Iron’s Significant Role In Your Body 

Iron is a mineral that helps maintain healthy blood because it’s a major component that the body uses to produce hemoglobin; red blood cells cannot be created without the iron it takes to make the hemoglobin. Hemoglobin plays significant roles such as:

1. Transporting oxygen to all the cells of the body

2. Mitochondrial function and ATP processes

3. Degrades toxins and metabolites so they can be removed by the liver and other organs to be removed from the body.

If there is not adequate iron in the diet, then there cannot be enough red blood cells to carry the optimal amount of oxygen we need. Iron is important for proper brain development and growth in children as well as supporting proper cell function and hormones.

Iron deficient anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide and affects 4-5 million Americans per year, which can cause the following symptoms:

• Extreme fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness, dizziness, headache
• Confusion, loss of concentration
• Shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, chest pain
• Irritability
• Pale skin
• Cold hands and feet, sensitivity to cold
• Inflammation or soreness of tongue
• Brittle nails, hair loss
• Pica:cravings for non-nutritive substances such as ice, dirt, clay or non-food items
• Poor appetite (especially in infants and children)

Iron Deficient Anemia left unresolved can lead to the development of severe health problems such as:

• Heart problems: rapid or irregular heartbeat, enlarged heart or heart failure.
• Problems during pregnancy: premature births and low birth weight babies.
• Growth and development problems in infants and children:
• delayed growth and development
• increased susceptibility to infections.

Don’t let this information scare you into using supplements for you or your children!

Over-loading the body with iron is a real risk especially when using supplements or heme iron food sources (heme iron only comes from animal products such as meats/flesh, organs, eggs... anything with a mother or a face ;-)

Heme iron bypasses the body’s natural ability to regulate the amount of iron absorbed even if the body does not need any more iron which causes toxic excess iron accumulation creating oxidative damage to the brain. 

This toxic iron overload has also been shown to increase the risk of cancer, stroke, heart disease and metabolic syndrome. The best sources for iron in the diet comes from plants and is referred to as
non-heme iron. This is the safest, most health-promoting iron for humans because the body can properly regulate iron absorption based on it’s individual needs therefore non-heme iron does not
become a source of oxidized damage.

There is NO more incidents of iron deficiency anemia in vegans as there are in omnivores. You CAN absolutely get enough iron from plants!

Yes, non-heme iron is technically “less absorbable” than heme iron because of compounds called phylates, or phytic acid, polyphenols, and calcium which bind to iron and other minerals preventing absorption; but be not dismayed!

(Photo: Amla, aka: amalaki, the Indian gooseberry contains 200 times the antioxidant content of blueberries).

The key to unbinding the non-heme iron to make it available for the body to regulate the absorption is to add 50-100mg of Vitamin C foods to the non-heme iron-rich meal. This is the equivalentof 5-10 strawberries! Yes please! Adding Vitamin C to non-heme iron and phytate rich foods increases non-heme iron absorption by 2-4 times!

*The only exception to this rule that I’m aware of is regarding Spinach. Spinach has great nutrition, but not for iron; there’s just too many inhibitors in Spinach’s phytochemical constituents that Vitamin C does not overcome.

*Make sure to give a 2-hour buffer between ingesting your non-heme, iron-rich meals or nourishing herbal infusion and your caffeine/tea/coffee ingestion because these have some of the phytates, polyphenols and plant constituents that bind with iron and prevent iron absorption.

Non-heme Iron Foods & Herbs for Faster and Permanent Healing 

Some great non-heme iron food sources(plants) are among the following: 

Tofu, tempeh, unsweetened soy milk

Legumes, especially lentils

Kidney beans

White beans

Garbanzo beans

Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, cabbage, purslane, fresh herbs

Chia seeds

Dried apricots

Bread

Almond butter

Legume pasta

Potatoes

Herbal Sources of Iron 

(listed alphabetically)

Alfalfa (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)

Black Cohosh

Burdock root (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)

Cayenne, Chickweed

Comfrey leaf (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)

Dandelion

Echinacea

Garlic

Ginger

Horsetail

Mullein (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)

Nettles (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)

Oak bark

Pennyroyal

Peppermint

Red Clover (Nourishing Herbal Infusion)

Rose Hips

Sage

Slippery Elm bark

Watercress

Yellow Dock root

Vitamin C Foods & Herbs To Increase Iron Absorption 2-4 times! 

Vitamin C is AMAZING! It’s an L-ascorbic acid that’s water soluble. It thins mucus so it can be more easily coughed out and can prevent many infections from taking hold in the first place. It neutralizes free-radicals and prevents cancers and heart disease. Vitamin C is also a great support to the
nervous system and adrenal glands! Did you know Vitamin C is required for collagen, L-carnitine, certain neurotransmitters, connective tissue, wound healing and it even regenerates other antioxidants such as Vitamin E?! Vitamin C is known to slow and reverse cancerous tumor growth and improve our immune function. 

If you take too much, you’ll end up with diarrhea, so just cut back a little until your bowels help you find your personal sweet-spot-dosage of Vitamin C. 

Vitamin C plant food sources for daily nutrition  

Bell Peppers (Red & Green) 

Broccoli & Brussel Sprouts 

Cantaloupe 

Guava  

Kiwi 

Lemon & Lime 

Oranges & Grapefruit 

Papaya & Pineapple 

Pummelo  

Strawberries 

Tomato 

Herbal Sources of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): 

Acerola berry 

Alfalfa (Nourishing Herbal Infusion) 

Amla 

Black Cohosh 

Burdock root (Nourishing Herbal Infusion) 

Catnip 

Cayenne 

Chickweed 

Comfrey (Nourishing Herbal Infusion) 

Dandelion 

Echinacea 

Garlic 

Ginger 

Lobelia 

Mullein (Nourishing Herbal Infusion) 

Nettles (Nourishing Herbal Infusion) 

Oregon Grape Root 

Peppermint 

Pine Needles 

Plantain 

Red Clover blossoms (Nourishing Herbal Infusion) 

Rose Hips 

Yarrow 

Yellow Dock

Nettles (Urtica dioica) 

Other common names: stinging nettles, common nettle

Family: Urticaceae

Parts used: young leaves (before the plant flowers), seeds, roots

Energetics: cooling, drying

Taste: salty

Some of Nettle’s uses: building blood (iron deficiency), fatigue/adrenal fatigue, low metabolism,
hypothyroid, weak hair/teeth/bones, low lactation, urinary tract infections, asthma and seasonal allergies, arthritis, eczema, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, menstrual cramps, amenorrhea.

Nettles’ Vitamin & Mineral Contents: 

Vitamin A (Retinol, Carotene)

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Vitamin D (Calciferol, Viosterol, Ergosterol)

Vitamin K (Menadine)

Calcium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper

Iron

Magnesium

Phosphorus, Potassium

Silicon, Sodium

Zinc

The Nettle Infusions my daughter used while pregnant included Red Raspberry leaves because she
wanted to support a strong healthy uterus. She reversed her iron deficiency very quickly using this method... Here's how we make them:

Bring a pot of 2-4C water to a boil, remove from heat. In this case we did 1/2C Nettles and 1/2C
Red Raspberry leaves, stir and cover. Let steep 4-8 hours or overnight. Strain and drink throughout the day. You could re-heat and then add raw honey. Or just add this liquid to a green smoothie. 

Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) 

Other common names: curly dock, dock, dockweed

Family: Polyganaceae

Parts used: roots, leaves, seeds

Energetics: cooling, drying

Taste: bitter (roots), sour (leaves)

Some of Yellow Dock’s uses: Iron deficient anemia, constipation, liver, skin conditions.

*When I take Yellow Dock root every day, I do NOT get a menstruation migraine! This is because my liver is better able to process the hormonal changes with ease and grace. Green smoothies and broccoli also help with that tremendously!!! :D

**Yellow Dock is a great support on every level: physical, mental/emotional, spiritual. She is especially great at supporting people who are afraid of change and who resist or struggle with transitioning to new environments, new seasons, new cycles. On every level, Yellow Dock builds our inner strength, grit and resilience.

Yellow Dock’s Vitamin & Mineral Contents: 

Vitamin A (Retinol, Carotene)

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Iron

Manganese

Phosphorus

Trace Minerals

Yellow Dock Root Syrup 

*Safe & recommended for pregnancy 

Ingredients 

8oz Yellow dock root, dried/cut 

4C Water 

1C Blackstrap Molasses  

To a pot or saucepan with lid, add 4C pure water and 8oz of dried/cut Yellow dock root. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low simmer and cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid is reduced
by half (2C).  

I pour it through a strainer into a glass Pyrex quart-sized measuring cup. If ready, great! Add Blackstrap Molasses, stir well, then pour into dark glass storage bottle containers, label them and keep refrigerated. If not quite down to 2C yet, pour back into pot, cover and put on low simmer another 5-10 min. 

*Yellow dock root is a very absorbent root! When I make Elderberry syrup it takes 20-30 or more on a low simmer to get to half the liquid I started with, but Yellow dock root takes a lot less time
because it absorbs the water and puffs up quite a bit! 

I typically use 2C of this Yellow dock root decoction (strained liquid) and mix with 1C Blackstrap Molasses. Both ingredients are excellent on their own for restoring our iron levels, so having them together is fantastic! It’s not going to taste delicious (this is not my daughter’s favorite recipe)! Ha! But it’s highly effective and Yellow dock root is good for many other health benefits beyond building Iron
sufficiency. 

Dosage: (adult) 1-2T 1-2x/day. I usually take mine with lunch and/or dinner. 

Herbalist, Michael Tierra suggests 1-2 teaspoons 2-3x/day. 

Adjust children’s dosage by weight; example: a 75 pound child would take ½ this recommended dosage. This can be added too atmeal or smoothies, etc. 

Special Considerations  

*If you have made the necessary changes to your diet to increase your non-heme iron
intake and absorption, but your iron levels are not improving, there may be other causes of the iron deficient anemia such as slow chronic blood loss that can occur from a peptic ulcer, hiatal hernia, colon polyps or cancer, GI bleeding, over-use of OTC (over-the-counter) pain relievers (especially Aspirin), Celiac disease, heavy excessive periods, frequent blood donations, etc. You may need further testing done in cooperation with your health care provider.