Could avocados be a more holistic and natural approach toward treating Anemia?
Recently I was diagnosed with Anemia, a condition that develops when your blood lacks the necessary amount of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin. At the time, I had’t thought about a more ‘holistic’ approach towards a cure and because of this, my doctor prescribed Ferrous Sulfate with the hopes of quickly increasing my blood cell count. My prescribed dosage was very high, somewhere around 625 mg per day, and because of this I’ve noticed a major change in my cravings.
It’s no secret that for the past 4 years I have been addicted to avocados. I’d carry one in my purse, eat 2 when I got home, spread them on toast and just about anything else you could think of. At one point my addiction was so bad that I was buying 12 at a time and eating them late at night once my husband went to bed. It’s was a very scary time in my life.
Since the diagnosis and medication, I have not had one single avocado and have literally forced myself to eat the 2 million that remain in my fridge from my last binge. So, is there a relationship between avocados and iron deficiency? Essentially no, but they do have holistic benefits!
American School of Natural Health published an article that offers a bit more in-depth probe into just why my cravings may have changed. We all know that Avocados contain little to no iron but do contain high levels of Omega 3, Vitamin E and other specific nutrients that provide a dramatic increase in the absorption of iron which is ingested through normal diet, and the vitamin B6 contained in avocados also work towards the increased production of healthy red blood cells.
Using avocados to treat iron deficiencies naturally and holistically by focusing on the mental and social factors rather than just the physical symptoms of a disease can also benefit your health in other ways. Avocado are loaded with heart-healthy Monounsaturated Fatty Acids, fiber and have the ability to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Their fat content also aids in the absorption of nutrients from plant based foods. Read more about the benefits of avocados here.
Good to know! I’m anemic too but I gave up on iron because of the..well…side effects on the digestive process, shall we say 😂. I’m just dealing with fatigue and hoping it’ll go away one day.
But avocados, I can do. Did the iron supplements help? How do you deal with the side effects?
do not give up on iron supplements, try Gentle Iron, brand SOLGAR. it is a new generation of iron and also it is absorbed much easier by your body!
Hi Tracie! Thank you for commenting.
So, my iron prescription was low, like 5 mg I believe. My issue, in addition to the digestive side effects was remembering to take it every day. I’d go 2 and 3 days not remembering to take it.
The avocados really helped mainly because they’re delicious. When I learned that they assisted absorbing the iorn that was in the other food I consumed, I was sold.
Haven’t looked back since.
My iron levels have been on par, and I get to enjoy an avocado (or 2) per day!!!
this is so weird, i had cravings for avocados too and then was diagnosed with low iron!
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Avocado’s contain a huge amount of potassium and my potassium tends to run too high. I too love Avocado! How can I use it for my mild anemia and not spike my potassium dangerously? Any thoughts?
Loved this article, but I found it contradictory. You ate tons of avocado, have anemia, now practically stopped eating them. What’s up with that? Diagnosed with severe anemia, I’m taking 300 mgs (two capsules) of Iron Polysacchride* elemental iron daily. Alone, they’re helping a little, but it’s red beef why I’m so much better, no fainting spells. Tracie, my pills are easy on the stomach; no adverse effects. Paddy, glad to learn that avocados are loaded with potassium, which I need. FYI, calcium inhibits iron absorption. Bye, bye ice cream and cheese. Coffee and tea, the worst. I hardly drink coffee; am addicted to Starbuck’s mocha frappies, which actually do not contain coffee; they have coffee flavoring. *Average ferrous sulfate pill of 365 mgs is 65 mgs of elemental iron. Thank you for a wonderful article, Black Allergy Mama.