Iron, Ferritin, Dinuguan

[DrMariano2]

@misseschris 761 wrote:

Thank you Dr. Mariano for you in depth reply. I’m sorry- ACE is just Adrenal Cortex Extract- similar to isocort but with only negligible amounts of cortisone. I use a liquid drops form. It ‘seems’ to remind the adrenals to secrete cortisone. I use this in the morning because using anything in the morning that contains hydrocortisone, eg: cortef, isocort, even licorice reduces my ACTH too much and really lowers my cortisone for the rest of the day, and especially at night- hence using isocort only later in the day.

I have had trouble tolerating Vit D3 and Vitamin B12, I believe, because they allow my thyroid to function better- and that, in turn, stresses my adrenals- I experience low adrenal symptoms with them. I have been tolerating small amounts lately due, I think, due to my increased isocort use.

I appreciate your comments regarding iron and ferritin levels. I do believe this has been an issue for a long, long time with me. One interesting aspect of supplementing iron for me, even when I was menstruating and hemorrhaging, is that the supplemental iron would cause skin infections. I felt that the iron, for some reason wasn’t getting into the cells. I have been using Liquid Liver lately and have not had this problem- possibly due to the other synergistic effects- eg: copper, B12, etc. naturally occurring in the liquid liver. I am focusing on really trying to get my ferritin up, as I do agree with you that using any type of cortisone is a bandaid approach- and in the case of ACE- very expensive!

Allergy Research makes a product called ‘Ferritin’- a bovine protein that seems to work for me as well, any thoughts on this avenue to help increase ferritin levels?

Thank you again for this amazing and much needed website.

Sincerely,Chris

Heme iron – iron from blood – is much, much, much easier to absorb than elemental iron.

One of my absolutely favorite foods is Dinuguan, a famous dish from the Philippines. It is a very sweet-tasting chocolate-colored pork stew made with pork, pork blood, vegetables. As a kid having a sweet-tooth, I would eat it up whenever I had a opportunity.

It is similar to the European-style blood sausage or British Black Pudding but in a stew form. It is also similar to an ancient Spartan dish known as Black Gruel.

If there is a Philipino Restaurant nearby, give it a try. I prefer the home-cooked Dinuguan.

Here is a description and recipe:

Dinuguan

Pork Dinuguan (also called dinardaraan in Ilocano, or pork blood stew in English) is a Filipino savory stew of blood and meat simmered in a rich, spicy gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili and vinegar.

The term dinuguan comes from the word dugo meaning “blood”. It is recognizably thick and dark, hence the Westernized euphemism “chocolate meat.” It is similar to the Singapore dish pig’s organ soup, differing in that it does not contain vegetables and has a characteristically thick gravy.

Due to the offal it is frequently considered an unusual or alarming dish to those in Western culture, though it is rather similar to European-style blood sausage, or British black pudding in a saucy stew form. It is perhaps closer in appearance and preparation to the ancient Spartan dish known as black gruel whose primary ingredients were pork, vinegar and blood. Dinuguan is often served with white rice or a Filipino rice cake called puto.

Estimated cooking time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 k. of pork belly, cut into small cubes
• 350 g. of pork liver
• 4 c. of pig’s blood
• 3 chili peppers (siling haba)
• 1 head of garlic, crushed and minced
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced
• 3 onions, halved and sliced thinly
• 1 pouch of sinigang mix good for 1 liter of broth
• 1 bay leaf
• salt
• pepper (optional)
• 1 tbsp. of cooking oil

Cooking Instructions:

• Refrigerate the pig’s blood until needed.
• Heat a heavy casserole.
• Pour in the cooking oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the garlic and ginger.
• Saute until fragrant. Add the pork pieces and cook over high heat until the edges of the pork start to brown.
• Add the onions, chili peppers, bay leaf and sinigang mix and continue cooking until the onions are transparent.
• Season with salt and pepper, if using.
• Pour in just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the pork is very tender.
• Add more water, a little at a time, if the liquid dries up before the pork is cooked.
• Meanwhile, minced the liver.
• Season with a little salt.
• When the pork is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, take the pig’s blood out of the refrigerator.
• Transfer to a clean bowl. With you hands, mash solid masses to a pulp. Pour the mashed blood and the liquid into the casserole. Bring to a boil.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the minced liver and cook for another minute or two.
• Add more salt if necessary.
• Serve the dinuguan hot with puto (sweet rice cakes) or steamed rice.

Seriously, if one wants to quickly raise ferritin quickly, this will do it better than an iron pill. And one would feel like one is eating real food, rather than a handful of pills.

Further, it does NOT cause constipation (a significant problem with iron pills).

For those who crave sweets, this is a very sweet delicacy.

Reference:

http://www.pinoyrecipe.net/filipino-pork-dinuguan-recipe-pork-blood-stew/

—

What symptoms occur with Vitamin D and B12 supplementation? I am not really sure these are adrenal symptoms.

Realize that adrenal problems reflect problems in the nervous system and immune system when it comes to regulating adrenal cortex function.

Eating animal organs is also useful to supplement nutrients. There was a time when eating liver was very popular. But people forgot how to cook it or it was never introduced into their diet by their parents.

Cortisol treatment not only slows down ACTH production, it also reduces the production of Pregnenolone, Progesterone, Aldosterone, Testosterone, Androstenedione, Estradiol, etc. Perhaps the deficiency caused in these signals – many of which are calming – contributes to problems with Cortisol treatment.

[Jean]

Iron Supplements – Make Your Own
Excerpts from: The Liver Files

Iron is a trace mineral, meaning it is required in very small amounts by the body, so it easily obtained from a good diet containing meats and liver. It is recommended that everyone eat liver twice a week, not only for the iron and B12, but also for other B vitamins.

Two Types of Iron
Availability of iron is partially determined by whether the iron is found in the form of heme or non-heme iron. Heme iron is found only in meat, fish, dairy and poultry, and it is absorbed much more easily than non-heme iron, which is found primarily in fruits, vegetables, dried beans, nuts and grain products. Iron supplements are usually from non-heme sources, which are not recommended. Dessicated liver tablets are a good source of iron, but it would require taking a lot in order to correct anemia.

If you do not like to eat liver, and your blood indicates you are anemic, the best form of heme iron is to make your own from frozen raw liver.

Make Your Own Iron Supplements From Raw Live – 2 Basic Methods
Freeze liver for 14 days in large chunks. (Fourteen days will ensure the elimination of pathogens and parasites.) You can then grate the liver on the small holes of a grater and add it to unpasteurized tomato juice. A teaspoon or two of grated raw liver can be added to baby’s egg yolk, or even to mashed vegetables.

Turn liver into pills! Cut fresh liver into pea-sized pieces and freeze for 14 days. Swallow like vitamin pills.
For both methods, the liver should be of the highest quality available, and organic or certified organic, and very fresh. You can also soak liver chunks in lemon juice before freezing to reduce the strong flavor.

Raw Liver Pill Dose
For those who do not like to eat liver twice a week, take the equivalent of 4 ounces of one of the above twice a week. For anemia take the equivalent of 1/2 pound of frozen or grated raw liver daily. If you cannot stomach that much liver, it will take longer to increase your iron levels.

[pmgamer18]

I am known to eat anything that is not moving but raw liver I will stick with the pills. It’s a good idea if you can stomach this. Or if your not on a heart smart diet like I am.

[DrMariano2]

@pmgamer18 1010 wrote:

I am known to eat anything that is not moving but raw liver I will stick with the pills. It’s a good idea if you can stomach this. Or if your not on a heart smart diet like I am.

A company did come up with a heme iron pill – Proferrin.

[Author]

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