Iron Woman

Not as trendy as some of the other vitamins but Iron is one of the most important minerals for our bodies to function at an optimum level – it boosts our energy levels and keeps our brains healthy. GP, Dr Laura Lenihan, explains more.

Summer’s almost here and, with exciting new freedoms to get out and about and enjoy the reopening of sports, we are starting to get that pep back in our step!

It’s not been an easy year, and we’re not quite out of the woods yet. So now is when a little bit of self-care and an extra push towards healthy living will pay dividends.

Bacteria, viruses and other harmful invaders cause us to become run down, and protection from them relies on our body's natural defences, GP Dr Laura Lenihan says. She advises that healthy eating, topping up our vitamin and minerals intake, exercise and rest can all help to support immunity.

“Iron and vitamin D have both been identified as helping to support immunity and help fight infection. If you feel your diet isn’t providing enough nutrients, a daily supplement could help, and a chat with your GP can check any niggling worries”.

Iron is essential to life and fundamental for a healthy immune system. If we do not have enough iron our immune system may not function normally. There is also research indicating that optimum iron levels in the body can help improve vaccine efficacy.

Vitamin D is much talked about recently too. It is known for supporting healthy bones and teeth, as it helps with the absorption of calcium from food and is crucial for muscle movement and skeletal strength. It is known as ‘the sunshine vitamin’, but Ireland’s lack of sunlight makes it harder to produce naturally, especially as many people have been spending more time inside and wear SPF on warmer days.

Health authorities recommend that adults spending a lot of time indoors, the housebound, anyone over 65 or in residential care, and people with dark skin pigmentation should take a daily vitamin D supplement.

So, what else should we be doing right now to boost our immunity and restore wellbeing and energy levels for ourselves and our families?

Iron

First, check your iron levels. In the general population many people are not getting enough iron from their everyday diet. A simple blood test with your GP will identify a deficiency in iron which can then be investigated and treated.

Iron has strong ties with the immune system as it makes red blood cells, which transport oxygen around the body. An inadequate iron level is very common, particularly in women. To get more iron into your diet you need to eat more red meat, beans, nuts and leafy green vegetables.

When young women reach adolescence, their body needs iron to replace blood cells lost during their periods. From ages 19 to 50, a woman needs 18mg of iron daily. Pregnant women and women who are experiencing peri-menopause with heavier than normal periods also may have an increased need for iron.

Muscle weakness and fatigue is one of the most common signs of inadequate iron levels. And if lockdown encouraged your love of running or cycling, iron will provide the necessary oxygen for strong muscles and endurance. Iron supplements will most certainly help you across the finish line if you are training for an endurance event like a marathon or triathlon.

Iron is helpful even for infants and toddlers, as their bodies are growing very fast, according to GP Dr Laura Lenihan. It plays an important role in brain development, in fighting infections and in healthy growth, she says.

“It is not uncommon for children, particularly toddlers, to need more iron, as their diet may not contain much of the natural food sources of iron, such as red meat, chicken, fish, beans and spinach”.

Active Iron is an effective supplement choice that comes from Solvotrin Therapeutics in Cork. Their advanced, non-constipating iron supplements have twice the absorption of standard ferrous sulfate and the easy-to-swallow capsules are kind, even on an empty stomach.

Self-Care

We can also support our immunity by getting enough good quality rest and sleep, reducing stress, and increasing exercise levels, experts say. Sometimes, this is easier said than done, however. But our mental health may also improve if we try small healthy steps each day.

“Get out and about and exercise more, replace some processed foods with healthier fresh alternatives, talk to others often, and keep a regular sleep routine of ideally eight hours a night”, Dr Lenihan advises.

Many people find an hour’s nap in the afternoon really helpful too, and studies show it helps lower blood pressure and boost heart health as well as improving memory and thinking skills.

It is also helpful to try to find time just for ourselves each day, to relax, read, meditate or enjoy a hobby. Me-time is usually last on the agenda, but our wellbeing depends on it. Self-care should be scheduled into every day, just as chores are. If we do not look after ourselves, we cannot look after others, and none of us want to become a burden on other people either.

Daily exercise is also crucial, even moderate activity, once it is regular, as it will maintain muscle strength and heart health. It can help both physically and mentally, boosting mood, reducing stress and anxiety, not to mention helping with weight management.

Trying to eat well, move more, relax and sleep regularly are important goals that will help us stay healthy.

Vital Vitamins

A good, balanced diet is essential to stay healthy, and supplementing vitamins and minerals is worth considering if you are not meeting the required intake. Try particularly to get the required daily intake of vitamins C and D, zinc and iron that come in a variety of multi-vitamin formulations.

Iron did have a reputation for being hard on the stomach or causing constipation, but modern formulations like Irish-developed Active Iron, are gentle and effective.

Vitamin C helps protect cells from oxidation and memory function and it also helps the body to absorb iron too. Oranges and other citrus fruits are great sources of Vitamin C, which can also be found in peppers, strawberries, broccoli and potatoes.

Zinc acts as an antioxidant. It can be found in dairy, chicken, red meat and fortified breakfast cereals.

Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin that is harder to produce naturally but is found in a small number of foods such as oily fish like salmon or sardines, in eggs and in fortified foods like spreads and cereals.

Active Immune is another good OTC supplement. It has high strength vitamin D, as well as an immune-boosting top-up of Vitamin C and Zinc.

After a challenging year, we could all do with a lift, and the only way is up!

The essential message is still not to drop our guard, as we look forward to a brighter future, GP Laura Lenihan says.

“Stick to the public health guidelines and look after your general health. Ideally build simple small steps into a daily or weekly routine that you can maintain. Most importantly, to support immunity and wellbeing, make self-care a priority, not a rare occurrence!”

Dr Laura Lenihan is a GP and mum of three whose common-sense Instagram family health advice has a following of over 48,000. WW

(use image of the iron one small) Active Immune high-strength Vitamin D, C & Zinc and Active Iron, produced by Solvotrin Therapeutics in Cork available in pharmacies or visit shop.activeiron.com.