Women’s Day: Women should follow these nutrition suggestions for improved health

By Dt. Aneeta Karthikeyan,

Women are always on top of their game. Being managing their jobs or household. They are always updated about everything, being the top fashion trend, the latest celebrity gossip, or the exact date when the sale on their favourite item will be live. But what most women neglect is their health, talking more specifically they pay less attention to the nutritional needs and supplementation they need.

On average more than half of the women have been reported with some nutritional deficiencies. It’s mandatory to know how the right kinds of nutrition can help prevent many diseases in women. It is also important for women to know what the nutritional requirements are at each stage that will complement their health.

Here we are sharing a few nutritional suggestions to follow for better health and a happy you!

Iron for all the Iron Women

There are no doubts women are a superhero and for that superhero to take charge of her health she needs a sidekick. Iron is that resource. Iron is necessary to produce hemoglobin, which aids in the transport of oxygen throughout the body. To compensate for the loss of iron in the blood during menstruation, women require additional iron daily. The most frequent deficit in women is iron which leads to anaemia. Iron deficiency can make you feel sluggish, fatigued, and even depressed. As a result, consuming the right amounts of iron can be beneficial to women’s nutritional needs.

It’s time to rethink your diet and include extra iron in your meals. An adolescent woman requires roughly 15 mg of iron per day, while adult women require 18 mg. So include iron-rich foods like nuts and sunflower seeds, whole grains, beans, and dark leafy greens like spinach in your diet.

Snack Smart

Those mid-meal cravings for a snack are something you cannot let go of. Your office pantry or your refrigerator at home must be full of snacks that you cannot help but binge on. Well, such snacks can be a bad choice for you. Snacking smart is the thing that will take you a long way. Choose among Almonds, dried fruits, energy bars, protein bars, ready-to-eat fortified cereal. You can also have nuts and seeds as a part of a snack that will help you with essential vitamins and minerals.

Manage your Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the body but also among the most common deficiencies. Magnesium is an electrolyte that aids in the regulation of calcium, potassium, and sodium, as well as being required for over 300 metabolic reactions in the body. Leg cramps, insomnia, muscle spasms, anxiety, headaches, and digestive issues like constipation can all be signs of magnesium deficiency. The risk of magnesium insufficiency may be much higher for older women.

Pregnancy & Folate the right combination

Folate, often known as vitamin B9, is critical for women of reproductive age. When taken before conception and throughout the pregnancy, it lowers the risk of birth abnormalities. Folate can also aid to generate estrogen after menopause, lowering the risk of certain cancers. For pregnant women, supplementing with folate also helps to decrease the risk of certain birth defects, including spina bifida. Rich sources of folate are Legumes–lentils, peas, dark green leafy vegetables–spinach, kale, oranges, grapefruits, Nuts and seeds like walnut, almonds, flax seeds.

The Fabulous Fiber

Constipation can occur if you don’t eat enough fiber, and it can also put you at risk for other health issues. Every day, choose fiber-rich foods such as beans, berries, and dark green leafy vegetables as part of a healthy diet. Fiber can help you avoid problems including heart disease, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon cancer, which afflict a lot of women. Fiber can also help you reach and maintain a healthy weight by making you feel full.

Power up with Calcium & Vitamin D

Are you getting enough Calcium & Vitamin D? 

Vitamins, minerals, and other critical nutrients are found in the foods we eat, which serve to keep our bodies healthy. Calcium and vitamin D, in particular, are essential for strong bones. Vitamin D is required for calcium absorption. Without adequate vitamin D, the hormone calcitriol (also known as “active vitamin D”) cannot be formed. As a result, calcium absorption from the diet is insufficient. Calcium can be obtained from a variety of sources. Add dairy to your diet, such as milk, cheese, and yoghurt, for example. Alternatively, broccoli, kale, and Chinese cabbage are also good choices. You can get vitamin D from a variety of foods, including Salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, and shrimp are all good choices.

Talk to an expert about your nutritional need

As they say, women know it all, but sometimes it’s good to have an expert to talk about your health. A dietitian can help you know exactly what kinds of nutritional needs you might be having. So, the question is where to find one? 

QurBook can help you connect with the right dietitian who can guide you with the right kinds of food you can easily find in your kitchen that will help you in staying healthy. QurBook is a personalized care concierge app that has all the things a woman might need for maintaining her health. You can choose among 1500+ Care plans and diet plans spread across 30+ health specialties. The best part is the trained healthcare staff as care coordinators to guide and motivate you at every step so as you prioritize your health.

A healthy woman can make sure her family is healthy. So, let’s prioritize our health ladies and follow these suggestions to make the most out of them.

(The author is Senior Diet Consultant at QurBook. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)