At the end of the day, do you worry about your eating habits? Are you concerned about the insufficient nutrients you intake because of your busy lifestyle as a working woman or a homemaker? Daily chores coupled with work and innumerable other responsibilities can compromise women's nutrition. We, at Credihealth, understand you completely, and thus, we bring to you a health guide about Nutrition Tips for Women.
Women are constantly put under pressure for not only how they perform their tasks, but also how they look while accomplishing these tasks. Needless to say, the conventional media standards are hard to live with but few of these standards should be lived with. Because they focus on women's nutrition and lead you to a healthier lifestyle. If you are a working woman who is always running errands in the field or a homemaker who is always putting her family's needs ahead of hers, this article is for you.
Women tend to multitask and hence it becomes extremely important for them to eat a well-balanced and healthy diet. So what are the best ways to keep up with women's nutrition and stay healthy and fit?
For any health-related issue, consult an experienced gynecologist - Here's a list of trusted Gynaecologists in IndiaSome Key Nutrition Tips For Women
Here are 10 key Nutrition Tips for Women that should be immediately indulged in1. Do NOT Skip Breakfast-
We understand that your cab may be waiting for you or your children may not be ready for school, and you have to hurry up so that you are not late for either. But skipping breakfast is not the solution. You would have another hundred tasks to complete throughout the day, so starting your day with the right nutrition becomes even more important.
[caption align="aligncenter" width="588"] Source: Google[/caption]One of the most basic nutrition tips for women to maintain a healthy lifestyle is always to eat a nourishing breakfast. Breakfast skipping means overeating later in the day and this may lead to weight gain. So make some time for yourself in the morning and eat breakfast that incorporates lean protein and fiber.
Pro-tip: If you are a working woman, try to make some more time and pack your own lunch. It will help you have a nutritious meal and avoid falling into the trap of eating any junk food from the outside. Also, it will be cost-effective.
2. Drink Enough Water
A sufficient amount of water intake is necessary for anybody. It becomes more important if you are a woman and have to multitask. You must drink about 8-10 glasses of water every day. Women's nutrition depends largely on how much water they drink each day.
Drinking more water will replenish your body with enough fluids and make you energetic. It also means a fuller stomach. This way, you would avoid consuming any unhealthy food items and instead ingest more vitamins and minerals. Other benefits of staying hydrated are that it will be good for your skin, it will avoid cardiovascular and other diseases, and keep you fresh throughout the day.
Also, Read About: the Top 6 Detox Water Recipes For Weight Loss & Glowing Skin3. Eat your Calciums
Apart from keeping your bones and teeth strong, calcium has way more benefits and should be included in the right amount of your diet. Calcium deficiency may lead to irritation, anxiety, depression, and difficulty sleeping. These issues are all the more reasons for making sure that the intake of calcium is enough and it is considered a top nutrition tip for Women. Healthy eating means a sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin.
Calcium is also important for regulating your heart's rhythm and maintaining the proper nervous system. When we do not take enough calcium, our body starts to make up for the desired amount from our bones, therefore making our bones weak. Weakened bones may lead to a condition called osteoporosis. Women are more prone to developing osteoporosis than men.
So you should take care regarding your calcium intake as you age. Dairy products such as yogurt and milk are good sources of calcium. So it is recommended to have one or two glasses of milk every day along with consuming the other sources.
4. Get Vitamin D and Magnesium
Another tip for women's nutrition is getting the right amount of Vitamin D and Magnesium.Vitamin D should be compulsorily added to a diet to make it nourishing. Vitamin D is very important for the metabolism of Calcium. So to make full use of the calcium you eat, Vitamin D becomes even more important. Sunlight, Milk, and Eggs (and some other dairy products) are some good sources of Vitamin D.
While Magnesium is necessary because it increases the absorption of calcium from the blood into the bones. Broccoli, leafy vegetables, cucumber, green beans, and seeds are good food groups of Magnesium.
5. Be An Iron Woman
We know that you are already a superhero, we just want to bump up your powers to maintain your activity level. Taking in a sufficient extent of iron every day will help you maintain your health.
Iron plays an important role in creating hemoglobin which helps in carrying oxygen in your blood. Women need more iron every day to make up for the loss of iron in blood during menstruation. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common deficiency in women. Iron deficiency can make you lethargic, and exhausted and cause depression-like symptoms. Thus, taking large quantities of iron can be significant for women's nutritional needs.
It is time to reevaluate your dietary chart and add more iron to your meals. An adolescent woman needs about 15 mg/day of iron intake and adult women need 18 mg/day of the same. So make your diet iron-rich by adding nuts and sunflower seeds, whole grains, beans, and dark leafy vegetables like spinach.
6. Be Ready For Vitamin B
Folic acid or folate is a part of the Vitamin B group and is essential for overall health. It is even more important for women who are planning a pregnancy because folate deficiency may increase the risk of neurological birth defects. Folate is an essential nutrient for any woman of childbearing age.
Folic acid fights against cancer and heart disease. Thus it is beneficial for women to have a diet including folate. Nuts, Cereals, Kale, Bread, Pasta, Beans, and Peas are some foods rich in Folate.
7. Say No to unhealthy fats
A well-balanced diet includes healthy and essential fats like Omega-3 and Omega-6. These fats will help keep your hair, skin, and nervous system healthy. These fats are helpful in fighting inflammation and are important in brain health. You should avoid unhealthy fats like saturated fat.
Salmon, Tuna, Nuts, and Leafy vegetables are rich in good fats and should be included in your diet.
8. Eat Less And More Frequently
Women's nutrition needs vary according to their daily routines. If you are a working woman, you may grow hungry soon after your meal because of work exhaustion. In such cases, we tend to overeat snacks while waiting for the time of our next proper meal. This may lead to weight gain and unhealthiness in your body. To avoid the above, you may eat small but frequent meals. Do not worry about the set breaks, find time for yourself and eat one little portion to keep you full.
Pro-Tip: Plan your meals one day in advance. This would reduce the worry of deciding what to eat and when to eat it. And you will be able to follow your diet moderately for good health.
9. Take your Multivitamin
Multitasking women would need Multivitamins. It is beneficial to take one multivitamin tablet each day to improve your overall health. Multivitamins would help you compensate for the shortage of vitamins in your meals. However, they cannot and should not be substituted for natural vitamin-rich fortified foods. Multivitamin tablets should be considered an add-on and taken to boost your power. One multivitamin will energize and nourish the major systems of your body.
10. Chew on a Gum
We understand that you may feel hungrier while juggling your tasks. But if you choose to eat an unhealthy meal or snack to diminish this hunger, you may soon be overwhelmed with the guilt of not eating right. This is a very convenient nutritional tip for women who care about controlling their diet.
Chewing gum between your meals may help you largely here in this case. It has been found that chewing gum decreases appetite and reduces food cravings which further also reduces instances of weight gain. One healthy meal will not be enough, it is necessary to maintain a healthy diet and chewing gum may help you stay on track. Choose a gum that has no added sugar and win a healthy bonus.
11. Smart Snacking
Your office may have a vending machine or a pantry and you may feel inclined on nibbling on a snack at least once during your day. But making the wrong food choices may leave you feeling worse and also affect your health. We do not ask you to never eat a snack but eat the right snack. A balanced diet is one that allows a snack.
You can carry your own snacks to the office with you and avoid eating outside. Choose dietary supplements over unhealthy snacks.
Some best snacks you may have, to maintain a nutritious diet include almonds, dried fruits, processed foods, fulfill energy bars, protein bars, canned vegetable juice, and ready-to-eat fortified cereal
12. Have Chocolate
No, have the good chocolate. When we say good chocolate, we mean dark chocolate. It is often misunderstood that chocolate is an unhealthy food item. But according to research, dark chocolate is quite the opposite.
Dark chocolate reduces calorie consumption, has heart-healthy flavonoids, and reduces the risk of heart disease. It also reduces the desire to eat something sweet. Be sure to intake one or two pieces of dark chocolate every day. So go ahead and curb your sweet tooth.
13. Cut Down Caffeine Intake
When you are multitasking or working under pressure, you may feel the need to have more caffeine. This is mostly the case with working women who gulp down one, two, three, four, or more glasses of coffee under work pressure. However, this huge amount of caffeine will not be good for your health.
Caffeine will leave you dehydrated and affect your bones by leaching out calcium. Try to limit your caffeine consumption to at most two cups.
14. Say No To Alcohol
The case with caffeine also goes for alcohol, one or two drinks during a party won't do much harm but regular intake of alcohol will majorly affect your health. In order to have a nutritious and healthy diet, it is advisable to reduce the consumption of drinks with alcohol.
15. Workout and Rest
Only eating nutritious foods will not keep your body healthy. Regular physical activity and undisturbed sleep for at least 7 hours are some other factors that play a vital role in meeting the basic nutrients of your body. So, take a walk, hit the gym, or play your favorite sport and get a good night's sleep to remain healthy.
Many women are used to neglecting their dietary intake. Many families are also used to neglection women's nutrition. The deficiency of nutrients leads to many problems like anxiety, stress, dehydration, depression, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases. It is best to avoid these ailments by simply having healthy nutrients in your body. Plan your meals ahead and carry your favorite healthy snacks with you. Take one tiny step towards your own well-being.
If you need help in forming a nutrition-rich diet for yourself or for your family or friends, according to the schedule and body requirements, consult the best dietician near youor book an appointment with Credihealth.
For more information and free personalized guidance, talk to our Medical Experts now.Reviewed by