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Diet and Nutrition for Women Tips 1 - 4

Diet and Nutrition for Women Tip 1: Eat to control cravings and boost energy

Your diet has a major effect on your food cravings, your stress levels, and your energy throughout the day. By making smart food choices and developing healthy eating habits, you’ll find it much easier to stay slim, control cravings, and feel energetic all day long.

• Eat breakfast.

Get your metabolism going in the morning by eating a healthy breakfast. Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less than those who skip it. A solid breakfast provides energy for the day.

• Eat regularly.

Going too long between meals can make you feel irritable and tired, so aim to eat something at least every 3-4 hours. Support your body’s natural cycle of energy by eating a substantial breakfast, a nutritious lunch, a snack around 2 pm (to compensate for the body’s natural low point that occurs around 3 each afternoon), and a light early dinner.

• Cut the junk.

The ups and downs that come with eating sugary snacks and simple carbohydrates cause extreme swings in energy level and mood. Cutting out these foods can be tough, but if you can resist for several days, your cravings will subside.

• Focus on complex carbohydrates.

Foods such as baked potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grain breads, and bananas boost your “feel-good” serotonin levels without a crash. They also provide plenty of fiber, so you feel full much longer.

Diet and Nutrition for Women Tip 2: Get plenty of good carbs

You may think that they key to losing weight or avoiding weight gain is cutting out carbohydrates. But carbs, like fats, are a vital part of a healthy diet. They give you the fuel you need to get through your day, fight fatigue, and stay feeling full. The key is to choose the right kinds of carbohydrates.

Complex vs. Simple Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates—the “good carbs”—have not been stripped of their fiber and nutrients.  Because they’re rich in fiber, they keep you full longer and help with weight control. Good sources of complex carbs include whole grains such as whole grain brown rice, stone ground whole wheat, millet, or quinoa, as well as beans, other legumes, fruit, and vegetables.

Simple carbohydrates—the “bad carbs”—have been stripped of their fiber and many of their nutrients. Simple carbs lead to a dramatic spike in your blood sugar, followed by a rapid crash.  These carbs are much less efficient at filling you up and keeping you energized. Simple carbs include white flour, white rice, and sugary foods.

Complex Carbohydrates:

• Leave you full and satisfied
• Are packed with nutrients
• Provide long-lasting energy

Simple Carbohydrates:

• Leave you hungry for more
• Are mostly empty calories
• Provide only short-lived energy

Diet and Nutrition for Women Tip 3: Don’t cut out the fat!

Many women have been led to believe that dietary fat is unhealthy and will contribute to weight gain. But fats are a necessary part of a healthy diet. What really matters are the types of fat you eat.

Women need healthy fats in their diet to look and feel great

• Healthy fats boost your brain power and mood.

Fats are essential to healthy brain function. They put you in a good mood and keep you mentally sharp.

• Healthy fats promote healthy pregnancies.

When you’re pregnant, both you and your growing baby need healthy fat to feel your best. Fat is especially important to your baby’s developing brain and nervous system.

• Healthy fats contribute to lifelong beauty.

Fats are essential for vibrant, glowing skin, hair, and nails. A lack of healthy fats in your diet can lead to dull, flaky skin, brittle nails, and dry or easily-damaged hair.

• Healthy fats help control cravings.

Because fat is so dense in calories, a little goes a long way in making you feel full. Small amounts of good fats like nuts or seeds make great satisfying snacks. 

• Fats lower the glycemic index of foods,

easing the spike in blood sugar that results from eating carbohydrates.

• You need fat in order to absorb certain vitamins.

Many important vitamins—including vitamins A, D, E, and K—are fat-soluble, meaning you need fat in your system in order to absorb them.

Choosing Healthy Fats

Rather than cutting fat out of your diet, make smart choices about the types of fat you eat. Saturated fat and trans fat—the “bad fats”—increase your risk for certain diseases, including heart disease and stroke. But polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats—the “good fats”—actually contribute to your health and vitality, support your mood, and help you maintain a healthy weight.

Foods rich in healthy fats include:

• olive oil
• olives
• nuts
• fish and seafood
• peanut butter
• avocados

Diet and Nutrition for Women Tip 4: Focus on foods for strong bones

It’s important for women of all ages to eat foods that contribute to strong, healthy bones. Women have a higher risk of osteoporosis than men. But osteoporosis is largely preventable with good nutrition and exercise. After the age of 30, you stop building bone mass, but you can eat to maintain strong bones at any age. The key is to get enough of the nutrients that support bone health.

The role of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D in women’s bone health

Calcium and magnesium, in combination with vitamin D, are vital for women’s bone health. Calcium and magnesium needs are higher for people who eat the standard western diet (high consumption of sugar, caffeine, meat, and alcohol and a relatively low consumption of leafy greens and whole grains).

• Calcium: 

The recommended daily allowance varies from 400 to 1,200 mg/day. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, oatmeal and other grains, tofu, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, garlic, and sea vegetables. Calcium is absorbed slowly and your body cannot take in more than 500 mg at any one time. See Related articles section below for a PDF factsheet on good sources of calcium.

• Magnesium: 

The recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 500 to 800 mg/day. Calcium can only work when taken in conjunction with magnesium. Good sources of magnesium include leafy green vegetables, summer squash, broccoli, halibut, cucumber, green beans, celery, and a variety of seeds, including pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, and flax seeds.

• Vitamin D: 

Aim for between 400 and 1,000 IU (international units) daily. You can get Vitamin D from about half an hour of direct exposure to sunlight, and also from foods and supplements. Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin D. Other good sources include shrimp, vitamin-D fortified milk, cod, and eggs.

Other Nutrition Tips for Women and Their Unique Health Concerns

Nutrition Tips to Ease the Symptoms of PMS

Bloating, cramping, and fatigue experienced the week or so before your period are often due to fluctuating hormones. Diet can play an important role in alleviating these and other symptoms of PMS.

• Avoid trans fats, refined sugar, and salt. Sugar worsens mood swings and salt worsens water retention and bloating.
• Cut out caffeine and alcohol. Both are known to worsen PMS symptoms, so avoid them during this time in your cycle.
• Limit red meat and egg yolks as they can cause inflammation. You may want to try sticking to vegetable proteins like soy and nuts, to see if it helps with your symptoms.
• Try cutting out dairy. Many women find relief from symptoms when dairy foods are eliminated from their diet. For some, improvements occur when they switch to hormone-free, organic dairy products.
• Add essential fatty acids to your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help with cramps. See if eating more fish or taking fish oil or flaxseed oil supplements eases your PMS symptoms.
• Consider vitamin supplements. For some women, taking a daily multivitamin or supplementing with magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin E may help relieve cramps.

Nutrition Tips for Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women

You only need about 300 extra calories per day to maintain a healthy pregnancy and provide sufficient nutrition for your growing baby. However, gaining some weight is natural during pregnancy, and nursing can help with weight loss after the baby is born.

Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy

• Fat and protein are very important to your baby’s developing brain and nervous system. Stick to lean sources of protein and healthy fats for weight control.
• Abstain from alcohol. No amount is safe for the baby.
• Cut down on caffeine, which has been linked to a higher risk of miscarriage and can interfere with iron absorption. Limit yourself to no more than one caffeinated drink per day.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals rather than a few large ones. This will help prevent and reduce morning sickness and heartburn.
• Be cautious about foods that may be harmful to pregnant women. These include soft cheeses, sushi, deli meats, raw sprouts, and fish such as tuna that may contain high levels of mercury.

Nutrition for Breastfeeding Women

• Keep your caloric consumption a little higher to help your body maintain a steady milk supply.
• Emphasize lean sources of protein and calcium, which are in higher demand during lactation.
• Take prenatal vitamin supplements, which are still helpful during breastfeeding, unless your physician tells you otherwise.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. Just as with the pregnancy guidelines above, refrain from drinking and smoking, and reduce your caffeine intake.

If your baby develops an allergic reaction, you may need to adjust what you're eating.

Common food allergens include:

• cow's milk,
• eggs,
• wheat,
• fish, and
• citrus.

For a cow's milk allergy, you can meet your calcium needs through other high calcium foods, such as

• kale,
• broccoli, or
• sardines.

Nutrition Tips to Boost Fertility

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, as they are known to decrease fertility.
• Eat organic foods, in order to limit pollutants and pesticides that may interfere with fertility.
• Take a prenatal supplement. The most important supplements for fertility are folic acid, zinc, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
• Don’t overlook your partner’s diet. About 40 percent of fertility problems are on the male’s side, so encourage your partner to add supplements such as zinc, vitamin C, calcium, and vitamin D.

Nutrition Tips to Ease Menopause

For up to a decade prior to menopause, your reproductive system prepares to retire and your body shifts its production of hormones. By eating especially well as you enter your menopausal years, you can ease this transition.

• Boost calcium intake. Calcium supports bone health and helps prevent osteoporosis. Also make sure you’re getting plenty of Vitamin D and magnesium, both of which support calcium absorption.
• Limit wine, sugar, white flour products, and coffee. Hot flashes improve in almost all cases when those foods are reduced or eliminated.
• Eat more good fats. Omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids can help boost hormone production and give your skin a healthy glow. Evening primrose oil and black currant oil are good sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that can help balance your hormones and alleviate hot flashes.
• Try flaxseed for hot flashes. Flaxseed is rich in lignans, which help stabilize hormone levels. Flaxseed can be particularly effective in managing hot flashes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed to your daily diet. Try sprinkling it on soups, salads, or main dishes.
• Consider eating more soy. Soy products are high in phytoestrogens, plant-based estrogens that are similar to estrogen produced by the body. Some studies suggest that soy may help manage menopausal symptoms. Try natural soy sources such as soy milk, tofu, tempeh, and soy nuts.

The Medical Perspective

The Medical Perspective

Every doctor I have talked to says to eat a healthy diet and be sure to follow the guidelines set up by the FDA.  

Since the FDA allows Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) in our food without proper labeling, any advice from the medical profession will be suspect. After all, if you eat healthy, you will not get sick and that would put a monkey wrench into the whole Healthcare System.

Medicines Two Choices for You

Doc Rick's Final Words

Your Solution

Dr. Huntoon has quite the successful track record at helping people eat healthy, lose weight and restoring their health.  He has helped more than one person lose more than 125 pounds without using any gimmicks, medicines or surgeries.  A consultation with Dr. Huntoon would be worth exploring.

Apply as many of these recommendations as possible into your life and make gradual changes to improve your overall health.  And if you need more help managing your health, consider contacting your Holistic Chiropractor for guidance and health maintenance.  Having the support of a trained holistic professional who looks at all the relationships to maintaining health is important.

And if you have questions, Please call (845)561-BACK or (845)561-2225 and set up a time for us to Consult and Evaluate you and the many Health Needs you or your family member may have.  Let us answer ALL your questions, most importantly, "WHY?" 

You deserve it and are certainly worth it.  Don't you think?

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