It is essential that you eat or drink something with vitamin C in it after every meal. This helps the body absorb iron in the food you ate.
Also pay attention to your vitamin b12 levels. You can boost these by eating eggs, cheese, milk products etc. I would suggest getting some sublingual b12 tabs. These are absorbed under the tongue and go directly into the blood stream.
frances1266,
Aug 21, 9:34pm
Vegetarians have been shown to have higher iron levels than carnivores so I wouldnt be too concerned. Seventh Day Adventists families have been vegetarian for generations and have very good health statistics, better than carnivores again. Dried fruit is a good source of iron, a small packet of raisins is good, as are greens, pulses. wholegrains etc.
bedazzledjewels,
Aug 21, 9:46pm
Carnivores? I think Frances you mean omnivores? There are very few carnivores around.
ferita,
Aug 21, 9:47pm
I dont think the SDA's drink coffee so this could be a factor.
aphra1,
Aug 21, 10:35pm
If you're still going to be the one doing most of the cooking try to think of vegetarianism as no 'going without' something but rather 'adding' lots of things ( lentils, beans, pulses, brown rice etc). Too many young people think they just need to eat the same meals but without the meat. You may also have to let her know about the animal rennet in most cheeses and the gelatine in many sweets. Have fun experimenting with recipes.
buzzy110,
Aug 22, 12:32am
From yesterday's Herald: Re iron deficiency - "With iron it is mainly females who are menstruating because they lose their monthly blood they lose a lot of iron too. This is common in women under 55. If you look at the daily iron requirements for women it's 18 milligrams and for me it is 8".
So ferita may thrive on a vegetarian diet but women need to be more pro-active.
buzzy110,
Aug 22, 12:37am
Further on in the article it says: "Vegetarians note: to increase the absorption of non-haem iron try to have vitamin C-rich foods such as kiwifruit, citrus, orange juice and capsicums - at the same time. A glass of orange juice with your breakfast cereal will increase the iron absorbed from the cereal. For those who need extra, iron supplements are available by prescription and in pharmacies but Ms Cairncross (the source of the information) says that these should only be taken after consultation with your doctor or dietitian. "
beejo,
Aug 22, 2:53am
First of all you should congratulate your daughter! Top decision! Vegetarian is not something you need to worry about health wise, (this is a common misconception) think beans, lentils, green leafy veg, tofu. Taking the flesh out = a healthy decision, as long as your eating healthy anyway. Her heart, bowel, digestive system... . the animals will all be better for it. Tell her to look forward to a world with less colds and flu, (what are they? ) Much more energy and way better moods thanks to such a healthy diet and not consuming rotten carcus that isn't easily digested... ... Vegetarians make the world beautiful.
uli,
Aug 22, 3:29am
Frances1266 - this mother is concerned because the daughter is already low - and she is from now on not eating any haeme iron products - so it might be a good idea to supplement with something like fe-max - don't you think? I would find it quite unkind to be told "not to worry" - when I really do ... .
ferita,
Aug 22, 3:29am
Why are you singling me out for? I do not appreciate it. I wrote that you should have vitamin c food and drinks with your meals.
frances1266,
Aug 22, 4:02am
Too much iron is considered to be more dangerous than too little and while I think it important to get adequate iron I dont think it is necessary to worry about it too much in spite of meat eaters insistence that vegetarians dont get enough iron - they do.
frances1266,
Aug 22, 4:05am
PS - I have been vegetarian nearly 30 years - never been anaemic. Have a daughter who has been vegetarian most of her life, never been anaemic also. Uli you worry so much about vegetarians, I suggest you worry about those who eat so much unhealthy meat and have the health statistics to worry about.
bedazzledjewels,
Aug 22, 4:09am
Ferita - she's singling you out because you're a bloke! Therefore I assume you don't menustruate every month so have less need of iron.
uli,
Aug 22, 5:34am
No I do not worry at all about vegetarians or vegans - they can eat what they like - but if this thread is started by a mother worried about her daughter - WHO IS ALREADY LOW IN IRON - as the first post says - then I think your comment "not to worry" is very unkind - and after the second post of yours I think "unkind" is not even covering it ... so go for it and show how unconcerned you really are about others concerns... . I for one rather give some constructive ideas. Where are yours?
beejo,
Aug 22, 5:41am
i think what was meant was eating meat is not necessarily going to provide the iron the mother is concerned about, if the girl is lacking in iron she needs lots of leafy greens, and perhaps look into some kind of iron supplement? The cutting out of meat from her diet won't make any difference if the rest of her diet is good. I mean she has been eating meat until now and is low in iron anyway... . So yeah maybe the supplement thing :)
duckmoon,
Aug 22, 6:50am
dried apricots are a good source
ferita,
Aug 22, 6:57am
Why is it the avid meat eaters always invade the vegetarian threads? ?
uli,
Aug 22, 7:36am
angie461- if you are worried about your daughter "who has decided to go vegetarian" and you are worried about "how do you get enough iron when hers is already low? " - please disregard the vegan ideas above - as they obviously are all setand happy with their iron levels...
Please buy some of this stuff: http://www.qhealth.co.nz/html/viewProduct. php? id=1597
and your daughter will not slide further.
I am not saying that there is a problem with eating vegan or vegetarian - however if she is ALREADY low in iron - then a supplement will be better than a battle on this message board ...
Good luck to your daughter in the long run though!
beejo,
Aug 22, 7:40am
uli, that's what I said... . . If she's already low in iron she should be thinking supplements.
jtonkin,
Aug 22, 10:15am
I'll tell you something interesting (although it won't be the same for all! ). I have extremely low Ferritin, I have to get tested every 2 months full bloods (should be between 15 and 130), mine is 3. I went Vegetarian 6 months ago and my iron went from 3 to 20! I went OFF Vegetarian diet and just got tested again and its gone down to 4! go figure! my dr thinks I must be a cow! ! you're not supposed to be able to get enough from vegies... strange ha. Is she lacking in hemoglobin or Ferritin? ie: stores or the iron that travels around her body? Has she had a blood test to confirm it?
elliehen,
Aug 22, 10:45am
Evangelism? Insecurity? Vegan-envy?
I did read in the Low Carb/ No Carb thread a post where their Dear Leader asked them to please try not to invade the vegetarian thread because by and large, vegetarians left the Low Carb/No Carb thread alone.
They did not listen ;)
shyann2,
Apr 6, 10:36pm
Im vegetarian & have iron pills cause blood test showed severly low iron & i get B12 injections when needed as well. I just dont like the taste or smell of meat or fish. I eat a limited number of eggs & only have milk in coffee or things like mashed spud. I love cheese though. Have ended up with an ulcer now though so cant have tasty cheese which sucks. I dont like lentils & all that stuff either so im not sure but could be why im not very healthy. Id appreciate any quiche recipes or anything like that which have iron rich ingredients. & easy recipes lol TIA
pickles7,
Apr 7, 1:45am
It is survival of the fittest with, Seventh Day Adventists . I am unsure if Seventh Day Adventists can take supplements in the form of tablets. However as a mother you would need to schooling up your child to eat what she needs, to be healthy. A lot of children decide not to eat meat because an animal has paid the price, with its life. But thinking they only have to take the meat out of there diet. I would go with her to the local health food shop and do a little shopping.
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