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HEALTHY FOODS FOR WOMEN

admin — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:27:08 +0000

Needs of nutritional food varies for each sex and at every stage of life. A woman in the house is said to be the whole and sole, who manages everything, right from sending the kids to school, husband to work, serving the elderly and going to work. For her, to do all these jobs, she must be fit and healthy. To maintain her health, experts have suggested the following foods that serve her nutritional requirements:

Beans are good for the heart. They are also nutritious, low in fat and inexpensive. One serving of beans contains five grams of fiber, a quarter of the recommended daily allowance.

Kale is one of the overlooked vegetable, rich in folate, an important B vitamin for women. The deficiency in folic acid during pregnancy leads to neural-tube defects in babies. Experts suggest that women must have an intake of 400 micrograms daily. Also, kale is an excellent source of vitamin C and calcium, too.

Beta is derived from the Latin word for carrot; beta-carotenes are actually natural chemicals that belong to the carotenoid family. Also, it is found in orange squashes, pumpkin, butternut squash and sweet potatoes. Since the body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, this nutrient helps repair your skin and may even reduce your risk for breast cancer.

Flax seeds are a good source of vegetarian omega-3 fatty acids, fat good for heart protection. It protects the heart because of the lignans found in flax, making it a good source of fiber. Ground flax seeds can be added to your morning oatmeal or yogurt.

Iron must be included in the women’s diet, in any form. Instead of taking iron in the pills form, one should try to get it from food sources, as it would be easier to absorb. Lean red meats and dark poultry, as well as lentils, are a few of the best sources for iron.

Nuts possess equal parts monounstaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The monounsaturated fats are used to lower the cholesterol, while the polyunsaturated’s help in avoiding prevent heart disease. Not only, these are a great little protein snack, but also are a great source for zinc (for pretty skin), calcium, phosphorus (strong bones), folate (prevents birth defects), vitamin A & E, too (powerful antioxidants). No matter, they are rich in calories, but one must be able to limit its intake.

Water is a nutrient keeping the fats away, plain and simple. It is best used for the weight loss. It suppresses the appetite and helps the body to metabolize the stored fat.

Broccoli is a fabulous source of calcium and contains other important nutrients like potassium and a good smattering of B vitamins, too.

Calcium intake must be more than 1,200 – 1,500 milligrams a day, as suggested by experts. It is found in dairy products, and helps with the absorption of vitamin D. Calcium is not only good for the bones; but also helps to prevent heart disease. One should remember to eat low-fat dairy products; else full-fat dairy products actually have the opposite effect.

Fish like salmon must be consumed at least three times a week. These help to lower cholesterol, thus helping protect the heart. Fatty fish also contains vitamin B, calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium.

DEPRESSION IN WOMEN – MOST COMMON HEALTH DISORDER

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:34:23 +0000

DepressIon In Women (courtesy : targetwoman.com)

Depression is one of the most common disorder all around the world. Studies suggest that more than n 17 million Americans are affected by depression every year. It is revealed that women experience depression twice as often as men. According to the National Mental Health Association:

Nearly 12 million women in the United States experience clinical depression each year.

Almost one in every eight women are likely to develop clinical depression during their lifetime.

Even though depression is common in both women and men, still there lies some difference. Till now, experts are unable to know about the causes contributing to this difference. Depression is a complex problem triggered by a combination of different factors, such as:

Oral contraceptives, those having high progesterone content

History of physical/sexual abuse in childhood

Infertility treatments involving the use of gonadotropin stimulants

Stress

Loss or threat of loss of social support system

Death of a parent before the age of 10

Family history of mood disorders

Personal history of mood disorders, particularly during the early reproductive years

A woman suffers from depression when she experiences the following symptoms:

Reduction of interest and/or pleasure in activities, including sex

Feelings of guilt, hopelessness and worthlessness

Suicidal thoughts (recurrent)

Sleep disturbance (insomnia or hypersomnia)

Appetite/weight changes

Period irregularities

Constipation

Attention/concentration difficulties

Decreased energy or unexplained fatigue

Psychometric disturbances

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WHICH IS BETTER : VEG OR NON – VEG ?

admin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:26:43 +0000

Since long time, there has always been a debate on the inadequacies of a vegetarian diet versus hazards of a non-vegetarian diet. If one really looks at both groups of people and their eating habits, there is a chance for healthy living in both.

Studies from World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed, that deaths from diabetes and heart disease alone costs India about $210 billion every year, and it is expected to increase to $335 billion in the next 10 years. So the average rate of death from a lifestyle disease, is quite more than from an automobile accident, or infectious disease such as pneumonia.

Most of the humans can be divided into two rough categories:

Veg, Consumes all types of plant foods along with milk and dairy, but completely avoids consuming all meat and animal derived foods and by-products. This includes avoiding contact with these products as well.

Non Veg, includes all plant foods as well as foods and by-products derived from animals like meat, poultry and fish, etc.

Vegetarians And Their Diets
Usually, the vegetarians are at an increased risk for:

Iron deficiency anemia

Zinc deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency

These people can get adequate nutrition from an exclusively vegetarian diet. If one consumes a variety of foods along with the right amounts of foods from each food group, a veg. diet can meet the recommendations for all nutrients. The vegetarians should especially focus on including foods that are rich in calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12 to counter a potential deficiency, achieve optimal health.

Non Vegetarians And Their Diets
Non vegetarians tend to consume more and more and more high fat content pork, chicken, turkey, beef and seafood than they have ever eaten in the past. Among non-veg diets, it is found that maximum consumption has been for poultry. Chicken and fish itself, do not cause chronic diseases, but when the chicken and fish are deep fried in partially hydrogenated oil, they become one of the most potent causes of heart disease as they then contain the trans fatty acids.

Studies have also shown the the non-vegetarians, are at an increased risk of :

Have shorter lifespan and are more prone to chronic diseases as compared to vegetarians

On average have more heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes.

Predominantly eat lesser amounts of fruits and vegetables than recommended.

Among, the two, there no fixed opinions, about which one is better? This is a great debatable question.