5 essential nutrients for women

If you regularly maintain a balanced diet, your body will have enough essential nutrients.

If you eat a balanced diet regularly, your body will have enough essential nutrients. However, women's bodies are always affected by many factors throughout their lives such as menstruation, menopause, pregnancy and fluctuating hormone levels at each stage of life. These factors affect the needs of certain important nutrients in the woman's body.

Calcium

If we take care of and supplement our bones from a young age, the risk of osteoporosis (also known as brittle bone disease) will be significantly reduced in old age. Osteoporosis is a common disease in the elderly. Bones continue to grow at a high density until the teens and 20s. After the age of 35, bone density gradually decreases and further decreases without a good calcium supply.

Foods rich in folic acid are essential for women.

For women over 35, it is extremely important to continuously supplement calcium and vitamin D to keep bones strong. In addition, it is necessary to avoid foods and drinks that can affect the body's absorption of calcium.

Milk is recommended as the best source of calcium but there are other sources if you are lactose intolerant such as small bony fish (sardines, anchovies), green leafy vegetables, soy milk, tofu, almonds and seeds such as sesame seeds and sunflower seeds...

After menopause, the body absorbs calcium less well, so it may be necessary to increase your intake of foods containing calcium.

If you need to take calcium supplements, consult your doctor or health care professional. The two main forms of calcium in supplements are carbonate and citrate. Calcium carbonate is best absorbed when taken with food, while calcium citrate is best absorbed when taken with or without food. Older people often do not have enough stomach acid to absorb calcium carbonate, so people over 65 should take calcium citrate in combination with vitamin D for optimal osteoporosis prevention.

Folic acid

Folic acid, or folate (vitamin B9), is especially important during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida. Because the spinal cord is formed in the first 12 weeks, folate is important in the early stages of pregnancy, even weeks before conception, which is why all women of childbearing age should take a supplement. Folate is also good for the immune system, energy production, helps prevent anemia, and may also help protect against heart disease and stroke, so it is always good for women to have a diet that contains enough folate.

Women of childbearing age should supplement with 400mcg of folate daily, pregnant women need a total of 700mcg during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

People with malabsorption diseases (Crohns, celiac) are prone to severe folic acid deficiency. When taking folic acid supplements, it should be combined with B12 for best results.

Milk supplements calcium for women.

Magnesium

Magnesium is important for a number of bodily functions. It helps the body cope with stress, produce enough energy, and build strong bones. It is also good for the muscles and nervous system. Research shows that low magnesium intake may be linked to type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and migraines. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include muscle spasms, cramps, lethargy, poor memory, and sleep disturbances.

The amount of magnesium needed by the body is 375mg. Magnesium is almost lost during food processing. A magnesium-rich diet includes green vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and unrefined (brown)...

A study published in the American Journal of Women's Health found that daily supplementation of 200 mg of magnesium reduced menopausal symptoms, water retention, breast pain and bloating by up to 40%.

Omega-3

Fish oil contains one of the most beneficial types of fats: omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats are essential for baby’s brain development and are an important nutrient for pregnant women. Omega-3 fats also keep adult hearts healthy and reduce the risk of stroke, helping to reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Iron

Studies around the world show that on average, 1 in 4 women have low blood iron reserves. Iron is necessary to produce hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Iron deficiency can make you feel tired, unable to concentrate and increase the risk of infection.

Women need a minimum of 14.8 mg of iron per day. Postmenopausal women often have low iron intakes of about 8.7 mg/day, which is not enough to help the body produce healthy red blood cells. The result is iron deficiency anemia, which causes weakness, fatigue, and paleness.

Women who work hard and those who do not eat meat should consider taking iron supplements as prescribed by their doctor. However, excessive iron intake can cause constipation. Iron is best absorbed when taken on an empty stomach, with meals and drinks rich in vitamin C to increase iron absorption.

According to Suckhoedoisong