Essential food items for woman to stay healthy

The health of a woman today is very crucial as she is exploring new working areas and also managing her family with very little time for herself. Due to the busy schedule, woman gives very little priority to her health and that leads to many ailments like cancer, stress and depression making way into her life. This article tries to bring out some very essential food items that a woman must include in her diet to keep all the risks to her health at bay.

Necessary food items that are essential for a woman to stay healthy

Woman, they say, never retires from her job. Job which is not just restricted to office, but starts and ends with her family. Day in and day out women are multitasking by managing their family needs as well performing in their offices. In all the busy schedule of her life, the health of woman takes a back seat and there are many more priorities in front of her. But a woman must remember that a healthy and fit mother can only make her family healthy.
With the hectic working hours and less time at woman's disposal today, it is important that she must know some of the most necessary food items that she must include in her diet to remain healthy.
Here are some of the most important food items that a woman's body needs to keep her in the pink of health and be fit:-

Milk Since ages we all have been hearing the importance of milk in our lives as it provides the much needed calcium for our bones. As the age of woman increases, there is no formation of new bone cells, hence the older bone cells starts to wear and tear with time. This results in joint pains, osteoporosis, arthritis and other ailments related to deficiency of milk. That is why it is recommended that a woman should take at least a glass of milk right from adolescence to make her bones strong enough to bear the wear and tear at the latter part of her life and also prevents the symptoms of PMS Milk along with vitamin D is best for a woman.

Spinach Although this food is not that much enjoyed by most of the people but it contains lot of vitamins, minerals and is considered rich in magnesium. Presence of magnesium helps a lot with the reduction of most of the PMS symptoms like weight gain, swelling of abdomen, breast tenderness and bloating in stomach.

Flax Seeds(Alsi) Take one teaspoon of flax seeds daily as they are rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids which have the ability to reduce the risk of heart diseases and breast cancer. They are also known to prevent arthritis and also help in reducing the symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Cranberries Consuming a glass of cranberry juice on a regular basis helps in prevention and also cures various infections related to urinary tract. It also helps in reducing the risk of breast cancer and heart diseases.

Salmon Salmon is high in iron, the deficiency of which causes anaemia. Mostly women are known to be deficient in iron. Salmon can thus be helpful in increasing the levels of iron in the blood. Apart from this, salmon is also very high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to relieve stress and depression and also prevent mood swings in women.

Walnuts This small brain look alike food item is rich in anti-oxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and also phytosterols that all help in reducing the risk of breast cancer. Also these are composed of calcium, magnesium and folic acid that are very important for the good health of a woman.

Tomatoes Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, foliate, fibre, water, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, vitaminB6, copper and some other nutrients which are all good for health. But apart from that it contains a pigment called lycopene. This pigment helps in reducing risk of heart ailments and also breast cancer.

Oats Today people are realising the benefits of oats for their health. Oats contain many nutrients that are helpful in maintaining the health and are thus good for women. They are very good for heart, digestion and also contains vitaminB6 that prevents PMS and mood swings in women. The most important factor is that oats has folic acid in them which helps in preventing birth defects in babies and is also important for women during pregnancy.

If women change their diet a little and include all the above mentioned food items, then it would help immensely to boost their health and also make them fit to lead a disease free life during the latter half of their lives.

Comments

Guest Author: Raghab15 Mar 2013

Men or women, the food style should be normal as they followed from childhood. The quantum may vary when they grow. Eating this and that by seeing advertisements are not good. As one of my relative used to switch over to Olive Oil instead of other cooking oil and got some side effects in his health.so, alert before changing the style is a must, according to me.

Guest Author: dr M kachare19 Nov 2013

Hi,
This is indeed a very informative article which inspires us all to consume healthy and balanced diet. But it is generally observed that we, woman, tends to ignore our health tending to out our daily life duties.
Woman is actually the main pivot of any home around which the whole family revolves; if anything happens to her, the whole system is disturbed. So, a healthy female simply implies a healthy family.

Now a days, women are involved in multi-tasking. They are emerging as a super being who is trying to play many roles of her life with efficiency. Working woman looks after her home needs, children, husband, in-laws and also, her office which is too much demanding for her. A healthy diet with all the macro and micro nutrients is what her body requires to fulfill are these roles effectively.

What should be a part of daily food intake for a working woman?

1. Milk and eggs should be in her daily diet as they are very much required for strong bones and teeth.

2. Atleast one serving of fresh fruits like apple, banana, grapes, papaya and other seasonal fruits is a must for her. These fresh fruits would provide her anti-oxidants and essential vitamins and minerals. Packaged juice should be avoided at any cost as it will deteriorate her health more than boosting it. Packed fruit juices contain many added chemicals as preservative and flavoring agents plus there is huge amount of sugar syrup which risks high blood sugar. Fresh fruit contain fibers which makes digestive system strong.

3. Whole grains:
Instead of refines flours, we suggest every woman to consume whole grains like Oatmeal, millet, wheat etc. These whole grains will keep you full for a longer period of time and also will boost up your digestive system. They are rich in fibers and nutrients.

4. Instead of plain rice, we recommend brown rice to working woman.

5. Home cooked fresh vegetables in sufficient amount is a must daily diet for woman to remain strong and healthy.

6. Indulging in snaking in between meals should be avoided. If you feel hungry in between, then never opt for fast and deep fried foods. They will do more harm to your body in the long turn.

7. Try to maintain your body weight from the very beginning as it is easy to maintain your body weight than to reduce it later on.

8. drink sufficient amount of water daily. When there is reduction of water level in our blood, then we may feel dizzy, irritant, lethargic and even get headaches.

Hope every women would consider these points to stay active and fit. If woman of the house is fit, whole family is fit.

Guest Author: MD JIGAR ALI21 Nov 2013

Normally a woman take scare of the health of all other members of the family and will ignore her health. You should never do that as only if your a re perfectly fit, you can take care of your loved ones. For a women to stay healthy she needs to have food rich in calcium, iron and phosphorus. Calcium keeps her teeth and bones strong and fit to do the everyday tasks of her's perfectly. Iron is essential to have a good flow of blood in her body. It is very much required for her as she has to undergo delivery and menstrual cycles. Phosphorus enables her cells to function properly and efficiently. Some of the foods she should include in her diet are listed below.

1. Drink milk daily as it provides calcium to your body. Try to add calcium rich milk mixes like Bournvita women's drink etc to it.

2. Eat atleast five to ten dates daily. It helps to increase the blood flow in one's body, It is also suggested to have dates after surgery to increase the iron content in our body.

3. Include lot of fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. Try to have it uncooked or semi cooked as most of its good effects will get vanished when it is completely cooked or over cooked. Having salads is the best idea to remain healthy.

4. Phosphorous rich foods such as nuts, cheese, Beans, soya foods etc are to be added in her diet to protect her bones, cells and tooth. Women are very much probe to get diseases relating to bones and teeth, having these foods can prevent such conditions.

5. If you are a non-vegetarian, have red meat once in a while, especially beef which is rich in phosphorus. Having non vegetarian food frequently will lead to gain fat and excessive weight in the body.

6. Drink plenty of water daily to wash away the extra toxins from our body and to prevent our body from getting dehydrated. Women have greater chances of getting urinary infections, these can be avoided by drinking lot of water. Avoid drinking too much soft drinks and carbonated drinks as it can cause diabetics in you.

7. If you find yourself to be deficient in calcium, take calcium tablets after consulting a doctor. Do not go behind advertisements and be your own doctor, it can lead to serious problems. Always consult a doctor and consume tablets as he prescribes.

8. Egg, fish etc are the other foods you should include in your diet to stay fit and healthy. Everything is essential for the body provided it is taken at the right quantity. Never consume too much of a particular food alone. Always maintain a balanced diet.

9. Having oysters, crabs etc increases the calcium level in your body. There are women who are not fond of seafood, they can depend upon the supplements available.

10. Among fruits pomegranates, avocados, tomatoes, blueberries, pears, lychees, apples, bananas, guavas, oranges, lemon etc are proven to be good for women health.

Author: Swati Sharma14 Jul 2021 Member Level: Bronze Points : 6

At present, due to their busy life, people are becoming very careless about their health and nutrition, they are not understanding the importance of a balanced diet. A balanced diet is a diet that contains a variety of foods in certain quantities and proportions so that calories, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and alternative nutrients are adequate and a small portion is reserved for nutrients.
Women must mention dry fruits in their daily diet.
Regular consumption of raisins can reduce the risks of many diseases. Raisins are also cheap compared to other dry fruits and it is also popular all over the world due to the nutrients and taste.
Almonds contain a good amount of healthy fat, fiber, protein, and vitamin E. Eating almonds can reduce appetite slightly, which is beneficial in weight loss.
Pistachios also contain manganese, phosphorus, copper, and vitamins. Due to these reasons, pistachio is not only tasty but is considered very good for health. Pistachios are counted among the lowest calorie dry fruits.

Author: Umesh Chandra Bhatt21 Jul 2021 Member Level: Gold Points : 3

Healthy food items are required for keeping a good health and a balanced diet is generally prescribed for that. Many women neglect their food as they are more dedicated to the family members and take care of them. So, it becomes the duty of the other family members to take care of the women who are always busy in household jobs. A regular consumption of dairy products, dry fruits, and fruits can give good support to the women for keeping fit health.