When I was first advised to take the iron supplement Spa Tone by my midwife about a month ago, I have to say I was skeptical. I knew that anaemia was common among pregnant women and to be honest although I am an advocate of, and take daily, supplements, I wasn't sure that this particular one was going to do much based on what it actually was.
Why? Well, for those of you that are new to Spa Tone you'll be amazed at what the actual product is: nothing more than iron-rich water from a spring in Wales, wrapped up in neat little daily sized sachets (or twice daily in my case). That's it - just water. Simple. Can you see why I had my doubts?
I nevertheless dutifully did as I was told and drank down one sachet, twice a day diluted in a smoothie or fruit juice. All I can say is that my first presumptions were proven completely and utterly wrong. After taking it for around a month now, not only have I seen my energy levels increase hugely but, when tested, my iron levels were higher than expected! No aneamia for this mama-to-be!
Here are some tips to get the best from this seemingly simple supplement:
Dilute it in fruit juice or a smoothie - the Vitamin C in the fruit helps with iron absorption so you'll get more from it if you do. Mixing with fruit juice also helps to cover up the bizzare yet natural metallic taste of the water which some can find of-putting.
Take it on an empty stomach and avoid tea, coffee or grape juice for an hour after taking it. The tannins in tea and grape juice and the caffeinein coffee actually inhibit the absorption of iron. Avoid these for an hour before and after Spa Tone and you'll get the most bang for your buck.
Same with heartburn remedies: heartburn can really plague most pregnant women (I know firsthand) but avoid taking any heartburn remedies for an hour either side of your Spa Tone. Calcium can hinder iron absorption and as well as present in milk, cheese and yoghurt, is the basis for most heartburn remedies.
What are your pregnancy essentials? X
Post a Comment