Tips For Women!
- Get those Calcium rich foods into your daily regime! Calcium rich foods include fortified orange juice, broccoli, navy beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, beet greens, collards, canned salmon, turnip greens, almonds, brazil nuts, sesame seeds, seaweeds (kelp, dulse, and wakame- use these in soups and salads), and dairy products.
- Exercise: weight bearing exercise is very important for women of all ages; try engaging in a weight lifting program or a boot camp. Go for walks, cycle, or hike.
- Women need more iron then men, and we typically do not consume enough in our diets. Iron rich foods include red meats (limit red meat as it is often high in saturated fats), leafy greens such as spinach and swiss chard, enriched cereals, and navy beans. Vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron, so include vitamin C rich foods, like oranges and bell peppers, along with your iron. Many substances affect iron absorption, like calcium, so if you take calcium and iron supplements, ensure you take them a few hours apart.
- Good fats will help support the brain and heart, and will help your hair, skin, and nails. Fish, raw nuts and seeds, hemp seeds, and flax oil are all great sources of the essential fatty acids the body needs.
- Increase that fiber! Adult women need at least 25g of fiber a day; so start eating those whole grains, fruits and veggies. Include legumes, like beans, in the meals that you are making. Trying using hemp seeds in your cereals. Women are not getting enough daily fiber, so start being aware of how much you are putting in your body.
1 apple has about 4-6g of fiber
1 Avocado has anywhere from 8-16g of fiber
1 cup of fresh blueberries has about 4g of fiber
1 slice of whole wheat bread has about 2 g of fiber
½ cup of cooked black beans has 7g of fiber
1 cup cooked cabbage has around 4 g of fiber
1 cup cooked chickpeas has 12 g of fiber
- Boil, roast, bake, poach, and steam foods, and limit the amount of frying and grilling as these can produce harmful toxins
- Watch added salt as it can lead to heart problems and swelling and bloating.
- Magnesium is another important mineral that not only helps calcium and bones, but it also helps our muscles function properly (by relaxing them), can help you sleep, and can help proper bowel function. Magnesium rich foods are plain yogurt, cooked spinach, cooked black beans, and avocados.
