Iron rich vegetarian recipes?

[Andrea]

I don't want to get too far off topic, but don't forget that aerobic training (especially in the heat) increases your plasma volume (the volume of the liquid portion of your blood). It can appear to be borderline anemia, even though you may have a sufficient amount of red blood cells.
A LOT of doctors don't know much about exercise physiology- my training partner was told that he was borderline, and when he informed the doctor that he exercised very hard in the heat all summer, the doc had no idea why that would effect his hematocrit.

Just something to think about- I'm vegetarian, also... I can't wait to try the recipes you guys have listed!

[Tuckervill]

Okay, Andrea, does that mean we shouldn't feel symptoms of low iron? I mean, if we have enough RBCs, but high plasma volume--we shouldn't have any symptoms?

I think I've been struggling with low iron related to my cycle for years and maybe decades but I always come up okay on blood tests (except when I try to give blood and they prick my finger). No doctor has ever taken me seriously enough. Today I had a work out and then went shopping, but I was in bed asleep by 4 pm dead to the world. I can't think of what it might be other than low iron.

I just have to get this checked out a little more thoroughly.

Karen

I don't want to get too far off topic, but don't forget that aerobic training (especially in the heat) increases your plasma volume (the volume of the liquid portion of your blood). It can appear to be borderline anemia, even though you may have a sufficient amount of red blood cells.
A LOT of doctors don't know much about exercise physiology- my training partner was told that he was borderline, and when he informed the doctor that he exercised very hard in the heat all summer, the doc had no idea why that would effect his hematocrit.

Just something to think about- I'm vegetarian, also... I can't wait to try the recipes you guys have listed!

[SAMbike]

Thanks for the additional info Andrea. My RBC is 4.09 M/uL (normal 4.2-5.4) and my HCT (hematocrit) is 37.7% (norm: 38.0-47.0). So you think that this might just be low in relation to my plasma level ... I could ask the doctor about that. Thank you.

I don't want to get too far off topic, but don't forget that aerobic training (especially in the heat) increases your plasma volume (the volume of the liquid portion of your blood). It can appear to be borderline anemia, even though you may have a sufficient amount of red blood cells.
A LOT of doctors don't know much about exercise physiology- my training partner was told that he was borderline, and when he informed the doctor that he exercised very hard in the heat all summer, the doc had no idea why that would effect his hematocrit.

Just something to think about- I'm vegetarian, also... I can't wait to try the recipes you guys have listed!

[Andrea]

Karen- if everything looks OK in your bloodwork & you're that tired, it probably is a good idea to get checked out.
If your tests look just a little below normal (like Sam), but you otherwise feel fine, then it's probably just being adapted to aerobic exercise.

You could take advantage of it and request a shot of EPO