Women of childbearing age are commonly iron deficient. It is often helpful not only to eat iron-rich foods but also to take a multivitamin supplement that contains iron. Many supplements are designed for women with that in mind.

Certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, help to boost the potency of the iron by enhancing its absorption. So eating high-iron foods with, for example, a glass of orange juice increases the amount of iron the body can use.

The iron from meat sources is the best-absorbed form, so a little goes a long way.

This list of iron-rich foods runs from more absorbable to less:

• All types of liver
• Beef
• Venison
• Oysters
• Sardines
• Turkey
• Chicken
• Cod
• Brewer's yeast
• Blackstrap molasses
• Iron-fortified breakfast cereals
• Wheat germ
• Soybeans
• Lentils
• Turnip greens
• Baked-potato skin
• Bulgur