On Tue, 3 Sep 2002 07:45:50 -0400, Todd Moody <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>On Tue, 3 Sep 2002, Betty Milner wrote:
>
>> It wasn't usable for transfusions because of the iron.
>> He was at least a second generation to have hemochromatosis. I also know
>> an elderly lady with the same problem. Both of these individuals eat SAD
>> so I don't know if paleo would help with this condition or not.
>
>Paleo might make it worse, since the diet tends to be rich in
>heme iron, which people with hereditary hemochromatosis store in
>excessive amounts.  Then again, in hemochromatosis the retention
>of iron is so extreme that diet probably doesn't make much
>difference.

Actually it doesn't, since meat compares better than other
alternatives.

Since I have genetic hemochromatosis, I know diet either low or high
in meat has little to do with changing ferritn levels. It is
important to avoid too many foods with vitamin C. In fact the worse thing
you can do is eat cereals!

The ONLY way to control it is by bloodletting; I give a pint 4x a year
and my ferritin level is about 50 ng/ml -- which is on the low side.

Maybe if I were a cave man and got cut alot ... :-)

Philip Thrift