mean having to forego all of your holiday favourites or subjecting your guests to a less-than-appetizing feast.

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