Vegetarianism - any examples of benefits for HH sufferers?

I found that simply cutting out red meat (ie beef and lamb and liver primarily. I never really ate stuff like venison anyway.) and simply eating fish and chicken helped a lot. I'm also aware that certain vegetables, for example, as everyone knows, spinach, contains a lot of iron, but it's worthwhile googling a list of veggies that contain iron. Vit C is worth avoiding because it helps you to metabolise the iron. If you don't have it, it can't do that job. Green tea is helpful, as it is something that people with anaemia should avoid, as it again is good for preventing iron from being metabolised. Have it with meals. I've brought my levels down from 200 to 170 simply by diet. Hope this helps.

Check your local library (they can order in too) for a copy of Cheryl Garrison's "The Hemochromatosis Cookbook".  Not necessarily for the recipes but it has chapters on why a lot of foods containing iron are ok to eat and also tables of iron content of foods.  You will be very surprised.

 

It's important to maintain a healthy diet.  I wouldn't go veggie because I've had low levels of Vitamins D and B12.  Although there can be lots of iron in certain vegetables like spinach, it is not necessarily easily absorbed by the body and worrying about your diet all the time doesn't help.  Don't eat too much of the obvious things like red meat and fortified foods.  You can't reduce your iron levels by diet, this is done through venesection and regular monitoring of iron levels.