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International women’s day theme in 2019 is #Balanceforbetter, a call for gender balance across the world. An important aspect of this balance is also health. In my practice, I have seen the disparity in access to healthcare for women because they don’t seek it themselves. We are very particular when it comes to our families but put ourselves last.
There is a slogan, educate a girl and you educate a family. Similarly, a healthy girl translates into a healthy family. So to do my bit, I am sharing some essential nutrients and their impact on our health as we age.
The years when we are laying the foundation for our health are the most important years to eat healthy. For adequate energy to grow, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables are all essential for good health. Good food practices at this age also reduce the risk of chronic diseases later in life. Three critical nutrients at this stage are:
Adult women need to take adequate macro nutrients to maintain their health and some essential ones, especially if they are planning a family, are:
Folic Acid: This is a critical nutrient for prevention of birth defects which can be fatal for the baby. The recommended amounts are 500 µg/day.
Vitamin B12: It is essential for a healthy nervous system and preventing megaloblastic anaemia. It is also involved in DNA synthesis. 1µg/ day for an adult woman and 1.2 μg/day for pregnant women is the recommended amount. B12 is available only in animal food so liver, meat eggs are good sources, milk is an average source of this vitamin. Vegetarians may need supplements especially during pregnancy and adults can choose fortified foods.
Omega-3’s: These aren’t produced in our bodies but are considered essential for cell membranes, hormones , early visual development of babies. Cold water fishes are the best sources of Omega 3s. Vegetarians can consume vegetable oils, walnuts, flaxseeds and leafy vegetables. Some whole grains like bajra also contain Omega3.
Calcium: Calcium is essential for women of all ages. Adult women need 600mg/day while pregnant women need 1200mg/day. Milk and milk products, Ragi, Bengal gram (whole), Rajmah amaranth, broccoli almonds and sunflower seeds are some good sources of calcium.
Iron: Iron remains a critical nutrient for women in reproductive ages. An adult woman needs 21mg/day whereas a pregnant woman needs about 35mg/day. During pregnancy the rapid growth of blood volumes means a lot of raw material is needed. Anaemia in this stage can have serious outcomes like maternal mortality and low birth weight babies. Good sources are amaranth, cauliflower greens, and radish leaves are particularly high in Iron. Vitamin C helps in absorption of Iron.
So ladies take care of your health, get that health check up done, exercise regularly, and don’t wait for tomorrow.
Happy Women’s Day.
(Rupali Datta is a clinical nutritionist who has led teams in corporate hospitals. She has an in-depth knowledge of health care, food and nutrition – both in wellness and diseases. She has appeared as a food and health expert on various TV shows on BBC, NDTV, CNN IBN , AAJ TAK, DD, etc. She has also been associated with e-commerce food websites for which she has created health and nutrition content.)
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