When you have insufficient red blood cells or hemoglobin in your blood, less oxygen reaches your body’s tissues. If you are experiencing weakness, dizzy spells, tiredness, depression, and irritability you may be anemic. Anemia is most often caused by heavy bleeding through menstruation or other causes, or by a lack of essential nutrients, mainly iron. But if you aren’t getting enough folic acid, vitamin C, vitamins B6 and B12, and protein your body may not be making enough red blood cells.

Some of the foods you may want to incorporate into your diet are pumpkin seeds, oily fish, green vegetables, apricots, fortified cereals and breads, dried beans and peas, parsley, and wheat germ. When it’s “that time of the month”, I add more citrus fruits, watercress, leafy green vegetables, and red peppers. Brussels sprouts, avocados, bananas and cruciferous vegetables, lean meat and sea vegetables, are all great additions as well.