Women And Wellness

What should a woman to keep herself healthy, briskand young ?
A few guidelines given by Dr Suresh Shottam, in TOI, perhaps, would help a woman to possess all the three we said above. As is opined what works for a woman at 20 may not work for her at 30 or later on.So it shows that nutritional changes are needed as she ages.

Usually , when we are in teens and twenties, we skip meals and even eat at random times. It doesn't work any longer. We become weight conscious too. So eating approximately every four hours will help maintain metabolic efficiency. Give up on fast food. You can, thus, cut on extra salt, sugar and preservatives. Eat fresh homemade food as often as possible.

One must eat food that provides long term energy. Include some protein in your breakfast diet. It slows down the carbohydrates absorption rate. Eat greens like broccoli and spinach or take green juice that keeps your energy level high throughout the day; abstain from sugary mixes; go in for not only more water but also water based fruits and vegetables as well as potassium rich coconut water and avocado.

Beware of caffeine in coffee. Caffeine causes the body to excrete calcium which we need for bone density and much more. Better you switch over to tea, especially green tea.

As mothers , women generally tend to get into the habit of finishing up the child's leftovers. Do not ever do that. Today's women have to juggle personal, professional and social lives. They need to focus on sustaining their energy levels by incorporating high quality carbohydrates and protein such as hard cheese and nuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and complex carbohydrates into their diet.

Especially during pregnancy, the stored nutrients get depleted. Therefore, women should replenish them with nutrient rich healthy food. Include fish in diet.It is a great source of protein and will burn twice as many calories as digesting fats or carbohydrates but take food in less starch and choose food in high fibrous content such as broccoli, mustard greens and cauliflower. These cruciferous very can help in balancing the variousforms of estrogen.

In our forties, which is, in fact, menopausal stage, estrogen levels start to decline and make us prone to water retention. We start tofeel bloating and our metabolic efficiency also starts declining.At this stage, we anxiously go in for crash diet. Most importantly, as we go through hormonal changes, we must attempt to properly balance hormones like estrogen and progesterone to help prevent certain types of cancer. We can add ground flax seeds and apple to our diet, as well as a balance of vegetables and animal proteins like tofu, beans, lentils and fish.

Gradually we age into our fifties. At this stage we face the risk of contracting diseases. The major risk are breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases. Normally, the woman gain more weight in their abdomen after menopause. It affects the heart. So , more care should be taken thereafter by restoring to regular exercise, meditation coupled withdiet that includes omega-3 fatty acids and other good fats, along with B vitamins that play a key role in keeping your heart healthy. So try including fish, paneer, olive oil, hard cheese, broccoli, avocados, besides plenty of vegetable and fruits.

Happy healthy living!