Nutrition Tips for Women

For women opting for the right nutrition is essential. This is also important to prepare the body and support it as it is transforming through the hormonal changes that it experiences all through the life. Every woman goes through life stages in which her body changes. These changes of adolescence, menarche, pregnancy, and menopause can impact the health of women. Hence it is important that women follow few healthy tips and exercise routines to ensure that they are fit.

Maintain Regularity in Your Routine

Our body can adapt to change but it has its own biological clock which is adapted to our daily routine. Regularity in maintaining your routine provides you a certain advantage. Opt for a good sleep time, and always have at least three proper meals in a day. People who suffer from constipation or sleeplessness are often those who lack routine in their life.

Eat but Do Not Overeat

Eat three to four meals a day and at each meal eat well but do not overeat. Take three major meals- add two small meals or snacks to your diet. Avoid eating while watching TV, talking or reading as they can result in overeating. Many readers must have experienced overeating during a buffet dinner. Overeating, even if a little can lead to obesity in the long run.

 Avoid Excessive Salt and Spices

Anything that is done in moderation cannot harm the body, but a slight excess every day can be harmful to the body in the long run. A simple example is a salt, a substance whose daily intake varies from person to person. Salt contains large amounts of sodium must be carefully handled, more so by people who have a tendency towards high pressure. Table salt is the main source of sodium. In order to avoid consuming too much sodium, a small amount of salt should be used while cooking and only a little salt may be used at the table. Foods which are highly salted are salted peanuts, potato chips, potato wafers, and salted popcorn, masala, pickles, cheese, tomato sauce, ketchup, soya sauce. It is necessary to read the food labels carefully before consuming processed foods.

One can learn to enjoy the flavor of foods without salt by discrete use of lime juice, black pepper powder, coriander, etc. Very spicy foods must be avoided since they are harmful to the delicate lining of the gastrointestinal tract.

Eat food which contains adequate carbohydrates – Especially Starch and Fibre

Consumption of complex carbohydrates, such as starch present in cereals, is more advisable than that of the simpler sugars found in honey, fruits table sugar and milk. This is because the digestion of the complex sugars is relatively slower than that of the simpler ones. Starches can be substituted for fats and sugars, and foods that are a rich source of fiber, such as whole grain cereals, green leafy vegetables, pulses, and legumes, should be included in the diet. The fibre in the diet lowers blood cholesterol. Avoidance of fiber or consumption of a fiber – free diet has proved to be a definite cause of the rectal disorder, poor bowel habits, colon cancer and chronic constipation.

Avoid foods that contain large amounts of fat, cholesterol, and saturated fats

This can be achieved by eating moderately. Foods rich in cholesterol, such as meat, fish, poultry, organ meat and eggs, vegetable oil may be used. Controlled consumption of meat prepared in pure ghee, butter and vanaspati are necessary. It is essential to restrict consumption of fried foods and high sugar foods. Only moderate consumption of these foods is the key to good health.

Avoid a monotonous diet-eat a variety of foods

Most foods contain several nutrients, but no single food provides nutrients in the right quantity for good health.e.g milk is the complete food yet it is a poor source of iron and vitamin c, so it is necessary to include citrus fruit which is a rich source of vitamin c. This is not sufficient as it does not provide sufficient iron; hence supplementation of diet with leafy vegetables is important. This example only goes to show that more the variety of foods in the diet, the better is the nutritional value and lesser is the chance of nutritional deficiency. The following major food groups may be used as a guide for selecting at least one food from each group:

• Milk, Dalmeat, Fish, Eggs
• Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
• Cereals and Cereals Products
• Oils, Fats, Sugar and Jaggery