Dr. De Marco, ND., now offers Iron Infusion IV Therapy!
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world. So many of us are iron deficient and don’t even know it. But how does this impact you, and what can you do about it?
For starters, it is important to know that iron deficiency by and large affects the female population: 1 in 4 women are iron deficient.
Iron is a big deal. It is needed to carry oxygen in our red blood cells around to all our tissues. It helps to create energy in the mitochondria, and is also needed for DNA synthesis, as well as healthy thyroid function.
 
What does iron deficiency look like? Well, when we think of someone who is low in iron, we might conjure up an image of someone pale and exhausted. While this can be true, having low iron can also cause a number of other problems. 
Here are some to watch out for:
* Feeling cold all the time                                 * Brain fog
* Hair loss                                                            * Headaches
* Short of breath                                                * Dizziness
* Heart palpitations                                           * Depression, anxiety
* Getting sick frequently                                  * Feeling weak
* Brittle nails                                                      * Mouth sores / canker sores, smooth tongue (loss of papillae)
 
If you have any number of the above symptoms, please get your iron levels tested! Ask your Naturopath or GP to test your Ferritin and your CBC panel. CBC stands for “Complete Blood Count,” which lets us see how many red blood cells you have, how much hemoglobin is in those red blood cells, and how big or small the red blood cells are. Your ferritin and CBC can help us determine whether or not you have iron deficiency and how far it has progressed.
 
Supplementation
It can be difficult to get the proper amount of iron through our diet. For women, add to that iron loss every time you have a menstrual cycle, and you can be left feeling like you’re running on a hamster wheel, supplementing iron to top up your daily needs but never adding enough to fill the tank.
Oral iron should always be the first place you start if you discover you have an iron deficiency.  Nowadays, we have formulations of iron that are much more gentle on the digestive tract, making it easier for you to absorb.
Many of us, however, still suffer from significant side effects from oral iron, and struggle to get enough through diet. Oral iron supplementation can also take up to a year to get iron levels back to normal. And for those of us with extreme low ferritin and hemoglobin levels, supplementing with oral iron is just not good enough. In these situations, having access to iron infusions can be a game changer.
 
Iron is an essential aspect of Women’s Healthcare and Pregnancy Care
One crucial area of concern for adequate iron levels is during all stages of pregnancy, including pre-conception. Before conception, it is important to check your iron levels to set you up to have the best start to your pregnancy. 
During pregnancy, women can lose up to 1000mg of iron. That is also a lot!! Research shows that up to 65% of pregnant women are iron deficient by their third trimester. During labour, women can lose another 500 mg of iron with a C-section, and 250 mg with a vaginal birth. 
This level of iron loss can be very difficult to overcome through diet and supplementation alone, and having iron deficiency while pregnant is a risk factor for preterm delivery, low birth weight, and health concerns after delivery. Iron infusions can be a safe and effective alternative to correct this.
 
To be considered iron deficient and a candidate for an IV infusion, you must have a ferritin value of under 50 within the last 3 months, which you can bring with to your screening visit. If you do not have any recent blood work, a requisition can be ordered for you here at Evergreen.
 
FAQ
1) How frequent are infusions? 
Often a patient will require only a single infusion, and in some cases a second visit 4-6 weeks later may be indicated.
 
2) What type of iron do you use?
Monoferric is used for non-pregnant patients, and Venofer is used for pregnant patients.
 
3) How do I know if I will only need one infusion?
After your first IV, you are given a requisition to have your ferritin levels re-tested in about 4-6 weeks. Based on these results, we can determine if a second IV infusion is needed.
 
4) What are the costs?
Costs vary based on amount of iron that is needed. Your iron is sent in as a prescription to Pure Integrative Pharmacy, and may be partially or fully covered by most drug coverage plans.
Monoferric 1000mg is $532, Monoferric 500mg is $277. 
Venofer is sold in 100mg vials and are $55 each; so Venofer 500mg is $275 ($55 x 5), roughly the same cost as Monoferric.
 
5) How long do infusions take?
Expect to spend 30-90 minutes in the IV room – this will vary greatly based on amount of iron required.
 
If you are interested in learning more about iron infusions, please book in for a free 15 minute Iron Infusion screening visit (in person, virtual, or over the phone). 

​​It is the time of the year when the insects are everywhere we go; while some are very beneficial, some of them we do not want around.   
Some over-the-counter insect repellents/coils may contain harmful chemicals/insecticides, such as DEET and Pyrethrins, which, depending on the product, can also be deadly to other insects (i.e. pollinators, which we need), and toxic to children (higher doses) and pets.   For this reason, many of us would prefer to find an alternative to using these types of products to avoid any potential adverse reactions (i.e. allergies, skin reactions, neurological issues (with severe exposure), death of bees/pollinators, etc.).
 
Here are some ideas of what you can use in place of chemical/insecticide products:
1. Natural repellents (i.e. CitroBug, BuzzPatch) can be found at health food stores, etc.  

2. You can also make your own; here is a simple recipe:
* 4 oz. Distilled water                         * SAFE for kids & pets too *
* 4 oz. Witch Hazel
* 30 drops of essential oils (combo. of Citronella, lavender, clove peppermint, basil, black pepper,     
         lemongrass, eucalyptus, & geranium)
 * Mix in a spray bottle.

3. A diffuser in your outside space (patio/deck, etc.).  If you do not have one, you can also make your own with Himalayan salts (ensure no pet access to the salts), bamboo reeds, etc.  
My favourite combination of oils to deter mosquitoes and wasps: Clove, Citronella, and Geranium (the mosquitoes hate the Citronella and the wasps hate the clove and geranium).

4. Anti-Mosquito devices: These can be found online and in almost any store that carries outdoor stuff.
 
We wish you a Summer full of fun without the bites ;)  
Remember that the honey & turmeric/curcumin salve (we featured in May) works wonders, in case you get bitten/stung.