I don't get enough protein and iron...what can i do? please help!?!
I don't get enough protein and iron...what can i do? please help!?
i'm a 13 year old girl and i don't get enough protein or iron. I am not vegitarian or anything i just don't like meat, the only meat i like are hot dogs, hamburgers, and sandwhich meat. So I do not eat alot of meat. I don't have a very balanced diet either. The other day i felt really tired and like i had to sit down and rest for a while, i also felt a little dizzy. Is that because i do not get enough protein or iron?
My concern is will i get diabetes or something if i dont eat right?
What can i do to get enough protein and iron. Any suppliments or shakes i can make?
please give me the links and name the product.
thanks!
Answers:
You are correct in being concerned about diabetes. Without enough protein in your diet, you insulin levels surge and plummet too quickly.
Currently, beans are being touted as an exceptional food source. However, they fare poorly as a source of quality nutrition when compared to traditional protein sources such as meats, fish, eggs, and milk products. Legumes are preferred. They are an excellent source of nutrients. Beans cannot be regarded as an adequate replacement for the super-nutrition foods that some people are attempting to displace by them.
If you are going to eat hot dogs, make sure they are all-beef hot dogs.
Sandwich meat is processed and contains little nutrition because it is over-processed. If you want sandwich meat, ask your mom if you can get it from the meat counter. They can slice it however you like.
Iron is one of the few nutrients that is a two-edged sword; it can be life-threatening to have either too little or too much of it. Due to the dangers of iron overload, vitamins containing iron should be avoided except by those who are diagnosed with iron deficiency.
Iron is one of the largest minerals, molecularly. Thus, it may be difficult to absorb. The addition of acidic substances to the diet, such as tomato sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, and citric acid, greatly enhances absorption. Additionally, vitamin C helps the absorption of iron.
Top dietary sources of iron: organ meats, red meats, blackstrap molasses, oysters, almonds, cocoa powder, caviar, pistachios, and dark green leafy vegetables.
If you are concerned about being iron deficient, see your doctor and attempt confirmation through blood testing. Such tests should include a serum iron level, iron-binding protein, and a serum ferritin level. Ferritin is a storage form of iron and is an excellent indicator of the total body burden of this nutrient.
** The person who said that protein and iron do not cause dizziness is incorrect. Lack of iron can cause: chronic fatigue, lack of appetite, spoon shaped (scooped) fingernails, confusion, memory loss, lightheadedness or dizziness, rapid heartbeat after minimal exercise, inflamed and/or sore tongue, irritability, chronic headaches, fragile bones, difficulty swallowing, brittle hair and/or nails, depression, constipation, paleness of the skin, sensitivity to cold, shortness of breath, tingling of the fingers or toes, sores on the inside of or around the mouth, vertical ridges on the fingernails, hair loss, cravings for cold water and/or ice (ice chewing).
Zone Bars are a good source of balanced protein, fat, and carbohydrates. They taste good, too!
Source(s):
Dr. Cass Ingram
take a spoon in dip in beanut butter and that will give u protein. Im a vegeterian 2 and it helps
also eat roasted peanuts
u welcome
First thing you should do is go visit your doctor. He will be able to pin point the exact reason you feel that way. If your not getting enough iron, try drinking more water. And as for protein, beans are a good source.
First of all, see your doctor.
Second, read your post again. You said you don't have a balanced diet. How do you expect to feel if you eat crap all the time?
You've stated what you need to do. You need to eat better. No amount of vitamins and shakes will replace eating well. Add more dark leafy greens to your diet for Iron. Eat more beans & rice, tofu, seitan, and dairy to increase your protein levels.
However, you should not be self-diagnosing. Getting dizzy can be from a number of illnesses and just from growing. It can also be from low blood sugar.
Lack of protein and iron generally do not cause dizziness, but they can cause a load of other issues. Start making the effort to eat better and you'll feel better.
You need to to the doctor and see what the issue is. If you eat what you say your are eating, I highly doubt it's a lack of protein or iron...but that stuff is not known for making a person feel great either.
Honey please talk to your doctor. The doctor can help you by doing blood tests, making sure nothing else is wrong and by looking at your diet. They can also refer you to a nutritionist. They can help you work out a diet that is healthy and you enjoy. Have you talked to your parents about this?
First, the only way you will get enough iron from water is if you are drinking it from a cast-iron cup/bowl/pan.
Second, I agree that you should see a doctor about the dizzy spells to make sure it's not related to something else. Dizzy spells could be due to low blood sugar or even dehydration or low potassium.
This is how to figure out how much protein you need:
Body weight (in pounds) X 0.36 = recommended protein intake
As long as the diet contains a variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables, protein needs are easily met, especially protein-rich vegetarian foods include soy-based products like tofu, texturized vegetable protein, tempeh (a fermented soybean product), and veggie burgers, seitan (a meat substitute made from a wheat protein called gluten), black beans, lentils, chickpeas, grains such as quinoa and bulgur, and whole wheat bread.
Iron―Diets consisting of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts provide adequate iron. Consuming foods rich in vitamin C, such as orange juice, with iron-rich foods enhances the absorption of iron. Some foods are naturally rich in both iron and vitamin C, such as broccoli, Swiss chard, and other dark green leafy vegetables. Other good iron sources include iron-fortified cereals, enriched bread, pasta, rice, soybeans, chickpeas, and blackstrap molasses. Dairy products are extremely low in iron and may interfere with iron balance, especially in very small children.
You can make protein shakes with GeniSoy Protein mix, add to Rice or Soy milk, frozen strawberries and a banana, add Almonds too.
Go to your doctor to find out for sure why you were dizzy.
Go to a diatician or a nutritionist to get a proper diet.
It is also a good idea to take a multi vitamin suppliment if you are not getting the proper nutrition from the food you are eating (If you are eating properly this is not necessary).
Good low- or nonfat sources of protein include:
Dry beans, peas, oats and legumes
Tofu and soy products
Eggs, egg whites or egg substitutes (use the white of the egg, as the yellow part is unhealthy for you)
Dairy products, including cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt and milk
Nuts and seeds (but these may be high in fatty acids)
Beef, poultry, pork and lamb
Fish and shellfish
You can visit this website to get more information.
http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutritio...
Good sources of Iron:
You can get iron from eggs, beans and leafy green vegetables, like spinach and lettuce. Eating breakfast is a great way to fill up on iron - try an iron-enriched cereal, such as bran flakes, and add raisins for sweetness and flavor. (You can drink a glass of prune juice - it may not taste great, but it'll definitely fuel your body with energy.)
You can visit this website to get more information.
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/4900-nu...
Not eating properly and lack of enough exersice are the cause of most health illnesses today. Usually it takes years for the effects to be noticed. But don't be worried you are still young enough to make sure it does not happen to you by eating properly.
All the best!
You answered your own question here a little bit.
The reason that you don't get enough protein or iron is that you "don't eat right." Try to keep the food pyramid in the back of your mind throughout the day, and make sure you get at least one of each every day. Try to eat 3 meals a day as well.
The food groups and the recommended doses are as follows:
Grains (6 a day): cereal, bread, rice, pasta, oats, tortillas, etc
Fruits (3+ a day): apples, oranges, bananas, etc
Vegetables (3+ a day): BROCOLLI (great for nutrients), spinach, beans, carrots, etc
Protein(2+ a day): beans, nuts, seeds, meat/meat substitutes, etc
Dairy: Soy/milk, cheese, etc
IMPORTANT: A one a day multi-vitamin can be extremely helpful as well. In your case, seeing as you don't like many meats, you might want to look for a vegetarian multi-vitamin to make sure you get the things you're missing.
Ok, unless you're a body builder or you don't get enough calories in a day (think anorexic eating habits) there is no way you're not getting enough protein, especially eating the occasional meat, which gives you the whole day's worth of protein in one sitting, so let's take that off the table.
You're problem is most likely severe anemia, especially since you're a young woman. Try a multivitamin with iron and add some more dark leafy greens to your diet. A good iron-rich breakfast is two eggs (leave the yolks in - that's where the iron is) scrambled with chopped up spinach and a bit of cheese. You can use spinach or romaine on salads and sandwiches instead of iceburg or paler green lettuces - the darker the better. Macaroni and cheese is rich in iron and pleasing to the palate. Look for the highest amount of iron when you buy breads and pastas becuase the amounts differ. You must also get enough vitamin C. Without vitamin C, you cannot absorb the iron as well. Have 8 oz of orange juice with your meals or a citrus fruit as a desert.
Try this for a couple of weeks and if you still have symptoms, visit your doctor and ask his/her advice on pure iron supplements. Do NOT take these without consulting a doctor first, becuase they can cause stomach bleeding, ulcers and constipation.
I have the same problem. For iron, you should take an iron supplement. They are pretty cheap. Take it with orange juice to get your body to absorb it well. I count protein grams every day. If I didn't, I would never get any protein, because I just don't like a lot of protein-rich foods. Eggs are a great source of protein if you like them. Make an omlet or egg sandwich in the morning and put it on a wheat bun. Veggie burgers are a great source as well. You can buy them frozen and cook them up fast. Whole grains and dairy have protein too. Switch over to whole wheat everything if you can. Peanut butter and other nuts have protein too. And you could try protein shakes. I've never had them, but you can find them at the grocery store or health food store.
These veggie burgers are really good:
http://www.seeveggiesdifferently.com/pro...
And here are some iron supplements:
http://www.drugstore.com/search/search.a...
Find out how much protein and iron you need each day with this health calculator
http://diet.ivillage.com/healthcalc...
Hi, You should add spinach to your diet. It will give you enough iron you need. For protein you can take Red kidney beans soups. Take this soup in the eve ( before going to bed) you will have lots of energy in the morning and all day.
I hope it will help you.
Take Care - Ashish.
er, yea, you can drink soy milk, they make em in small indvuidal packs you can drink as little or as many as you want
you can eat nuts and seeds, or tofu, or beans
you can drink a protein shake for 50cent you get all the protein you need for the day