Iron Status & Blood Loss
If you were born into a body that menstruates, you need to know about blood.
This was common knowledge many moons ago. Women and people who menstruate lived in ways that were in alignment with their inner rhythms. With technological advancements, the explosion of productivity, systems of supremacy & patriarchy and a displacement from the land… we forgot.
The majority of women that I meet are blood deficient- both from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective and also from a naturopathic medical lens.
Blood is life. Blood gives rise to your hair, your nails. your menstrual experience. The way you think, sleep and feel energized (or not). This is also your red blood cells— their shape, size, number. Your iron storage and transport.
Gratefully there are many ways of knowing that can help us to mend these lost lifeways which honour the cycles of someone who bleeds.
When you menstruate, you lose blood.
When you miscarry, you lose blood.
When you have an abortion, you lose blood.
When you give birth, you lose blood.
Most women are blood deficient because they are not recognizing or respecting these pivotal moments. These milestones of being in this form; your beautiful bleeding female form. You need to rest when you menstruate. You need to replenish after you give birth. You need to grieve and nourish yourself after pregnancy loss.
Most women don’t (can you relate?). They push forward. Grit their teeth (dental issues?), bite their tongue (jaw pain?), medicate to keep going (chronic pain?)…
When you are in locked into survival physiology, because life is a lot (I get it)— your digestion does not function optimally. That searing stomach acid you are supposed to secrete? It’s scarcely produced. And thus, all the nutrients that require this acid for absorption do not get exposed to the correct conditions for their uptake. So now you’re iron deficient. B12 deficient. Zinc deficient. Magnesium deficient. And you feel terrible.
Can you imagine the chaos of this digestive dysfunction paired with inadequate care and rest at pivotal blood/menstrual milestones? You know it Sister. You feel it. The fatigue, feeling like you can’t catch your breath, nails are breaking, hair is thin, skin is dull, mind is scattered, the feelings of overwhelm…. the persistent thoughts of “how am I ever going to be able to do all this?”…
I got you. It’s not complicated. But you will have to make changes to the way you live your life. You’ll need to start taking care of yourself by responding to what your body is calling out for.
Deep nutrition.
Cultivating awareness of your body and your environment to nudge yourself into a greater capacity for your rest-digest-heal nervous system to come online.
Education and action about cyclical living in alignment with your menstrual cycle.
And likely, if you are quite deficient— supplementation until you can create the conditions for key mineral and vitamin absorption.
Feel like this topic is resonating with you? Join my next Hair, Iron & Energy Learning Lab, here. We’ll explore the physical exams, lab testing and lifestyle considerations to re-build your iron stores and unlock you capacity for vibrancy.
Follow me on Instagram @chelseacreateshealth.
The disclaimer… The amazing thing about humans is that we all have incomparably unique health profiles and needs. The health-related information contained in this article is intended to be general in nature and should not be used prescriptively or a as a substitute for a visit with a naturopathic doctor. This info is intended to offer general information to individuals. If you have questions about how these strategies could be used in adjunct to your current heath regime, book and appointment with us or consult a licensed naturopathic doctor for individualized care.