If you’re someone who experiences heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, it’s likely that you may also be deficient in iron. And it’s a vicious cycle: iron deficiency actually promotes heavier bleeding!
While iron supplements can quickly raise lab values, it’s easy to overdo it with iron and it can be hard on the stomach.
If you struggle with heavy menses, if your iron or ferritin levels are low, or even if you’re mildly anemic, the ideal way to get iron in is through food sources or plant medicine.
Please note: I try to use food or work with plant medicine instead of supplementing whenever possible, as I feel that’s more in alignment with Nature than taking capsules of isolated substances. But sometimes we do need to supplement, so check with your doc, as always.
Plant Sources of Iron
Yellow Dock and Dandelion root are both rich in non-heme iron. Unlike heme iron found in animal meats, non-heme iron found in plant sources isn’t as well-absorbed. However, vitamin C significantly increases the absorption of non-heme iron, which is where Rosehips (or other plant sources high in vitamin C) comes in!
Nettle is another herb that happens to be quite high in iron, along with Spearmint.
And if you’re not a fan of Rosehips or just want to play around with other recipe variations, orange peel and lemon peel are also high in vitamin C.
More than just an herbal iron supplement!
The added bonus of this syrup is that Yellow Dock root and Dandelion root both help the liver process hormones and toxins, and Yellow Dock is great at supporting bowel health if the large intestine isn’t efficient at eliminating.
Combined with the skin-healthy vitamin C and bioflavonoids in Rosehips, this syrup is supportive for acne and other symptoms of hormonal imbalance and poor elimination.
Herbal Iron Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Yellow Dock root
- 2 tbsp Dandelion root
- 1 tbsp Rosehips
Instructions
- Add dried herbs to 1 quart of water.
- Simmer partly covered for 2 hours, or until liquid has been reduced to about 1 cup.
- Add 1/4 cup honey. You can also use molasses (an extra source of iron).
- Keep refrigerated. Take 1-3 tbsp daily or just throughout menses if needed.
Note for those with acne: While iron supplementation can sometimes worsen acne, the small amounts in this syrup are unlikely to aggravate your skin; however, everyone is different and anything is possible.
Disclaimer: Some of the links to herbal products in this article are affiliate links. I make a small commission off of the sale at no additional cost to you. Thank you for helping to support my small business!
