Iron Phosphate
Iron (Fe) and oxygen (O) combines with phosphorus (P) to form iron phosphate (FePO₄). There are different forms of iron phosphates, however, this article focuses on the natural conversion occurring in the body and plants (not the poisonous man-made chemical used to kill slugs and snails).
The Significance of Iron Phosphate
Iron is an important focus of the African Bio-mineral Balance healing modality. Dr. Sebi (its founder), stressed the importance of iron in general, but specifically, iron phosphate’s role in achieving and maintaining health. Dr. Sebi asserted that it is almost impossible to get sick if there is adequate iron intake. This is because iron phosphate feeds the blood, as it is the ‘oxygen carrier’; and oxygen feeds every cell of the body – without it, we would simply die.
Oxygen is the life-giver, as you open the body and open those cells, those avenues such as you know, veins, arteries, and every other passage allowing oxygen to enter the system, that’s when you begin your healing. Oxygen is the healer.
Dr. Sebi
Iron is a magnetic element that attracts oxygen, and if there is sufficient iron in the blood, as it passes through the lungs, it will take up gaseous oxygen, condense it into liquid and generate hemoglobin, supplying it to the cells and tissues, enabling them to breathe out their carbon dioxide. It releases the oxygen wherever it is needed to burn up waste material, to stimulate all the vital processes of the body, and to maintain a uniform normal temperature of 98.6, which is just sufficient to preserve tissues from being burned, and just the right temperature to keep glutenous and fibrinous fluids circulating. (Shook, p.317)
When there is insufficient oxygen, only one atom unites with carbon to produce carbon monoxide, and this is where most of our troubles begin – anemia, low blood pressure, or where there is an abundance of calcium, high blood pressure because calcium thickens the blood. It requires a great deal more pressure to pump thick blood than it does to pump thin blood. This occurs because there is not sufficient iron in the blood to carry enough oxygen to the cells to enable them to breathe and throw off their waste products. Cells are not replaced by new ones as fast as the old ones break down and decays. Pus is only formed when the cells decay.
Shooks wrote: Iron phosphate is the first remedy for pain of any kind at its beginning. The first for any inflammatory condition. All ailments arising from disturbed circulation, fevers, inflammations, congestions, thus whenever heat, pain, redness, throbbing, quickened pulse is present. The first stage of all acute diseases, colds, pneumonia etc. It is the best and surest remedy for colds on the chest in children, whether simple catarrhal affections or going on to pneumonia. Nose-bleed always calls for it, or any hemorrhage from any orifice of the body. It is an excellent remedy for wetting of the bed in children.
Iron strengthens the blood by promoting the formation of haemoglobin and the uptake of oxygen. We know that iron is the oxidizer and vitalizer of the blood. (Shook, p.215)
How Iron Phosphate Helps the Body
Flower wrote:
When you understand that the oxygen of the air you breathe is the only fuel that nature uses in body-building, acting as a fire upon the food you eat, you understand the function of iron. Iron is not a tonic in itself. The body carries it in one form, and in one form only, namely, the phosphate of iron. In its microscopical form, this phosphate of iron becomes a part of the blood-corpuscles, coloring them red, and enters every tissue of the body, giving tone particularly to the muscle cells. The body uses iron also to allay inflammations and to cure pains that are accompanied by flushing of the face, and symptoms of heat. (Flower p.58)
Iron and its salts possess the property of attracting oxygen. The iron contained in the blood-corpuscles takes up the inhaled oxygen, thereby supplying with it all the tissues of the organism. Iron will cure: (Flower p.51-52)
1. The first stage of all inflammations.
2. Pains and Hemorrhages, when caused by hyperaemia.
3. Flesh wounds, contusions, sprains, etc., as it removes the hyperaemia.
Iron Phosphate – Health Condition It Is Needed For
- Abscess, Boils, Carbuncles, and Felons (in first stages).
- Acne (onset of disease).
- Anemia and Chlorosis (as a supplementary remedy).
- Backache (in hot pains over loins and kidneys, relieved by cold cloths).
- Bones (diseases of the bones when redness, swelling, and inflammation appear).
- Bronchitis (in first stages with inflammation).
- Catarrh (in the first stage).
- Constipation (if due to muscular lack of power and inertia).
- Cough (if sore and feverish, with pain).
- Diarrhoea (if fever is present).
- Diphtheria (at the onset of inflammation).
- Dysentery (at the onset to control fever).
- Dysmenorrhoea (Painful Menstruation) (if the face is red, flushed, with nausea and vomiting).
- Earache (cold draft).
- Epilepsy (when blood rushes to head, flushing the face).
- Erysipelas (at the onset when inflammation and fever appear).
- Fever (the first remedy at the onset of any fever).
- Hemorrhage.
- Hemorrhoids (for the first stage).
- Headaches (in subjects of a quick pulse, hot heads).
- Inflammation (first stage of inflammation).
- Kidneys (if tenderness and inflammation are present).
- Measles (in if first cough stage).
- Pleurisy.
- Pneumonia.
- Rheumatism (at onset).
- Scarlet Fever.
- Vertigo.
- Vomiting (of blood).
- Wounds.
Food Sources of Iron Phosphate
A lot of the food we consume contain iron phosphate to a greater or lesser degree. These include vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, amaranth, dandelion greens, tomatoes, susumber and watercress etc. Shook noted that fruits are our principal source of iron and oxygen. These include may apple (Pyrus malus), berries, grapes, plums, figs, dates, cherries and citruses.
Herbal Sources of Iron Phosphate
Herbal sources of iron phosphate include yellow dock, burdock, sarsaparilla, sarsil berry, chaparral, nettle, dandelion, elderberries, purslane, anamu/guinea hen weed, salsify, star thistles, gravel root, blue vervain, hombre grande, palo guaco, bugleweed, cocolmeca, nopal, parsley, alfalfa and more.
Herbal Formulas for Iron Phosphate
1. Dr Sebi’s Iron Plus, Bio Ferro Tonic, Bio Ferro Capsule
4. Iron Phosphate Herbal Formula
equal parts, Burdock, Red Clover, Yellow Dock. (Bartram, n.a.)
Direction: Place a quarter of the mixture in 2 pints water; simmer gently down to 1 pint.
Dose: one-third-half cup thrice daily, before meals. Effects are to enhance elimination through skin, kidneys, and bowels; to provide hormone precursors, electrolytes and minerals. The above combination may also be taken in liquid extracts, tinctures or powders.
Ethnomedical Study
Iron-rich herbsReferences
The Biochemistry of Schuessler (1921) by Sydney B. Flower
Natural Medicine Pediactric Home Advisor by Thomas Kruzel
Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Thomas Bartram
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