Round two of glucose testing

For this glucose test I had to fast, which wasn’t too difficult since my appointment was first thing in the morning. I just had to keep reminding myself that I couldn’t just grab one banana before leaving the house. I arrived at the doctor’s office, went to the lab and had my blood drawn. Then I got to chug my sugary drink. This time I was able to choose which flavor of torture I wanted to ingest. I picked orange. Last time I didn’t get a choice I got a lemon/lime flavored one. I drank most of it with no problem but towards the end, it was getting gross. They gave me a timer and I got to sit out in the waiting room for an hour. Blood draw, wait an hour, blood draw, wait an hour, and blood draw. My arms look like those of a drug user now, granted I don’t have needle marks between my fingers or under my nails, so I can’t very well call myself hard core.

I asked if my iron levels would be tested again since I was told I needed an iron supplement. I explained that with my diet it just doesn’t seem possible that I’m anemic. The person drawing my blood went to ask about my supplement and said, “Yeah you need to take it”. Ummm that’s not really what I was asking. I wanted a retest, but no one really listens. Fine I’ll take the stupid pill, but I’m going to ask again at the next visit. Of course, with all the blood they drew from me today if I wasn’t anemic before, I am now! Four separate blood draws. I got there at eight and I didn’t get home till noon. I was exhausted and my back hurts from sitting in the waiting room chairs.

The really irritating thing is when I told the nurse drawing my blood that anemia didn’t seem possible with my diet she asked, “You eat meat?” as if I’m too damn skinny to be a meat eater. Yes, I eat meat! (see rant below) I focused more on the amount of beans I consume, but she seemed to think that the only real way to get iron was through meat. She asked if I eat rice with my beans. I had heard in the past that rice increased the iron absorption of beans, but after doing an internet search with only one reputable site coming up that mentions rice and beans in relation to iron absorption it looks like the opposite is true. And for the record, I don’t like rice and do not eat it with my beans.

Facts About Iron

Absorption of heme iron is very efficient and not significantly affected by the composition of your diet(1). Only 1% to 7% of the nonheme iron in vegetable staples such as rice, maize, black beans, soybeans and wheat is absorbed when consumed as a single food (3). However, dietary factors can significantly improve nonheme iron absorption (1,3, 6-9). Meat proteins and vitamin C will improve the absorption of nonheme iron (1,10). Diets that include a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, as recommended by the Food Guide Pyramid, should provide plenty of vitamin C to boost nonheme iron absorption. Calcium, polyphenols and tannins found in tea, and phytates, which are a component of plant foods such as legumes, rice and grains, can decrease the absorption of nonheme iron(1,11-15). Some proteins found in soybeans also inhibit nonheme iron absorption (1,16). Most healthy individuals can maintain normal iron sores when the diet provides a wide variety of foods as suggested by the Food Guide Pyramid. It is most important to include foods that enhance nonheme iron absorption when total daily iron intake does not meet the RDA, when iron losses are exceptionally high, or when no heme iron is usually consumed.

References for the about.com article found at the bottom of page four.

***Warning – Rant approaching***
I told a person at work about needing a second glucose test and that my last blood test showed I’m anemic. I have worked with this person for two and a half years. We’ve been to many potlucks together and gone out to lunch together a few times. Yet for the FOURTH time she asked me, “are you a vegetarian?” NO, NO, NO, and HELL NO!! I’m a meat eater. I will always be a meat eater. I can see vegetarianism as a healthy choice despite the higher risk for anemia, but it’s not a choice for me. I like meat. I eat it all the time and with almost every meal. I may not consume half a goddamn cow when I eat meat, but chunks of it do end up on my plate and ultimately in my system. What really irritates me is that this person is so certain I’m a vegetarian that one of the four times I was asked about it I was actually eating a roast beef sandwich with a bite of said sandwich in my mouth – beef and all! Is that f*cking insane or what?!