B12 deficiency results in Pernicious anemia–perhaps the most deadly anemia of all. Note that it can get confusing when distinguishing between B12 and Folate deficiency because both can also result in megaloblastic anemia
Folate deficiency can lead to Macrocytic, also known as, Megaloblastic anemia.
if you suspect that you or anyone in your family might have anemia.
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common and most well-known type of anemia. However, if you start taking supplements to treat iron deficiency, and iron deficiency isn't the root cause, you will not be treating the root cause of the anemia. Not only that but you can make matters worse. This is because too much of one vitamin in your body can and will interfere with your body's ability to absorb and use other vitamins or minerals.
Anemia of any kind means that there aren't enough red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. Thus, lack of red blood cells to carry oxygen through your blood will result in a lack of energy.
Oxygen is extremely important for energy!
This is why being tired is one of the hallmark symptoms of anemia.
All types of anemia can lead to feeling fatigue, however.
Thus, this is not the best way to tell what type of anemia you have.
Seven surprising symptoms of iron deficiency.
Unusual cravings for nonfood items such as ice, dirt, or laundry detergent starch. The actual eating of nonfood items, which is more common in young children, is called “pica.”
Chest pain, fast heartbeat, or shortness of breath
Cold hands and feet
Inflammation or soreness of the tongue
Poor appetite, especially in infants and young children
Headache, dizziness, or light headedness
Brittle Nails
Iron deficiency is common in the following groups:
Young children after 1 year of age
Women during pregnancy
Women while breastfeeding.
People taking multiple medications, particularly the elderly
So, obviously Iron deficiency means “low iron.” So how does low iron affect the red blood cell? Well, first, the hemoglobin (think: blood) molecule, which makes up red blood cells contains iron at the very center. (See picture to the right). In other words, if there is not enough iron present in the body, hemoglobin cannot be created by the body. If there isn't enough hemoglobin, there won't be enough red blood cells. If there is not enough red blood cells, there will a lack of oxygen available to create energy for you or your children to use.
Iron deficiency anemia is a serious illness and should not be taken lightly.
Iron deficiency anemia increases risk of illness, fatigue, delayed growth and development, and even permanent mental retardation.
Thus, it is important that you have your blood checked regularly to make sure you are healthy.
Why a Zinc Deficiency May be Contributing to Your Child's Pickiness
There are SO MANY THINGS that can be causing your child's picky eating behavior. From sensory/tactile issues, to food allergies and intolerances, the cause and cure can seem impossible to figure out. Limited food intake, including few different foods accepted, can make the problem even harder to figure out. There is often a vicious cycle of unwillingness to try new foods which then results in a limited variety of foods eaten. The fewer different foods a child eats the more likely they are to be deficient in one or more vitamins and minerals. Often, the deficiency can make the appetite disappear, and can affect taste and smell. This is especially the case with zinc.
Zinc is an important nutrient. It is a trace mineral that is vital for a healthy immune system. Research has shown that taking zinc for five months before and even within 24 hours of catching a cold can actually shorten the cold recovery time.
Besides iron, zinc is the most concentrated trace mineral found in the human body. It is also important for wound healing. In fact, a common practice in long-term care facilities is to give zinc and Vitamin C supplements to patients JUST IN CASE they develop a wound, or in order to prevent a wound from developing.
Adequate zinc also helps to ensure proper growth in children as well as a healthy appetite. Not only does a lack of zinc in the diet affect appetite, it also affects taste and smell.
Symptoms of zinc deficiency include:
Frequent infections
Hypogonadism in males
Loss of hair
Poor appetite
Problems with the sense of taste
Problems with the sense of smell
Skin sores
Slow growth
Trouble seeing in the dark
Wounds that take a long time to heal
Although in the ideal world, everyone would eat all the right foods in all the right amounts, this is obviously not the case. As a result, I normally encourage parents of picky kids to take a multivitamin with minerals to help offset the potential nutrient imbalances. Unfortunately, gummy vitamins do not have sufficient minerals of any kind in them.
I really do not recommend mega doses of any one nutrient unless there is a proven reason for it. This is because when a person takes an excessive amount of one nutrient, it can make it difficult for the body to digest other important nutrients.
The best and safest way to ensure proper nutrition is through the diet. However, if there is a severe deficiency, and your child doesn't eat much, it may be necessary to supplement. How much to give your child really depends on the level of deficiency, the age and weight of your child, and other factors. So, if you suspect that your child might have a zinc deficiency, I suggest you have them tested first.
So, how do you determine if your child has a zinc deficiency? Unfortunately, traditional blood tests will not be able to rule out a zinc deficiency. There is one test that may at least help determine if zinc deficiency is a possibility. It's called the “Zinc Taste Test.” However, it is probably not all that accurate either. And it might be difficult to get a picky eater to cooperate anyway. It you can convince your child, It might not hurt to try it, but I would talk to your child's doctor first. In the meantime, it will be helpful to know what the best sources of zinc are.
Keep in mind that often a person will crave something they are low in. For example, my son loves seafood. Despite that he is so picky, he will eat oysters, octopus, clams, squid (I know, right?).
Recipes High in Iron and Vitamin C – Who is at Risk of Iron Deficiency? There are at least seven (7) groups of people at risk for Iron Deficiency anemia.
I previously talked about the importance of protein as well as the importance of iron in your child's diet. Today, I will discuss how to increase the ability of your body to absorb and use iron in the foods you eat. First, let's review the groups of people at risk for iron deficiency.
7 Groups of People at Risk for Iron Deficiency
Pre-Term Infants
Premature babies are at risk for iron deficiency. This is because the unborn infant stores the largest amount of iron in the last trimester of gestation. Thus, babies born prior to the end of the 9th month have less iron available to use after birth.
Unfortunately, premature babies are also at risk for iron overload. So, it is important to talk to a doctor before giving an iron supplement to a preterm baby.
Young Children
Young children are growing quickly, and their iron needs are increased. Often their intake is inadequate as well. This puts them at risk for iron deficiency. Click Here for a list of Foods That Are High in Iron.
Cow's Milk Should be Treated as a Food
Toddlers are especially at risk of iron deficiency if kept on the bottle longer than 12 months. This is because babies are usually given cow's milk starting at 1 year of age. Cow's milk has no iron and is high in calories. Whole milk, which is recommend until 2 years of age, has 150 calories in one cup. If formula is replaced by cow's milk and is put in the bottle, the young child will usually consume too much milk. This will fill him or her up.
The toddler will then not want to eat other foods, including foods high in iron.
To make matters worse, an excess of cow's milk will interfere with the absorption of iron that is eaten. Thus, it is important to wean your baby off the bottle by 12 months old.
Teenage Girls
Teen girls often limit their diet to stay thin. In addition, the start of menstruation increases the amount of iron lost and the amount of iron that is needed in the diet. Ensuring plenty of iron rich foods will help to reduce risk of anemia and the complications associated with anemia.
Pregnant Women
Iron needs increase during pregnancy because mom is eating for two! Doctors will usually recommend a Multivitamin with Iron and Folate to ensure proper nutrition.
Congestive Heart Failure Patients
The reasons why are unclear. However, it is true that when heart failure is present, the heart is not pumping blood as efficiently. Also, inflammation is present. Sufficient nutrient intake is essential during this process. Thus, the person with heart failure will most likely be taking supplements as ordered by their doctor or dietitian.
Persons with Digestive Diseases Including Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease
A healthy digestive system is essential for adequate nutrient absorption. With Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease, the ability to absorb nutrients is decreased. Also, the amount of nutrients lost is increased. People with these diseases are usually supplemented with iron and other important nutrients to help improve nutritional status.
Vegetarians
When a person is on a vegetarian diet, careful planning is required to ensure enough iron is taken in. It is important to remember that eggs, beans, grains, spinach, nuts and seeds are non-heme sources of iron. Non-heme iron is less readily absorbed by the body than heme sources of iron. Also, most non-heme sources of iron are high in phytic acid. Phytic acid inhibits absorption of iron. Thus, vegetarians need to consume higher amounts of iron to compensate for decreased absorption of non-heme iron as well as presence of phytic acid.
Combining Vitamin C Rich Foods with Vegetarian Iron Sources Will Increase the Amount of Iron that is Absorbed.
For example, when serving bean burritos, add homemade salsa to increase iron absorption.
This homemade salsa is made with fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro, and is rich in Vitamin C. Combining this recipe with bean burritos (or other meat burritos or tacos) will increase the iron in the foods served with (beans, tortillas, chicken).
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: easy, healthy
Servings: 8Servings
Calories: 8kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC
Ingredients
1cupRoma Tomatoesabout 2 large, diced
1/4cupOnionsdiced
2tbspCilantrofinely chopped
1wholeJalapeno or AnaheimJalapeno (Medium Heat); Anaheim (Mild Heat)
1tbspLemon Juice
1/2teaspoonSaltTo taste
Instructions
Chop all vegetables to desired size (remove seeds from pepper) 2) Add lemon juice and salt 3) Mix all ingredients together4) Chill 2 hours and Serve
Add oil to pan and heat 2) Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper and tomato until vegetables are tender, 10 minutes or so 3) Add 1/4 cup water and chicken 4) Mix and heat through 5) Serve on corn or flour tortillas with cheese, lettuce, fresh salsa or other favorite toppings.
Nathan won't eat tomatoes in most things. However, he likes this recipe if we serve it on a tortilla with cheese. It makes me so happy to know that I figured out another way to sneak in some healthy vegetables. This increases the number of vegetables he is eating. Plus, it adds variety to his limited diet.
The Benefits of Iron in the Body – How to Prevent Iron Deficiency
Iron is an important mineral, especially for:
Teenage girls
Women during childbearing age
Children who are bottle fed past 12 months
Iron has many health benefits including:
Stronger Immune System
Improved Mood and Thinking functions
Prevention of Birth Defects and Mental Retardation.
More energy
Other groups are at risk for iron deficiency as well, including:
The elderly
Persons with illnesses such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Extreme Athletes
Persons taking particular types of medications
Vegetarians
The purpose of this e-book is to provide an in-depth introduction to the benefits of iron in the body and how to prevent iron deficiency as well as iron toxicity.
CHAPTERS INCLUDED:
What is Iron? The Benefits of Iron in the Body
Anemia? Is it the same as Iron Deficiency?
Who’s at Risk for Low Iron?
What interferes with Iron Absorption?
The Best Way to Get Iron in Your Body
What to do if you suspect you or you loved ones aren’t getting enough iron.
How dangerous is Iron Toxicity?
BONUSES INCLUDED:
HANDOUTS AND TABLES
IRON RICH RECIPES
Lightened Comfort Foods Cookbook by Homeschooling Dietitian Mom
64 Pages; You will receive a zipped file that includes two versions of the book: PDF and E-Pub.
ADHD and Diet in Children – Part 1. My son was diagnosed with ADHD in Kindergarten. I was a Registered Dietitian back then and had been since 2000. However, I admit all I was thinking about back then was keeping his diet balanced. This included ensuring he received enough protein, iron and other essential vitamins and minerals through the foods he ate. I never thought about diet and ADHD in children.
I never seriously thought about food additives to avoid or specifically, “Diet and ADHD in children,” until recently.
Nathan was pickier when he was younger, and he was thin. So, in addition to giving him a multivitamin with iron, I gave him one bottle of Pediasure every day. I also gave him 1000 IU of Vitamin D (and still do) every day. (I take 6,000 IU per day. We use Seeking Health D3 drops).
I started giving Nathan vitamin D after I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. My doctor prescribed a high dose of vitamin D (10,000 IU per day) to counteract the deficiency. The vitamin therapy had amazing effects on my mood–within 3 days I felt better. I was ready to start selling vitamin D, I was so impressed. I've struggled with depression in the past, so this was a HUGE deal!
I also noticed that as I continued to take it, I got sick with the cold much less often. To this day, if I get a cold, it's milder and it doesn't last as long. This is the same with my son.
More people are realizing that vitamin D is essential for much more than strong bones.
It treats and prevents depression, increases your immune system, and is even helpful for diabetes. However, not everyone is on the bandwagon.
The standard 400 IU is not enough to prevent deficiency in most people, but this is the most common amount on multivitamin labels. In fact, this is still another vitamin that many people are deficient in, and most aren't even aware of it. (See my articles on Zinc Deficiency and Magnesium Deficiency for two other examples).
The research is still catching up on how important vitamin D is for good health. However, the vitamin D council has the latest, and the most accurate information regarding vitamin D. (Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin. It's a hormone and is part of the endocrine system). Click here for my article about foods high in Vitamin D.
What about Additives to Avoid?
Okay, so I was satisfied with the fact that Nathan was getting all the most important nutrients through his diet and/or through the supplements I was giving him. One thing I didn't think about back then, however, was whether there were food additives in his diet that could be contributing to his symptoms. I never asked the question, “Do certain foods or ingredients affect kids with ADHD?”
New Discovery of the Importance of Diet and Children with ADHD
I didn't start thinking about food additives until Nathan was seven, because I was overwhelmed with all his other issues. And let's face it. Most doctors don't emphasize food or nutrition as potential therapy for special kids such as ours. My son's doctor certainly didn't.
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, we are required to complete a certain number of continuing education units. So, when it was time to search for that perfect continuing education class, I came across an awesome book titled, “Eating for Autism,” by Elizabeth Strickland. When I read this book, the lights started coming on. And I immediately made changes to further improve Nathan's health.
For example, I immediately put Nathan on a high-quality Omega-3 supplement. (I will talk more later about why quality is so important and how to know you are getting the best quality). I also changed his multivitamin so that it did not contain any artificial flavors or colors. Previously he was taking Flintstones chewable vitamins, which were prescribed by his pediatrician. He wasn't taking omega-3s at all before this.
I want to point out a few things that I believe are important to know about children's multivitamins.
When Nathan's pediatrician first prescribed multivitamins, I had to tell the pharmacist I wanted iron in the vitamin, because the doctor ordered them without iron. The doctor was worried about the supplement causing constipation. However, a multivitamin with iron only contains 100% of the US RDA and shouldn't cause constipation (be sure to check with your doctor before making changes like this). Normally, iron causes constipation when taken as a single mineral supplement because it is a larger amount. NOTE: I do not recommend iron supplements without a doctor's order because of the risk of toxicity.
A separate iron supplement should only be necessary if your child is diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia (low iron in the blood). This requires a simple blood test. At that point, the risks of constipation outweigh the risks of iron-deficiency anemia.
Cow's Milk and Iron Deficiency
I previously worked for the Women, Infant, and Children program as a Public Health Nutritionist. While there, I discovered that iron deficiency is common. I also completed my master's degree project on Iron Deficiency Anemia and its connection to excessive cow's milk intake. So, this issue is close to heart.
For those interested, the results of the study showed that children who stay on the bottle longer than 12 months are at increased risk of iron deficiency anemia.
This is because:
Cow's milk has no iron, and in fact too much cow's milk can interfere with iron absorption (affect the ability of your child to use the iron from other foods)
Drinking from a bottle usually means drinking substantial amounts of milk. Whole milk is high in calories*, and so will fill the child up and make him less interested in other foods (such as iron rich foods).
So, prevention of iron deficiency was important to me before Nathan was even born.
This is because Iron deficiency is serious and should not be taken lightly.
Iron deficiency anemia results in developmental delays, (and can even cause permanent mental retardation, if it's severe enough, and doesn't get treated). Iron deficiency also results in increased risk of infection, fatigue, and a whole slew of other issues. Prevention is the best treatment. The good news is that most doctors test for iron deficiency early on. If your child has not been tested. I strongly encourage you to get him or her tested.
It is important to note that if there is no deficiency of iron, and your doctor has not ordered an iron supplement to treat the deficiency, a simple multivitamin with iron should prevent iron deficiency anemia, even if the diet is inadequate in iron.
I gave Nathan the Flintstones vitamins with iron for several years. They were free through his insurance. Once I started learning more about the risks of artificial colors and their effects on kids with ADHD and autism, I started giving him vitamins that don't contain artificial additives. I paid for these myself, which was worth it to me. Although to be fair to the doctor, she might have been willing to prescribe the healthier ones, I just never asked.
It's important to know that gummy vitamins do not contain iron.
It can be hard to get your kid to chew healthier multivitamins. This is something I started having problems with. Nathan got to a point where he wouldn't take the chewable vitamins. Of course, he liked the gummy vitamins. However, I knew he needed iron to prevent anemia, because he wasn't eating much meat at all (or meat alternatives, such as eggs, beans, peas, nuts, seeds). So, I searched high and low for gummy vitamins that contained iron. I could not find one with iron!
So, if you want your child to get iron in his multivitamin, you'll need to find another type than gummies.
(If you know of a gummy vitamin with iron, please let me know)!
So, back to the first step to healing. I didn't necessarily do the steps in order (nor did I even do all the steps. For example, I see no evidence that Nathan is gluten or casein intolerant). However, I'm going to try to talk about them in order–sort of.
Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to jump around from topic to topic when I'm talking. Since I am writing to you, that shouldn't be too much of a problem!
First, like I discussed above, make sure your child is getting his or her basic nutritional needs met. You can do this by:
Completing a 3-day diary of everything your child eats. (Click here for a basic 3-day food record–it's free–that I whipped up). Make it as detailed as possible, including serving sizes, brand names, time of day eaten, how much actually eaten, how much your child likes the food. Remember it's only 3 days! 🙂
Try not to make any changes or improvements during this 3-day period. Don't judge yourself or your child. No one has to see this except you.
Use MyFitnessPal.com or some other calorie/nutrient calculator to help. MyFitnessPal.com will make it much easier to see any major deficiencies (or excesses) in intake off the top.
For example, proteins, carbohydrates (simple, complex, fiber), fats (saturated, mono and poly, trans), cholesterol
Vitamins A, C, sodium, potassium
This is a good starting point.
After you've done a 3-day diary for your children (and yourself, if you're feeling brave :D), The next is to recognize, and then to avoid (or minimize) synthetic (artificial) food additives that are detrimental to his or her (and your) health.
So, in summary, record and review your children's and your (whole family's?) diets. Look for glaring deficiencies. Think about adding a multivitamin with iron (if not already taken) to your child's diet. Talk to your doctor about having your child tested for iron and/or vitamin D deficiency if you feel it's a problem.
Click here for a free handout of food combinations that increase absorption of Iron. Hint: Combining iron rich foods and vitamin C rich foods is the key. Click here for recipes and articles on iron rich foods.
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red blood cells. If there is not enough red blood cells, there will a lack of oxygen available to create energy for you or your children to use.
Chicken and tomatoes
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