Thursday, March 8, 2012

Low Fe numbers on you cancer blood check? Read this then.


You are no doubt wondering, why I have inserted this picture, I took of a rock face near where I live. There is no coincidence in it being rust coloured because it is an underground vein of iron.  Iron is a critical part of our diet - and vegetarians run the risk of iron deficiency.  I know. I've been down this road.

Because I insist on getting all the copies of my blood tests,  I discovered when I went over them, that I had below average fe numbers. This wasn't matter of serious discussion with my oncologist.

Fe is ferric (or ferris) oxide - otherwise known as iron.  Iron creates haemoglobin which carries oxygen through the system and a body which is oxygen depleted, is not an efficient cancer fighting system. Cancer does not do well, in an oxygenated environment. Click here to read how oxygen actually fights cancer.

I found this article about iron, of interest:
Iron is a metal that is essential to the human metabolism. The transition from organic (Fe2+) iron to inorganic (Fe3+) iron or vice-versa brings about a transport of electrons. In this way, iron can function as iron donor or recipient in numerous biological reactions. The best known of these is the function of oxygen transporter throughout the blood. Other processes are also very important, such as transport of electrons in the mitochondria (‘cell respiration’), oxidative phosphorylation and the DNA synthesis. Iron also forms part of molecules which need to protect the body from damaging by-products of oxygen. 
A large portion of iron is stored in the liver, the spleen and in bone marrow. Just a small amount is needed daily for the numerous enzyme systems. When there is a danger of iron deficiency, the body is very economic with its iron reserves. An iron deficiency does not occur just like that. When an iron status is too low, we can speak of three stages. In the first stage, the iron reserves have been exhausted and there are no specific symptoms to be seen. The second stage is that of latent iron deficiency which goes hand in hand with decreased performance levels. Finally, anemia comes about. In this case, there is insufficient red blood pigment in the red corpuscles and the oxygen emission in the tissues is lower. This causes performance levels to further decrease and leads to increased susceptibility to infections because the immunological response has weakened. Iron deficiency also influences other bodily functions: loss of appetite as a result of a lower secretion of abdominal juices and slower growth rate in children. Many vague complaints such as: paleness, fatigue and weakness, slight temperature increase, ringing in the ears and headache. 
Source: Animal Freedom. Org. Please click here.

Since I avoid eating meat I have been running with an iron deficit.  And, because I had a length of colon removed, I was told by my surgeon to be careful about taking iron capsules - for they cause constipation.
The result being, that I could easily have 15 bowel movements a day - and this is really disconcerting.
But when my iron count dropped and I discovered it, I began taking iron capsules and - the constipation I was told to expect, was a relief from having the trots.  Even moreso, it wasn't the kind of constipation that most people experience. Nothing like that. My kind of iron induced constipation was a once a day bowel movement.

Please accept my apologies for being so graphic and blunt, but if there is one thing I have learned on my journey - false modesty is quickly thrown out the window.

Once again - its critical to check your blood reports over and if you are feeling to tired to make it through your day, its really important to correct your low fe numbers to build our haemoglobin count.

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