Vitamin C enhances the absorption of non-heme (plant) iron.  To get the recommended amount, either squeeze the juice of a half a lemon into a glass of water or take a vitamin C supplement of 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams with each meal.

Caffeine inhibits the absorption of iron.  Therefore if you are suffering from anemia, you should severely limit the following substances in your diet:  coffee, black tea, soda, and chocoalte.  Dairy also decreases iron absorption in women suffering from anemia.  It is suggested that to get your calcium, you should increase the amount of your intake of items such as beans, peas, soybeans, sesame seeds, soup stocks made with chicken or fish bones and any leafy green vegetables.

Many disorders can be misdiagnoses because their symptoms are similair.  Anemia is one of these.  One self test you can do at home to help your doctor determine if he should check you for anemia is to press down for about 2 seconds on an unpolished finger nail.  If you are pressing against the nail bed, this area should turn white.

When you stop pressing, the area should turn pink again within a second or two.  The longer it takes the area to turn pink, the more likely it is that you are anemic.

 If you are diagnosed with anemia, here are some tips to help your body.

Eat plenty of iron rich foods.  Good sources do include meats, but there are many plants that also have a form of iron known as (non-heme iron).  Since it is know that this form is not as easily absorbed, you may want to adjust your diet to help your body absorb the iron better.  Iron rich plants include “whole” grains such as barley and oats, beans, peas, seeds and nuts (especially sesame, sunflower, pistachios, pecans and almonds), Swiss chard and kale are also excellent sources.

The next post will discuss what to do for better absorption.

Believe it or not, many Naturopaths consider Nettle to be the top herbal antihistamine.  One doctor says that 70% of his patients who take the herb stinging nettle don’t end up needing any other supplements or medications for their symptoms.

 It is suggested that you use the freeze dried form as it is more concentrated.  Since herbs do not “trick” the body the way modern pharmaceuticals do, they usually take much longer to work.  It is known to take 3 to 4 days to work if you try it in the midst of the season.

To avoid symptoms, try taking two 300 milligram capsules of freeze-dried nettle three times daily a few weeks before the allergy season begins.

Remember to consult with your health care provider prior to trying any treatments.  Even herbs can interefere and react with some medications and disorders.

When you take a nice warm bath, do you feel relaxed and revitalized?  It may be because you are actually releasing some toxins from your body.  Some alternative practitioners actually believe that a hot bath releases stored toxins from fat cells, which then travels through the blood and then to the skin where it can be released from the body.

The way this works is to first take a shower and remove all of the excess oil and dirt from your skin by using either a rough wash cloth or a loofah.  It is important to rinse thoroughly to make sure you remove this debris and then take your bath.

You should immerse your entire body in the water (up to your neck).  Be sure to test the water temperature with your hand or foot before entering.  You don’t want to get scolded.  Because the releases of toxins can make you feel slightly weak, you should take short baths (about 5 minutes) to start.

You can gradually increase the length of the baths to 30 minutes, but it is suggested that you don’t do this more than 3 times a week.  Those with severe heart diseases or multiple sclerosis should not use this technique.  Once you are able to take a 30 minute bath without feeling week, it is advisable to cut back to one per week.

My next post will be about a Herbal antihistamine.