Low iron levels are not only about what you eat!

I am coming to you today with a very interesting and relevant topic; iron. So stay until the end because I bet that what I am about to share is something comopletely new to you!

This may be you...

You’re doing your best. Maybe you eat clean, plant-based, or even incorporate red meat here and there. You’ve added lentils, spinach, iron supplements—and still, your bloodwork says low ferritin or low hemoglobin.

This is where most people start to panic.

"Is it because I’m vegetarian?"

"Should I force myself to eat more red meat?"

"Am I just not absorbing anything?"

These are valid concerns - but I would like to invite you to consider a different way of looking at this problem!

Let’s talk about red meat as an example.

Yes, it contains heme iron, which is well absorbed. But it also brings heat into the body. And if your liver is already under stress (emotionally or physically), adding more heat can do more harm than good.

Iron-rich doesn’t automatically mean blood-building. Food has to be digestible, calming to the liver, and emotionally safe.

Low iron isn’t just a diet issue. It’s a sign of a weakened ability to build blood - and that begins in the liver and the deeper tissues.

• If ferritin is low, the liver is often overworked or overheated, which weakens its transformative role in blood production;

• The liver is ruled by Pitta dosha - which thrives on balance but easily overheats from stress, over-control, and unresolved anger;

• Emotional states like anxiety, frustration, and perfectionism directly deplete blood. They are not side effects - they are causes!

So when we flood the system with iron - without cooling the fire, we risk worsening the condition.

What helps instead?

Nourishment that calms the fire and builds steadily:

• Lightly steamed vegetables like broccoli, beetroot, and well- cooked spinach

• Mung dal, brown and green lentils - easy to digest, gently tonifying

• Comforting Kapha-style foods: mashed potatoes, butter, cottage cheese

• If appropriate, small portions of red meat or red fish (but only when digestion is strong and mind is steady!)

• Avoid overuse of iron supplements, and heating spices if Pitta is high

Emotional & lifestyle tips:

• Lower internal pressure; soften your expectations Step back from rigid control of the future

• Support the liver with cooling routines (daily oil massage, rest, self-forgiveness)

• Focus less on forcing results, more on creating the inner conditions for your body to want to rebuild

Your iron levels aren’t just a lab number. They’re a reflection of your inner terrain: your digestion, your heat, your emotions, your relationship to nourishment.

If you’re stuck in a loop of “eating right” but still feeling tired, depleted, or inflamed... Maybe it’s time to step outside the usual advice!

I WOULD LIKE TO CORRECT MY IRON LEVELS NATURALLY AND HOLISTICALLY