The internet is at your fingertips… [Iron rich foods.](https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-process/before-during-after/iron-blood-donation/iron-rich-foods.html)

Make sure you have vitamin c or vitamin c rich foods with your iron, it helps absorption. Vitamin D also helps.

I found out about the importance of vitamin C just yesterday when I was told my iron levels are borderline for donating blood (but OK for living, apparently). I eat loads of iron-rich food, so I was a bit puzzled until I found this out. Guess I'd better get over my dislike of citrus since it's citrus season here.

You can try other things too, apparently peppers have a lot of vitamin c in them, or take a vitamin c tablet. I think it's easier to find enjoyable vitamin c sources so you are more likely to eat them.

I eat a fair bit of broccoli and at least three or four peppers a week. Publicly admitting my pepper habit feels a bit wrong. A supplement might help in winter, until I'm reunited with my one true love (and borderline diabetes): watermelon.

I think they say the trick is to eat the vit c rich food at the same time as the iron rich food. Yum, I love watermelon!

I generally do combine the two, but maybe having the eating habits of something feral over the last two weeks because I worked too much is leading to borderline scurvy. I'm going to have to have a medicinal steak and salad with all the cherry tomatoes for dinner. I would live on watermelon if I could!

Molasses

Try red raspberry leaf tea (herbal, real stuff, not Arizona). I swear on that for cramps beyond any pain killer.

A pint of Guinness every day!