Craving Ice

Do you crave for ice? Until you can be termed an ice addict?

I used to love to eat ice. The home and office fridge was also stocked up with ice. I was kinda the official ice lady in office. With the nickname "ice ice baby". It can even be said most of my water intake came from eating ice cos whenever I felt thirsty, I went for ice first.

Not all ice are equal. Notice how some ice are transparent all the way (pure ice), while some are cloudy (ice with trapped impurities and minerals) - those cloudy ones taste the best. Like ice kacang ice. Very shiok.

People have told me eating so much ice isn't good. Especially for the teeth. But I've got no fillings, no decaying teeth - I even thought eating ice helped in maintaining the no dental fillings situation. People have their likes and dislikes, right? Like how some love to eat cake. I love to eat ice. Nothing wrong what. At least ice's kinda healthier than cake... XD

Until I read online that it might be a form of pica, where one has an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive, such as ice, soil, or chalk.

So when I went for a body checkup couple of years ago, I mentioned my ice craving to the doc. She then recommended me to take a ferritin blood test, which measures the amount of stored iron in the body. So I did, and waited to collect the results one week later.

Before the week was up, the doc called. She told me to go get some iron pills immediately and start eating them. She said the iron in my body was very low. I didn't know how low until I went to see her for the body checkup results.

Apparently my ferritin level was 2, resulting in low blood count - a 7.9. Doc said if the blood count reaches 7, it's time for blood transfusion. She's amazed I'm not always dizzy or something, and remarked maybe I've gotten used to it all these years.

So I started eating iron pills. Sangobion. Didn't cause constipation, heng ah. People have remarked I have more color in my face and lips. And what about ice?

I stopped craving them. I kinda miss the shiokness in eating them, though. I've tried to eat some once in a while, but that shiokness isn't there anymore.

And now if I see my friends who crave ice to the point of being addicted, I will ask them to go see a doc and maybe do some blood test.