Women have been entrusted with the job of making sure that people around them are healthy both physically and mentally. However, in an attempt to do this, they often end up forgetting about their own wellbeing. Studies have shown that at least one out of every 28 Indian women suffer from breast cancer and an astounding 90 per cent of the world’s anaemic population lives in India. However, making a few simple dietary changes can help women keep common ailments at bay.
Heart Diseases
Although it is perceived that men are at a higher risk of heart disease, more and more women have been reported to be suffering from cardiovascular diseases after a certain age. Factors like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol act as triggers. In order to maintain a healthy heart, it is important to maintain an ideal weight with a healthy balanced diet and exercise. The WHO recommends four to five servings of all coloured vegetables and fruit in a day along with whole grains to get required quantity of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and fibre for a healthy heart. One also needs to keep a watch on ‘bad fats’ and include ‘healthy fats’ in the diet to manage good blood lipids. An easy way of doing this would be by switching the cooking oil to one like canola which has 93 per cent of poly and monounsaturated or good fat and only seven per cent of saturated or bad fat. In addition to this, one can choose low fat proteins like beans, pulses, soy, low fat chicken and egg whites.
weight gain
The post pregnancy phase is the recovering phase. It is also the time to breast feed, so a balance has to be maintained with healthy diet for lactation and to maintain weight. Good quality proteins like low fat milk and milk products, pulses, beans, soya, whole grains, fruits, vegetables along with good quality fats in moderation must be consumed. It is also important to take frequent yet small meals.
Anaemia
The ailment is caused mainly due to the lack of iron which is essential for the production of fresh blood within the body. It is essential to have adequate proteins in the diet with food rich in iron. For example: Whole grain cereals like bajra, rice flake, puffed rice, pulses like bengal gram, cow peas (lobia), lentil (masoor whole), peas and soyabeans; leafy vegetables like mint, mustard greens, nuts like almonds, cashewnuts, gingelly seeds (til), pistachio, watermelon seeds, fish, chicken, egg yellow and liver should be eaten. A squeeze of lemon in a meal can help in proper absorption of iron.
Breast cancer
This cancer is the cause of most female deaths in the country. There is a relationship between diet and breast cancer which gets compounded with due to high fat diet. A healthy balanced diet with low fat, whole grains, fruits and vegetables is recommended.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis affects women in their late 50s or early 60s. To maintain bone health, women need to take adequate minerals and vitamins. Vitamin D deficiency is common among women with osteoporosis and may increase fracture risk. Food like beans, pulses and grams, soyabean, sesame seeds, almonds, milk (skim/low fat), cheese, paneer and curd with supplements of calcium and Vitamin D are recommended.
(The writer is president, Indian Dietetic Association and director, Nutrition and Dietetics, Diabetes Foundation India)