Essential nutrition supplements for Women
Learn surprising facts you need to know about Nutrition
Each of the vitamins and minerals has specific benefits to
our body for functioning well. Our body needs them for maintaining good health.
Among those proteins, vitamins and minerals women needs some of them more than
men do. It is usually best to get these ingredients from different types of
foods in all of the food groups, but for many it is not possible to know how
much quantity of which ingredients we shall intake? Which nutrient deficiencies
we carry and which we have in surplus?
In this article I try to find answers for the following
questions. I believe these questions are in match with the millions of women
across.
How many
people use nutrition supplement?
Why do we
need dietary supplements?
Age or health
state – which tells about nutrition need?
What kinds
of supplements are mostly required?
Does health
condition need to be considered before selecting supplements?
What are the
facts need to be thinking through before start taking pills?
According to a survey conducted by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
2017-2018
- U.S. adults aged 20 and over, 57.6% used
any dietary supplement in the past 30 days, and use was higher among women
(63.8%) than men (50.8%).
- Usage of dietary supplement has increased
with age, overall and in both sexes, and was most among women
- The incidence of dietary supplement use
increased in all age groups among U.S. adults during the period of
2017-2018 than on 2007-2008
*for details follow this link https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db399.htm
Why we need dietary supplements?
Diet is incredibly important to supply key nutrients for your hormones
to work for you. So, supplements are useful for filling in gaps in your diet. Women
have specific nutrition need throughout their lifespan. Nourishment needs are
different among adult, pregnant, breast feeding, menopausal and postmenopausal
women. Large portions have insufficiency of iron, calcium or various types of
vitamins. Vital Sustenance deficiencies can contribute to common symptoms like
fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, insomnia, digestive issues, hot
flushes and more. We need dietary supplements for following reasons;
- Our
diets are not as nutrient dense as we expect. Most of the times we are
eating a lot of refined carbs, bad fats and processed foods
- Usage
of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and long term preservation chemicals diminish
the nutrients in foods
- Depletion
of soil quality. Soil is not as rich as it used to be. It has less
minerals as it had 100 years ago
- Our
ability to absorb food has weakened by many things;
- weak
gut health
- excess
usage of medications
- low
digestive enzymes
- mental
stress
- Climate
change – less consumption of sunlight causes reduction in vitamin D
Due to ageing our body needs some
extra support from supplement nutrients in. If we have;
- hormone
imbalances (menopause related)
- toxicity
- inflammation
Age or health state
- who decides about Nutrient?
Depending on the individual health and living circumstances women at
different age may need nutrition supplement. Therefore age is not the
determining factor for taking diet additions, rather, individual’s nutrient
deficiencies are the determining factor.
What kinds of supplements are mostly required vitamins/ minerals/ protein?
Our body needs more or less 13 vitamins and 15 types of minerals
to keep it healthy and balanced. Here is a list of these vitamins and minerals.
Any one wants to know more about how and why these vitamins and mineral are
required please follow the links.
List of essential Vitamins:
1. Vitamin A
2. Vitamin C
3. Vitamin D
4. Vitamin E
5. Vitamin K
6. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
7. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
8. Vitamin B3 (niacin)
9. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
10. Vitamin B6
11. Vitamin B7 (biotin)
12. Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
13. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
What Are The
Essential Minerals our Body Needs?
1. Calcium
2. Phosphorus
3. Magnesium
4. Sodium
5. Potassium
6. Chloride
7. Sulfur
8. Iron
9. Manganese
10. Copper
11. Iodine
12. Zinc
13. Chromium
14. Fluoride
15. Selenium
Top 10 Herbs for our
Body & Mind
1. Echinacea
2. Elderberry
3. Turmeric
4. Cranberry
5. Ginger
6. Garlic
7. Cannabidiol (CBD)
8. Aloe Vera
9. Red Yeast Rice
10. Apple Cider Vinegar
Calcium
Typically, a little more
than 1% of a women’s body weight is calcium, that’s why we consider this
essential mineral so important. Women are four times more susceptible to
osteoporosis than men, getting enough calcium is essential for lifelong bone health. Calcium also plays vital role in
heart and muscle action, blood clotting and normal cell function.
Who needs it?
All adult women,
especially, teen agers or young women, because around 90% of adult bone mass is
achieved by age 18. After 30, they typically lose bone mass and strength. Menopausal
and postmenopausal women, tends to accelerate bone loss as the body produces
less estrogen. Those who are allergic to milk, cheese or other dairy products
should take calcium supplement. Those who have history of kidney function
should consult with their physician before taking calcium supplement.
Fish Oil
Fish are a rich source of
omega-3s, namely EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic
acid).These are highly specialized fats our body can’t make. Those who don’t
eat enough fish they don’t get enough of these amazing nutrients.
Why Omega 3 is needed for our
health?
Omega-3s are important for
heart and blood vessel health and for reducing circulating triglycerides to
lower heart disease risk. These special fats also support healthy joints,
reduce inflammation and optimize brain operations. Some research has tied poor
omega-3 intake to moodiness and depression.
Who needs it?
Adult women, especially
who don’t eat fish several times a week, women at increased risk of
cardiovascular disease due to elevated triglycerides, Pregnant and breastfeeding
women to enhance brain development of their baby and Over-weight women with bone
joint tenderness.
Why Folic acid (Vitamin
B9) is important?
Folic acid helps our body
make blood cells and the DNA for new cells, prevents neural tube defects, which
happen in the first three months of pregnancy. It also helps prevent premature
births and low birth weight.
Who may needs folic acid
supplement?
Pregnant women need folic
acid each day from either dietary supplements or fortified foods. Spinach and
other dark green leafy vegetables, oranges and pure orange juice, nuts, beans,
chicken, lean beef, whole grains contains folic acid.
Vitamin D
A fat-soluble vitamin D is produced in our
bodies when we are exposed to sunlight. It’s also found in milk.
Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium from
our diet and supplements we may take. It also plays a role in developing
healthy bones. Vitamin D with calcium helps to prevent osteoporosis. Research
suggests that Vitamin D boost our immune system.
Who may need supplement?
If you are not much
exposed to sunlight, postmenopausal or obese
Where to find it in food?
Fish like tuna and salmon,
and fortified foods such as, low-fat or fat-free milk and some orange juice,
cereals, soy beverages, and yogurt.
Iron
Iron builds healthy blood
cells that carry oxygen in our body. It helps to produce hormones and tissue in
our body.
Who may need it?
Iron is lost during monthly menstrual periods. Pregnant women need more iron during pregnancy to supply enough blood for developing babies. Most pregnant women are advised to take iron supplements to avoid iron- deficiency anemia, if they do not get enough iron from food.
Where to find it in food?
Lean red meats and
chicken, seafood, cereals/breads with iron added, oysters, beans, dark chocolate,
liver, spinach, tofu, and canned tomatoes.
Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 helps our body to make red blood cells. B-12 is
helpful for our brain and nervous system.
Who may
need it?
Subject to physicians
advice pregnant women may take supplement for baby’s development. Vegans often
lack B-12 that non vegan gets from eggs of animal protein. Aged over 50 may
require supplement of B-12 because it is easier to absorb.
Where to
find it in food?
Low-fat or fat-free
milk, eggs, liver, poultry, clams, sardines, flounder, herring, blue cheese,
nutritional yeast, and foods with vitamin B-12 added, including some cereals,
fortified soy beverages, and veggie burgers.
Conclusion:
Herbs and
herbal supplements may be a smart choice for those seeking natural health
solutions. But we need to keep some thing in mind that these pills are not our
insurance for not being ill. Though millions get benefit from nutrition
supplements and herbal supplements still they are not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary depending on
his/ her physical condition. If you are under medication or bearing chronic
ailment, you must speak with your doctor before altering your health routine to
learn what herbs are right for you.
