Hiya ladies,
I watched the thread yeasterday and have to say I am very happy to see that Egg and Mini have have their babies. I didn't come on and comment because I was feeling rather down in the dumps and I didn't want to pollute the great vibes of excitement and joy I could see on the thread. I'm a bit happier today so all is well in camp PK!
Blue - My Iron levels are high 15.5 I wasn't told my ferritin levels but normal ferritin levels would be around the 12 mark. Ferritin is a kind of protein that carries iron around the body and if it is low then you aren't getting enough iron, basically.
My iron levels are high because I eat a really high iron diet so here are some pointers to increase your iron and consequently your ferritin through foods:-
Don't drink tea with your food, it inhibits your ability to absorb iron.
eat the following :-
Eggs - especially the yolk
Oily fish e.g. tuna(limit tinned intake - mercury levels too high), sardines, pilchards, salmon
Wholemeal bread and flour
Iron-fortified cereals - Bran, Branflakes, Weetabix
Beans and pulses e.g. lentils, chick peas, haricot, kidney, pinto, baked, butter, peas
Nuts - almonds, cashews, Brazils, walnuts
Dried fruit - apricots, figs, dates
Green vegetables - watercress, spinach, broccoli
Rich fruit cake, gingerbread, ginger biscuits
Curry powder
Cocoa, chocolate, black treacle
also you need vitamin B12 to help absorb iron so eat:-
Eggs
fish
meat
poultry
marmite
Vitamin C is also very important for iron absorbtion so eat:-
peppers,
broccoli,
Brussels sprouts,
sweet potatoes,
oranges/orange juice
kiwi fruit.
As you can probably see some of the foods appear more than once so if you look at the three goups and combine them such as Marmite on wholemeal toast with a glass of orange juice for breakfast or Salmon and broccoli for lunch with a fruit salad or some high cocoa chocolate for afters you're off to a great start with all 3 elements present in every meal.
(Obviously if you have pernicious anaemia like my grandma you can't absorb B12 from food so need an injection of it from your GP)
I hope this helps and isn't a case of 'teaching grandma to suck eggs'.