What are Healthy and Nutritional Foods for Women

       

Strong Women, Strong Lives:

Nutritional Habits that Empower Every Stage of Womanhood

Women, as Mothers, Sisters, Wives, and Daughters, are the backbone of strong and Healthier families, communities, and Societies. They perform a variety of roles, usually sacrificing their needs while caring for other family members. In fact, they should first take care of their own health, which means eating nutrition-dense food to have a healthier and happier life.

Women, from adolescence to menopause and afterward, face various challenges, which can be triumphantly faced with mindful nutritional habits. In this Blog, we will deeply discuss how healthy food habits help women in their physical and mental well-being throughout their lives.

By deriving inspiration from ancient physicians and modern medical science, we’ll find out important nutrients for the greater physical, mental, and emotional wellness of women.

Why Women’s Nutrition is Important:

Women’s diet pattern changes with different stages of life like pregnancy, hormonal cycles, and menopause which makes it more important to adopt healthy dietary habits for lifelong greater health. As an ancient Greek Physician

HIPPOCRATES said,

‘’Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’’

This Philosophy describes the need for Nutritious Food for the vitality, energy, and strength of women. Modern Science also validates the ancient wisdom. According to Research, it is proven what diet women consume directly affects their mental health, immune function, and hormonal balance.

As it is evident that women need different kind of nutrition at different stages of life, this may be termed as the first step to finding out what kind of nutrition is required for women for overall wellness.

1-Adolescence: Growth and Confidence

Adolescence is associated with a time span of rapid growth, the onset of menstruation, and hormonal changes. Therefore this scenario may bring about changed nutritional challenges to help brittle bones, iron deficiency, and acne. At this stage, nutrients play a vital role in the overall wellness of women’s health.

It is found in abundance in walnuts, fish, and flax seeds, these healthy fats help reduce hormonal acne, and brain development improving focus and reducing inflammation.

Adolescence is the stage of a woman’s life to build strong bones that help her for entire life. Calcium is found in leafy green vegetables, milk, and fortified products which help in having optimal bone strength.

The menstruation results in a deficiency of Iron, which is extremely essential for maintaining energy levels and healthy blood cells. It is found in lean meats, lentils, and spinach and is very important at this stage for women’s health.

Young women, who consume above mentioned nutrient-rich foods at this stage, develop the confidence to have a healthy relationship with foods which ultimately brings them lifelong wellness.

2-Early Adulthood: Nutrients for Boosting Energy and Fertility

Early adulthood is a passionate period for building careers, balancing social lives, and starting families. This is an important stage for fertility and overall wellness for women. Essential nutrients required at this stage are described below.

Antioxidants are very powerful substances essential for women’s health. It prevents chronic diseases, improves skin health, and reduces inflammation. These are found in abundance in vegetables, and fruits, especially in citrus fruits. At above-mentioned stage of life, these elements are extremely important to give a boost to women’s health.

Vitamin D is known as a powerhouse Vitamin that improves bone health and supports immunity. As in the modern world, it is somehow difficult for many women to have Sun baths as Vitamin D is added to a healthy diet by incorporating eggs, fortified dairy, and fatty fish.

Folate is essential for women of childbearing age. It is a great nutrient that helps to have a healthy pregnancy and prevents brain defects in newborn babies. Important sources of Folate are fortified cereals, beans, and leafy green vegetables.

Combining the said nutrients in diet during early adulthood strengthens women regarding energy levels and mental health and allows them to thrive in their personal and professional lives.

3-Pregnancy: Feeding Two Lives

Pregnancy is associated with great physical and emotional changes in a woman’s life. The diet consumed by the mother directly affects her own as well as the baby’s health. Therefore below mentioned nutrient food is extremely important for pregnant women.

Protein helps to the greatest extent for the development of the baby and provides a good amount of healthy blood supply for the mother. Protein is found in legumes, lean meats, eggs, and tofu. Protein-rich food is vital to fulfill the diet requirements of pregnant women.

DHA is a healthy Omega-3 fatty acid and helps the development of the eyes and the brain of the fetus. At this stage of women’s lives, DHA-rich supplements and salmon which is fatty fish highly support both lives.

In order to prevent neural tube defects, a good amount of Folic acid is extremely important. It is found in citrus fruits, fortified grains, and leafy green vegetables which must be added to the routine diet by pregnant women.

By deriving inspiration from ancient wisdom like AVICENNA and modern medical science, it is proven that balanced and nutrient-rich food is vital for a healthy pregnancy. Including key nutrients in food is beneficial for both lives.

4-Postpartum and Breastfeeding:

Postpartum means the recovery period and breastfeeding mothers need a highly nutrient-rich diet as they on one hand feed the baby with nourishing milk and on the other hand get themselves healed from the effects of delivery

Iron amount in the woman’s body reduces after childbirth and it becomes more important to utilize foods that are rich in Iron like fortified cereals, beans, and lean meats.

Vitamin B is important for energy and mood regulation. It is found in eggs, whole grain foods, and dairy products which is essential for the energy and wellness of mothers.

Hydration is highly important for breastfeeding and the overall health of mothers. It is good for breastfeeding mothers to have a good amount of water, broths, and herbal teas to enhance milk production and overall energy levels.

Ancient Physicians advised the use of warm soups and broths for postpartum recovery. Here ancient and modern medical science meet together for the improvement of strength and recovery in mothers.

5-Midlife: A stage of Hormonal Shifts and Long Life

At the ages of 40s and 50s, menopause takes place and hormonal changes are also there. This span of age has different nutritional needs for the strength of bones and managing hormonal changes. At this stage of life , below mentioned healthy foods are essential

It is found in chickpeas, flaxseeds, and soy. It helps in maintaining the body’s natural estrogen levels and helps in improving feelings like mood swings and hot flashes.

After menopause, the estrogen level is decreased resulting in a higher chance of osteoporosis. At this stage, a large amount of Calcium is required to maintain bone density. Calcium is found in leafy greens, dairy foods, and fortified plant milk.

Magnesium is important for mood regulation, heart health, and muscle relaxation. It is found in abundance in whole grains, seeds, and nuts and greatly supports in easing menopause discomfort.

By adopting a nutrient-rich diet, issues related to midlife can be resolved for a stronger and well-balanced life.

6-Older Adulthood: Living with Grace and Good Health

With the passage of age, it becomes more important to preserve cognitive function and improve digestion as well as muscle mass. Simple habits of a nutrient-rich diet help women to have a stronger, healthier, and happier life.  At this stage of life following healthy foods is entirely essential for women

A higher amount of Protein helps maintain a healthy muscle mass level. By making eggs, legumes, and lean meat a part of the diet, women can enjoy a healthier life.

Fiber greatly supports digestion and stomach-related issues. The best sources of Fiber are vegetables, fruits, and whole grains which should be included in the diet to have a healthy stomach.

This vital Vitamin helps maintain energy levels and brain functions and is extremely important for older adults. It is found in large amounts in eggs, dairy products, and fortified foods.

You must keep in mind that by adding the above-mentioned nutrients like Fiber, Vitamin B12, and Protein to your diet, women can enjoy happier aging. They will be vibrant and energetic in the later years of life.

Timeless Wisdom: Ancient Honored Physicians and Modern Medical Science Meet Together

Ancient Physicians like HIPPOCRATES and AVECEENA emphasized to inclusion of different nutrient-dense foods for women of different ages for vitality, energy, and wellness centuries before modern medical science discovered it.

Their women health-oriented approach believed in a balanced healthy diet for women in a detailed manner and the same has been devised by modern medical Physicians.

Modern medical science believes that ancient Physicians’ strategies of suggesting to consumption of fermented foods for stomach health, and adopting nutrient-dense spices and herbs have been powerful diets for the overall wellness of women.

Final Thought:

Women empowered through food has been more than just needs. It may be regarded as vitality, resilience, and strength at every stage of womanhood. By incorporating ancient Physician’s wisdom and research of modern medical science, women can develop healthy dietary habits that will improve their health to the optimal level at different stages of life like Adolescence, Early Adulthood, Pregnancy, Postpartum and Pregnancy, Midlife, and Older Adulthood.

In the end,

‘’WOMEN WELLNESS IS THE ESSENCE OF A HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER FAMILY’’