Indian Dietetic Association on the eve of Women’s Day, focuses on “Prevention is better than cure†for a women  as provider of health care but: women’s health has been a global concern for several decades. Now it is time to take stock of how women’s rights are fulfilled in the world especially right to health. Let’s keep the right balance Holistic Approach in life. Right nutrition plays a crucial role in prevention……
Convenor IDA-NC Kavita Bakshi says Bone health is one of the neglected parts in women’s life cycle. As a consequence, both age and the hormonal changes due to the menopause transition act together to cause osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million women worldwide – approximately one-tenth of women aged 60, one-fifth of women aged 70, two-fifths of women aged 80 and two-thirds of women aged 90. Bone health should be maintained by ensuring vitamin D sufficiency and an optimal calcium intake. It is recommended that a woman should consume a diet-rich in calcium i.e.: milk and milk products, khuskhus, ragi, almonds garden cress, green leafy vegetables. Sun light exposure for Vitamin D absorption and exercise should also be encouraged.Phytoestrogens plant based estrogens should be included as Soy is flavones which protect women against osteoporosis by the action of genistein which has a similar effect to estrogen and lignans in flax seeds.
Eat Right, Eat healthy, say no to tobacco, maintain weight and be physically active to beat cancer says Dr Rita Bhargava, former Convenor IDA –NC. Cancer hits more women than men in India and has a higher chance of survival. Incidence of cancer is 110/ Lakh currently and predicted to 190-260/Lakh by 2025. 70% of the cancers in women are breast, cervical, uterine and ovarian. Regular checkups help as early detection is the key for survival. Eat healthy, eat plenty of fresh vegetables n fruits 4-5 servings, have a fistful of nuts, consume whole grains, legumes, and incorporate garlic, turmeric, tulsi leaves, tomatoes, greens in your daily diet . Avoid fried foods and repeated reheating of oils, cut down on red meat.
The burden of diabetes on women is distinctive and it may affect at different stages of a woman’s life says Kavita Gupta Secretary IDA-NC. As per International Diabetes Federation (IDF) 60 million women of reproductive age now have Diabetes. WHO also reports that 55% of
Diabetes deaths occur in women. One in 25 pregnancies i.e. approx 4 million women in India have Diabetes. The Steps  she suggests for control of Diabetes :- Follow ABCDEFG of Diabetes A= HbA1c<7 %,B= Blood Pressure<130/80 mm of Hg,C= LDL-Cholesterol<100 mg/dl,D= Diet55-60% CHO, 15% Protein, 25-30% Fat and incorporate medicinal foods ,E= Exercise150 mins/Wk Brisk Walk,F= Frequent Monitoring Individualized Self Monitoring of Blood Glucose,G=Guided Education Therapeutic Diabetes Education and keep your BMI-22.9kg/m2,Waist<80cms,WHR-0.85.
A salute to backbone of the family-Wife, mother, sister, grandmother and many more roles also juggling between hectic work life balances. But it’s our foremost duty to take care ,says Dr Renuka Mainde Treasurer IDA NC Its really disturbing to note that Almost 50 percent of women in India living with an abnormal cholesterol level, an alarming indicator of the risk of their being prone to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) which is the number one killer of women.
It’s a worrying situation as heart attacks appear differently in women than men and it is more fatal in the post-menopausal women than it is in men as reported by many meta-analysis studies. She says consume 2 teaspoon of Flax seeds daily, have at least thrice in week rajma, channa, sprouted beans, chia seeds in the diet. Increase your vegetable intake inform of salads, cooked veggies, vegetable broths, and vegetable smoothies. Prefer rice brain oil for cooking. Avoid using dalada, margarine. Cut down on fried foods, salty foods, and processed foods.
Minal Gujrathi Co-Convenor IDA-NC focuses on Anaemia which is widely prevalent both in urban and rural areas of India. 75.2% in NPNL women and 74.6 % in pregnant women. Iron has been recognised as a vital nutrient for more than a century. Nutritional iron deficiency and iron deficiency Anaemia remain far too common in the twenty first century both in Men as well as Women and the young as well as adults given the wide availability of iron rich foods Bioavailability of iron can be improved by using fermented and sprouted grams and foods rich in Vitamin C and Folic acid. Green leafy vegetables ( Amaranth , Bengal gram leaves , cauliflower greens , moringa leaves and radish leaves contains 10 to 40 mg of iron per 100grams  Spinach , asparagus and broccoli are rich sources of folate and Amla ( goose berry ) and citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)is an another concern amongst the young women, which is linked to increased insulin resistance, irregularity in the menstrual cycle, acne, depression, obesity and fertility problems says Chanchal Sahani-Jt secretary IDA –NC weight loss will help to reduce the incidence.
