I think I may be getting a little sick?!
I think I may be getting a little sick?
I have been vegetarian for 7 months (nothing that comes from animals) and recently I have been very sleepy, tired, drowsy, poor concentration (im usually very
smart) and I just want to go to sleep at all hours... I go to the gym, Im in healthy weight and I try to eat healthy..but could I have anemia for iron deficiency??? what i get it that fast? what are the consequences? thanks
Answers:
Hi Pretty,
it is, of course, entirely possible that your chosen diet has left you depleted in iron. If this is the case it is possible to boost your iron level with pills, though perhaps it would be more satisfying to eat the pulses that contain higher proportions of protein, such as beans and other legumes.
If you are maintaining your healthy weight there is no need to take notice of those contributors who tell you to eat meat. It IS possible to maintain a vegetarian or vegan diet without this recourse. Perhaps a trip to the doctor might be the best thing, to ensure your problem is not due to another cause.
Your chosen diet is entirely 'livable with' and you shouldn't be persuaded to change to a meat eating diet just to resolve this possible problem. There are plenty of vegetables that contain iron and the source of the iron is unimportant. What IS important is your health, so first see the doctor to ensure it is not your diet that is causing it and then look to resolve it by (if necessary).eating suitable 'super iron' veg.
Good luck.
BobSpain
Low in iron! Think meat. That is the typical sign of lacking iron.
Iron Deficiency
A low iron intake is partly compensated for by increased absorption rates, but when needs are not met iron stores begin to decrease. Once stores are depleted, the level of iron in the blood will begin to decrease, and haemoglobin production will be suppressed. It can take a long time for iron-deficiency anaemia to develop, but eventually haemoglobin production can decrease to a point where anaemia does occur (the number of red blood cells falls so low that there is decreased oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood). Absorption of iron at this stage may be as high as 50%. Note here that iron deficiency (i.e. depleted body iron stores) can occur with or without the prevalence of anaemia.
Many adults with mild iron deficiency experience no obvious problems, other than vague symptoms of tiredness, headache, irritability, or depression, and do not show obvious signs or symptoms of anaemia. Signs and symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia include pale skin, brittle fingernails, tiredness, weakness, apathy, breathlessness especially on physical exertion, giddiness, palpitations, reduced immune function, inadequate temperature regulation, loss of appetite, headache, behavioural disturbances and reduced intellectual performance. The fatigue is caused by insufficient synthesis of red blood cells and cytochromes. These symptoms are similar to those of other health problems and diseases, making it very difficult to self-diagnose anaemia. If you are concerned about your iron level a simple blood test at your local medical centre will give an accurate indication of your current iron status. Iron deficiency anaemia will be signalled by the presence of microcytic (abnormally small) blood cells and very low haemoglobin levels in the blood.
http://www.vnv.org.au/nutrition/iron.htm...
It can happen that it's a diet deficiency, but I wouldn't assume so. Go see the Doctor, it could be something else altogethor.
you might want to try a multivitamin high in iron.
Well, it's not necessarily anemia. And if it is, it's not necessarily because of your diet. FYI: Vegans have a lower incidence of anemia than meat eaters. I don't think the same applies to vegetarians though. You should go to a doctor and get checked out. It could easily be another vitamin you're missing out on or something else entirely. You didn't say how old you are, but you sound like me when I was a teenager. Get checked out and see what's up. :-)
You are suffering an iron and B12 deficiency which is not uncommon in the severe vegetarians(those whose diets contain no animal products whatsoever, including milk, eggs, fish, and even honey). I would advise taking a b12 suppliment along with amino acids and iron.
http://www.bhj.org/books/diets/chap20.ht...
1.Sounds very much like anemia.
2. The iron in red meat is more easily absorbed because it is "heme" iron. Therefore, you need to plan your meals to make the iron (in such great foods as kidney beans, navy beans and boiled Kale) is more absorbable by eating tomatoes or broccoli with them. Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron.
3. The consequences of anemia are secondary organ dysfunction or damage, including heart arrhythmia and congestive heart failure, but that is only over a prologued period of time, and can lead to bone sequelae by rickets and osteomalacia in younger and still growing people.
WAKE UP! Listen to what your body is telling you! It's telling you to forget all this PETA style vegan and vegetarian New Age PC nonsense and eat at least some meat in your diet.
When I read questions like this and then see all the usless answers it makes we want to throw up.. I will bet that you don't drink enough water.. and five will get you ten that whether you believe it or not.. HON YOU ARE DEHYDRATED... do yourself a favor and get on line and look up the symptoms of dehydration.. see if they don't match yours.. if you will drink enough water everyday.. you will start to feel better in a very short time... go ahead..look it up.. I dare you.. ..
You need to have your proteins from meat..but if u don't eat meat u have no protein..and if u have no protein u have no energy!...take protein vitamins...or i advice u to just eat some meet... are u being vegetarian because u don't wanna eat animals or are u doing it to lose weight or try something new?
Hiya, immediately pick yourself up a book on nutrition, specifically vegan/vegetarian nutrition. (some free stuff here: http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/factsheets/...
Many people have defiencies, a lot of people (meat eaters and vegetarians/vegans included) are convinced we are eating a balanced diet, when if we listed down what we were eating in a diary, we'd be surprised!
Sign up to this (it's free, no spam or anything) www.fitday.com
It's a free journal/food diary and you'll be able to check your nutrition intake.
In the meanwhile, think balanced meals! Lots of dark greens (spinach!), brown rice, pulses (lentils, beans), proteins (tofu), fruit, nuts and seeds!
Try this suggested weeks eating healthy plan from Viva:
http://www.vegetarian.org.uk/guides/v_pl...
Any new vegetarians/vegans reading this: ALWAYS READ UP ON NUTRITION BEFORE CHANGING DIETS! The standard american diet (SAD) is hardly healthy, but dropping one bad diet for another unbalanced diet is hardly going to improve health.
Put the VEG back in VEGETARIAN!