Good morning! Welcome to Herbal Insights.
Today we are going to start by talking about the importance of Iron. Iron is important for our bodies and functions as a natural immune boost. It is a naturally occurring mineral that our bodies need for many functions. We Iron for grown and proper development. It is necessary for making hemoglobin which carries oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our body via red blood cells. It is also important for allowing myoglobin to be able to take oxygen to our muscles. Iron functions to support our hormones as our bodies are exposed to aging, environmental factors, and stresses.
Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles. Your body also needs iron to make some hormones. In women, it is thought that estrogen is high and iron is low (relatively speaking), which is why often times in pregnancy women experience lower than normal iron levels. And in menopausal/post-menopausal women, iron levels rise and estrogen declines. This is a normal process. When iron is too low, it is called anemia. Without the proper amount of iron, we often experience fatigue and shortness of breath.
As mentioned, iron also plays a role in our bodies’ immune function, specifically in our gut. Gut health and immune function is key to our general well-being and health. The old saying, “you are what you eat” is true. Taking time to boost our immunity and take care of our gut is important for overall health and as we enter cold and flu season, it is evermore important.
There are, however, natural ways to incorporate iron into our daily lives. Using cast iron for cooking is a simple way to get some iron into your diet.
Blackstrap molasses is a derivative of sugar cane that naturally contains iron and up to 95% of it can be absorbed by the body. Incorporating molasses into your dietary regimen, along with some of the following herbs and using cast iron as much as possible for cooking, can be an effective way to boost your iron intake.
Herbs with iron for immunity: spirulina, nettle, dandelion, and yellow dock are high in iron content, making perfect culinary elements and herbal supplements. Nettle is generally safe for everyone (though as with all herbs, you should exercise caution and monitor how your own body reacts). Dandelion is also another recognizably “safe” herb and is useful for treating liver and kidney problems, skin irritations, and digestive issues, along with being a good source of iron. Yellow dock root contains properties that allow iron to be readily absorbed into the body. It should be used with caution or avoided during pregnancy.
Iron challenge - create your own plan to incorporate the right amount of iron into your diet! Experiment with flavors and herbal concoctions that you have on hand. Check out our Iron Boosting Elixir in our shop at https://purus-herbal.com/shop/ols/products/iron-boosting-elixir! Stay healthy and happy herbaling!
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