From champagne receptions and black-tie Christmas dinners, to a seemingly endless stream of more lowkey festive soirées, fatigue feels almost inevitable during December’s party season. But what if that overwhelming exhaustion isn’t simply the price of a packed social calendar? New research suggests all that festive fare could be part of the problem.
Analysis of NHS hospital data by Free Soul, a leading women’s wellness brand, has revealed a startling 1,000% surge in iron deficiency-related hospital admissions over the past 25 years. Women are bearing the brunt of this issue, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all hospital cases, and these figures only capture the most severe instances. For every person admitted to hospital, countless others are quietly struggling with debilitating fatigue that goes undiagnosed.
One possible culprit for our collective fatigue? Our modern reliance on ultra-processed foods. Even the most discerning among us tend to indulge more liberally during the festive season, from those irresistible party platters to the endless stream of canapés and cocktail snacks. Convenient, certainly. But nutritious? Not so much.
One common nutrient deficiency that many ultra-processed foods seem to share is a lack of iron.
“Iron is essential for producing haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around the body. Without sufficient iron, people can develop anaemia, leading to extreme tiredness and weakness that can really undermine their quality of life,” explains Natalie Rouse, Registered Nutritionist and Head of Nutrition at Free Soul. “In the most severe cases hospitalisation might be necessary, which means that this NHS hospital admissions data is really just the tip of the iceberg. There will be far more adults in the UK suffering from a level of iron deficiency that doesn’t warrant a visit to hospital but could still be impacting their quality of life and causing fatigue.”
Iron plays a vital role in producing haemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body, and when levels plummet, the effects can be genuinely incapacitating: extreme exhaustion, heart palpitations, breathlessness, persistent headaches, and that maddening inability to focus.
The solution, thankfully, is remarkably straightforward. Rouse advocates for incorporating iron-rich foods (things like beans, nuts, dried fruit, and fortified cereals) into your daily routine, particularly if you’re experiencing telltale symptoms.
“Preventing iron deficiency before it occurs is always the best approach, which means including enough iron-rich foods in the diet,” she notes. “I always recommend that individuals who are concerned about their iron levels should: Incorporate iron-rich foods into their diet, like beans, nuts, dried fruit, fortified cereals, and red meat (provided the individual isn’t vegan or vegetarian); Consider iron supplementation, particularly for women with heavy periods or for people who are following a vegan or vegetarian diet; Pair iron-rich foods with good sources of vitamin C in order to enhance iron absorption; Consult their GP if they’re experiencing symptoms of iron deficiency.”
Free Soul’s range of nutritional supplements includes iron-fortified products like its Vegan Protein Blend, which have been specifically designed for women’s nutritional needs, helping to bridge the nutritional gaps that even the most carefully curated diets can leave.
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