Question:

I eat healthily, exercise and take iron tonic and vitamins but do not seem to be getting any benefit from this. I have blood tests and my iron level remains low. I have had thyroid tests and the like but I still suffer from lack of energy, low immune system, bad circulation and low iron levels. Can bodies reject or not absorb certain vitamins?

Answer:

There are two parts to getting benefit from the food we eat and supplements we take. One is the eating of a healthy diet and the other very important one is the absorption of the food we eat so that the body can break it down and uptake the nutrients.

Your lack of energy, poor immune function, low immune system and bad circulation all suggest you are not absorbing nutrients.

I imagine your poor health and general feeling of being always being below par are creating a lot of worry and stress for you. These high-stress levels have the effect of shutting down the digestive process every time you experience the flight-or-fright response. So we need to look to how effectively your various systems of digestion are working to make sure you are absorbing nutrients.

A good simple thing you can do to aid digestion and absorption is to start the day with a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon squeezed into it.

But with the many symptoms you are experiencing and your general poor health, it would be worth seeing a naturopath who could prescribe herbal medicine to deal with the issues.

For more information please visit Alison Johnson’s website.