Women of all ages should try to adopt a healthy diet. A well balanced diet can improve physical and mental wellbeing as well as reduce the risk of health problems developing.
The benefits of eating healthily include:
- Improving mood
- Keeping a healthy weight
- Reduce PMS
- Boost fertility
- Reduce stress
- Make pregnancy easier
- Improve nursing abilities
- Reduce symptoms of menopause
Finding a healthy diet
It is important to find a diet that suits your lifestyle and offers your body all of the nutrients and proteins that it requires. There is a lot of information available which can make it difficult to adapt the right one.
There are many information sources which claim to offer a diet to reduce weight or improve mood. These new diets and so-called superfoods can appear in the press one week and be contradicted in another article. This makes it confusing to know which diet is best for you.
Basic Required Nutrition for women
Women of all ages require a diet that is nutritionally rich. The following food types should be eaten as part of a healthy balanced diet.
Proteins
Including proteins in your diet is important for healthy bones, muscles and skin. Proteins perform important functions within the body. These are essential for breaking down food, building structures and managing toxins.
Foods which are rich in proteins include:
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Poultry
- Fish and shellfish
- Red meat (beef, pork, lamb)
- Nut butters
- Peanut butter
- Beans
- Seeds
- Lentils
- Peas
- Milk
- Soy products including: tofu, tempeh and vegetarian burgers
- Milk products including: cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese
Carbohydrates
The carbohydrates that are found in the food that we eat is important to keep us healthy. The main types of carbohydrates are sugars, starches and fibres.
The type of carbohydrates that should be included in your diet are:
- Natural sugars in fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products
- Foods high in fiber including vegetables, fruits, peas, beans, seeds, nuts, and whole-grain foods
- Starches in whole-grain foods, corn, peas and beans
It is also important to limit the amount of sugar that is included in your diet. Too much sugar can increase glucose levels in your blood which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
When you look at the ingredients of the foods that you buy, be aware of the sugar content. Ingredients which indicate added sugar include:
- Fructose
- Dextrose
- Lactose
- Sucrose
- Maltose
- Glucose
- Honey
- Brown sugar
- Sugar
- Corn sweetener
- Corn syrup
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Invert sugar
- Malt syrup
- Molasses
- Syrup
Fats
Some types of fat are necessary to help your body absorb vitamins and provide energy. Other types of fat can become unhealthy, leading to weight-gain and an increased risk of heart disease or breast cancer.
Good types of fat which should be included in your diet are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
You should eat the following foods as a good source of monounsaturated fat:
- Nuts
- Olive oil
- Avocados
- Peanut oil
- Canola oil
You should eat the following foods as a good source of polyunsaturated fat:
- Fatty fish
- Sunflower oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Corn oil
- Safflower oil
- Soybean oil
The types of fat that you need to avoid are saturated fats and trans fats. These types of fat can cause weight gain and a buildup of fatty substance in your arteries.
Saturated fats are found in the following foods:
- Butter
- Whole milk and products made from whole milk
- Red meat such as: pork, beef and lamb
- Poultry
- Coconut oil
- Palm oil
Trans fats are found in the following foods:
- Fried food
- Lard
- Milk and milk products
- Seafood
- Poultry
- Red meat
- Butter
- Egg yolks
Essential Vitamins
Vitamins are important to help your body stay healthy and provide growth. There are 13 vitamins that your body requires. By eating a wide variety of foods from the major food groups, you can include all of the vitamins that you need within your diet.
Vitamin A: This is required for healthy skin, protection against infection and improved vision.
Vitamin B1: Your body requires B1 to convert carbohydrates into energy and maintain the nervous system.
Vitamin B2: This vitamin is required for healthy skin and for making use of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Vitamin B3: This improves skin, the nervous system and helps the body process fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
Vitamin B5: B5 is required by your body to make red blood cells. They also are used to manage fats and carbohydrates.
Vitamin B6: This vitamin is used by the body to help carry oxygen in your blood. It is also used for improving the nervous system and managing fats and proteins.
Vitamin B9: Also known as folic acid or folate. This vitamin can help prevent some birth defects and maintain new cells.
Vitamin B12: This is an important vitamin for making red blood cells and is good for your nervous system.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is required for keeping your skin, blood vessels and bone health.
Vitamin D: This is required for keeping your bones healthy.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is used by the body to prevent cell damage, help blood flow and repair body tissue.
Vitamin H: Also called biotin. Biotin is used by the body to improve cell growth and help the body use fats and carbohydrates.
Vitamin K: This is used to form bones and prevent blood from clotting.
Essential Minerals
Calcium: Calcium is required for improving the function of muscles and nerves. It is also essential for teeth and bone formation.
Chloride: This mineral is used by the body to regulate the amount of water it contains.
Copper: Copper is used to help form red blood cells and bone. It is also used to protect cells from becoming damaged.
Fluoride: Fluoride is required for bone and teeth formation.
Iodine: The body uses iodine for the functioning of the thyroid gland.
Iron: Iron is an important mineral for muscle functionality. It is also used to improve delivery of oxygen throughout the body through the red blood cells.
Magnesium: This mineral is used to improve the function of muscles and nerves within the body. It is also required for teeth and bone formation.
Phosphorus: Phosphorus is used by the body to store energy acquired from food. It is also used to form teeth and bones.
Potassium: Potassium is a required mineral for normal functioning of the muscles and nerves. It is also used by the body to regulate the amount of water needed.
Selenium: This mineral is used by the body to protect cells against damage. It also improves the function of the thyroid gland.
Sodium: Sodium regulates water in the body. It is also used for nerve and muscle functionality.
Zinc: Zinc is used to promote healthy skin. It helps the body to fight infections, illness and with healing wounds.
Drinking Enough Water
If we went without water for more than a few days, we would die. Since 60 percent of our bodies are made from water; it is important that we drink enough in our daily routines.
Water provides many essential functions within the body so we should all drink the right amount. Our body uses water for the following requirements:
- Flushing out waste products
- Providing help with absorbing nutrients
- Keeping our joints cushioned
- Adding moisture to tissues
- Improving the skin around the nose, eyes and mouth
It is required that each person drink six to eight glasses of water each day. The amount of water that you drink includes the water included in any type of non alcoholic drink.
Water is the major component of almost all drinks, fruits and vegetables. So eating and drinking plenty of these will add to the amount of water that you consume.
When choosing a drink to consume on a regular basis, make sure that you are also aware of the sugar content. Many fizzy drinks, soft drinks and sodas are high in added sugar which should be avoided.
Your water consumption should be increased on hot days or when you have been active and sweat more than usual. Pregnant women and women who are breast feeding should also increase the amount of water that they drink.
If you are feeling thirsty, this means that you have already become dehydrated. You should try to drink fluid regularly to avoid becoming dehydrated. Signs that you are not getting enough water include dark urine, dry skin or feeling dehydrated.
Nutrition Advice Specific to Women
Women require less calories than men but there are some particular requirements that are specific to women’s health. The difference in nutritional requirements between men and women are a result of the hormones produced.
Iron
Blood loss through menstruation can lead to iron loss and anaemia in women over child bearing age.
Iron rich foods include poultry, fish, meat fortified grain, lentils and spinach.
You should include iron in your diet as well as vitamin C which helps the body to absorb iron. Foods rich in vitamin C include tomatoes, citrus fruit and broccoli.
Calcium
Since women consume less calories than men, the should try to eat a higher proportion of calcium. Bone density in men and women begins to reduce after the age of 35 so calcium consumption is an important factor in preventing osteoporosis.
Calcium rich foods include fish with edible bones, green leafy vegetables, nuts and soya beans.
Vitamin D is also important to help your body absorb calcium. Foods rich in vitamin D include dairy products, eggs and oily fish.
Folic acid / Folate
Folic acid / Folate is required in a healthy diet to prevent folate deficiency anaemia.
Folic acid is particularly important in women once they have become pregnant. Including Folic acid in your diet will help reduce the risks of severe birth defects such as spina bifida.
Folate rich foods include peas, eggs, spinach, Brussels sprouts, brown rice and asparagus.
Nutrition throughout the stages in a woman’s life
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS or PMT)
If you are experiencing difficult symptoms before your monthly period, you should consult your GP for advice. A nutritionist can work along with the advice of your doctor to recommend a healthy diet to try and reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Preconception and Pregnancy
A healthy conception and pregnancy should be accompanied by a healthy diet. You need to ensure that your body is getting all of the vitamins and minerals required while you are becoming pregnant.
When you have become pregnant, you will need to monitor your nutrition to ensure that you keep the baby healthy. A nutritionist can offer practical solutions to help you maintain the right vitamins and minerals during pregnancy.
Menopause
The average age of the menopause is 51. This is when a woman stops producing eggs. During this period, the body may undergo emotional and physical changes as a result of the lower levels of oestrogen produced.
If you are concerned about the symptoms that you experience during the menopause you will need to consult your doctor. A nutritionist can offer dietary advice to work along with your doctor’s recommendations to help reduce the impact of some symptoms.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic ovary syndrome can produce a range of symptoms including irregular ovulation, high levels of ‘male’ hormones (androgens) and cysts developing in the ovaries.
You may notice that you have gained additional weight, excessive hair growth or acne. These are all signs that you may be effected by the condition.
Following a diagnosis by a doctor, a nutritionist can offer help and advice with managing your diet to reduce the symptoms. Additional support form a trained nutritionist can help you manage the condition especially if you are tying to reduce weight.