Chronic fatigue in my experience can really kill you. You might have important deadlines coming up or a major test, then BOOM, you find yourself weak and struggling to stay awake.
Fatigue and the general feeling of weakness are common symptoms of anemia. And women are commonly known to suffer from iron deficiency anemia. Other symptoms include pale or yellowish skin, irregular heartbeats, dizziness, and bad circulation.
Why do women commonly experience this? Due to menstruation, women lose anywhere between 30-50 mL of blood each period. Women also need double the amount of iron to produce and support healthy babies.
How does anemia affect people at large? Think about it. It’s like having an uncontrollable wave of fatigue wash over you every day, even when you get enough sleep. Your concentration is lowered and your performance in sports or fitness may be diminished because of this.
It can be incredibly frustrating when you do everything you can to have energy but still don’t. When we have substantial energy, it’s much easier to maximize our motivation and productivity day in and day out. This is why I recommend that you start experiencing these symptoms, go to a doctor right away, and have them administer a blood test.
Here’s how to combat iron-deficiency anemia 101.
Don’t Cheap Out on the Supplements
I generally take 150mg of supplemental iron in the form of a capsule every day. The brand is called FeraMax, but you should go with whatever the doctor recommends. It’s not the cheapest supplement (around $1/per day), but after a couple of months of taking it, it’s supposed to help restore your iron levels to normal.
It’s crucial that you take a supplement if you’re diagnosed with a deficiency because the amounts you get from food are not always readily absorbed. That means even if you eat a good portion of steak every single day, doesn’t necessarily mean you will absorb all that iron.
Buckle-Down on Your Nutrition
Being mindful of including iron-rich foods in our diet, can help us sustain our iron levels in the long run. Food should always come #1 before vitamins and supplements.
You can do a quick google of what foods are high in iron. Iron-rich sources are usually found in meats, shellfish, and whole eggs. Red meat is probably the single best source of heme iron; in fact, some studies showed that after aerobic activity, women who consumed red meat absorbed iron better than taking supplements.
For vegetarians, there are foods that are higher in iron like red kidney beans, lentils, spinach, pumpkins seeds, quinoa, tofu, and dark chocolate.
Pairing your iron-rich foods with other vitamin rich sources like vegetables can increase your overall absorption of iron.
On the contrary, foods containing phytates like whole grains, cereals, legumes, soy, and nuts can inhibit absorption.
Incorporate Physical Activity into Your Schedule
Exercising may feel like the last thing you want to do when you’re fatigued, but incorporating even light exercise, like a 20-minute walk, can help reset your nervous system and refresh your mind (if you have brain fog). Also, when we’re exercising we’re taking in more oxygen which literally fuels our cells. You might find that if you’re low on concentration and productivity, a walk around the block may be an easy solution.
Take Care of Yourself if You Want to Perform at Your Best
If you find that there’s something health-related in your life hindering you from performing and feeling your best, be proactive about finding the antidote.
Don’t push it under a rug or prolong it, because when you treat the root cause, you can begin to live your life at a more elevated state. When we’re at an elevated state, we’re more confident to pursue great accomplishments, do things at a higher caliber, and be resilient to setbacks. Having more energy also helps us be more present in our everyday relationships.
Conclusion
Being tired and weak all the time is not a good feeling at all. Luckily, if you have anemia there are easy ways to help you restore to normal iron levels. It just requires you to be a little more mindful and intentional about your nutrition and habits. When we have stellar energy levels, the more likely it is that we can conquer our days.
Secret Prose 
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