Iron deficiency anemia is serious business. You need to find out why your blood iron is low. There are many possibilities such as internal bleeding, colon lesions, colon cancer, uterine fibroids that are bleeding, excessive menstrual bleeding, etc.
See a hematologist for the anemia and I would also see a gastroenterologist or a GI specialist to make sure there is nothing wrong with your intestines and so forth.
If you are over 50 years old, check with a doctor before you start taking iron supplements. Dangerous things can happen such as a sudden, dramatic increase in blood pressure.
Ferrous sulfate tends to cause constipation which can damage the colon. Iron peptonate seems to work better for a lot of people. Leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, etc are good sources as well as many others. Somebody here wrote that blackstrap molasses is good source of iron! See:
http://www.wisegeek.com/which-foods-are ... f-iron.htmhttp://www.umm.edu/blood/aneiron.htmhttp://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tnam ... e&dbid=118I'm not a doctor but my mom chews ice and had a recent dramatic increase in BP after taking iron supplements recommended by her doctor for iron deficiency anemia. So I did a ton of research on the net for her and am just passing it on.
If you chew ice, tell your doctor. If he or she giggles or rolls their eyes or see no relevance, dump them! Find another doctor! Doctors are the third leading cause of death in the US.
BE CHOOSY ABOUT WHO YOU PICK! It could save your life.
Before I forget, I don't know if the ice chewing causes anemia or if the anemia causes the ice chewing. I suspect the latter. But I don't chew ice so I wouldn't know fer sure.
Thanks!
Zac