Replace blood-building nutrients lost through heavy bleeding, support steady energy, and make meals easy enough to repeat.

Three nutrition pillars

1. Build iron into the day. Use beans, lentils, peas, tofu, tempeh, pumpkin seeds, tahini, fortified whole grains, greens, or clinician-approved animal sources.

2. Pair plant iron with vitamin C. Bell peppers, citrus, berries, kiwi, tomatoes, broccoli, or cabbage help the body absorb more iron from plants.

3. Protect the iron window. Tea, coffee, and calcium can reduce iron absorption when taken at the same time. Follow the clinician or pharmacist’s spacing plan.

Build a Souliterranean plate

• Half the plate: Collards, callaloo, cabbage, okra, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, green beans, or another colorful vegetable

• One quarter: Black-eyed peas, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, tofu, tempeh, edamame, or another plant protein

• One quarter: Brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley, sweet potato, whole-grain pasta, plantain, or another whole-food carbohydrate

• Helpful fat: Olive oil, avocado, tahini, walnuts, chia, flax, or pumpkin seeds

• Vitamin C helper: Bell pepper, citrus, berries, kiwi, tomatoes, or broccoli beside the iron food

Weekly batch prep, about 60 minutes

1. Cook one pot: Prepare lentils, black-eyed peas, or red beans. Freeze extra portions.

2. Roast one tray: Use peppers, onions, broccoli, okra, cabbage, or sweet potato.

3. Prepare one grain: Cook brown rice, quinoa, barley, or oats.

4. Blend one sauce: Try lemon-tahini, tomato-pepper sauce, or herb vinaigrette.

5. Build a hard-day shelf: Keep canned beans, soup, fortified cereal, oats, nut butter, and frozen vegetables available.