In 2010, Canadian doctor Christopher Charles when to Cambodia and discovered that many local children were suffering from iron deficiency. The adults weren’t faring any better, with many of them suffering from violent headaches that meant they couldn’t work as a result of their iron deficiency.

Ingeniously, Dr. Charles designed a lucky iron fish that could provide an adult 75% of their daily recommended iron intake.

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According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder on the planet.

2 billion people, or 30% of the entire population, are anemic, many as a result of iron deficiency. This leads to fatigue, weakness, pale skin, dizziness and even death in some severe cases.

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The iron supplements available to us in first world countries are far too expensive for many in certain parts of the world.

But thanks to Dr. Charles’ invention, a single iron fish can be used for several years by boiling it in soup water for at least 10 minutes.

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It has worked wonders. After 12 months, half of Cambodians who used the iron fish while cooking were no longer anemic.

And Dr. Charles isn’t stopping in Cambodia; he wants to adapt the fish design so that it is culturally relevant in other countries as well. You can support his initiative here.

Check out the video below for more information on the lucky iron fish.

[h/t: www.brightside.me]