Your Health, Your Power – Wellness tips for Women at Every Lifestage – ActiFiber

From fuelling growth in adolescence to supporting healthy pregnancies and navigating menopause, women’s nutritional needs evolve. Prioritizing their health at every stage is crucial for well-being, now and for generations to come. Let’s dive deeper to learn more about women’s health and empower women to make timely decisions at different life stages for overall well-being.

ADOLESCENCE & EARLY ADULTHOOD LIFESTAGE

Childhood to adolescence brings rapid physical, mental, and emotional changes. Girls navigate growth spurts, hormonal shifts, independence, and identity. Indian teens face a nutritional imbalance—both deficiencies like anemia and rising obesity—due to poor diets, lifestyle, and societal pressures. Key nutrients like protein, iron, calcium, and iodine are essential.  After puberty, consult your doctor about the cervical cancer vaccine.

PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease) and PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) are hormonal disorders in women. PCOD is milder with irregular periods and cysts, while PCOS is more severe, linked to infertility and serious health risks. PCOS affects 3.7%–22.5% of Indian women (2024), but many remain undiagnosed. Late diagnosis increases risks of obesity, cardiovascular issues, and cancer. Prevention includes weight management, diet, exercise, and routine check-ups.

For working women, career and family pressures often sideline self-care, affecting fertility and health. While a perfect lifestyle may seem unattainable, small, consistent efforts in diet, exercise, and stress management can significantly boost long-term health.

Her plate, her power

• Think of Protein like the lego blocks your body uses to build strong bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, blood, and hormones. Include pulses, soy, dairy, eggs, legumes, nuts etc.
• Fiber is Your Gut’s Best Friend! Keeps things moving smoothly in your digestive system, and helps keep your skin clear. Sources are whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
• Fuel your brain with Omega-3s, stay sharp and focused, add chia seeds, walnuts, flax seeds and fatty fish to your diet.
• Invest in your future self and strengthen your growing bones by adding Calcium rich dairy products, ragi etc.
• Iron is crucial for rich growth spurts, muscle mass, blood volume especially at that time of the month and to prevent anemia. Meat, fish, palak, rajma, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, raisins, apricots, dates are the best sources. Take supplements only if needed.
• Iodine helps in thyroid function, metabolism, which means energy, weight, and temperature regulation. Include sea food,  iodised salt, eggs and dairy.
• Fatty fish, fortified dairy products, safe sun exposure enriches you with Vitamin D, helps your body absorb calcium for strong bones, boosts immunity.

PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING LIFESTAGE

Pregnancy and lactation demand increased nutrient intake to support both mother and baby’s growth and development. Emotionally, these periods can bring joy but also stress and anxiety, so adequate support, rest, and mental health care are crucial. A balanced diet, prenatal vitamins, and a supportive environment are key for the well-being of both mother and child.
Fueling Your Bump: Key Nutrients

•  Building Blocks (Protein): Baby’s tissues & organs. (Dal, Paneer, Lentils)
• Happy Gut (Fiber): Smooth digestion for you. (Whole Wheat Roti, Vegetables, Fruits)
• Brain Boost (DHA Omega-3s): Sharp eyes & minds for little one. (Some Fish, Flaxseeds/Alsi, Walnuts/Akhrot)
• Strong Bones (Calcium): Solid foundation for baby’s teeth & bones. (Milk, Yogurt/Dahi, Green Leafy Vegetables)
• Energy & Blood (Iron): Prevents anemia, supports ovulation. (Spinach/Palak, Dates/Khajoor, Pomegranate/Anar)
• Neural Power (Folate): Crucial for brain & nervous system, prevents defects. (Leafy Greens, Chickpeas/Chana, Lentils/Dal)
• Fertility & Hormones (Zinc): Keeps you balanced. (Chickpeas/Chana, Sesame Seeds/Til, Cashews/Kaju)

Nourishing Mom & Baby

• Milk & Energy (Protein): Boosts supply & mom’s strength. (Dal, Paneer, Milk)
• Happy Tummies (Fiber): Prevents constipation for mom. (Oats, Whole Grains, Veggies)
• Brain Power (DHA Omega-3s): Sharp minds for babies! (Flaxseeds/Alsi, Walnuts/Akhrot, some Fish)
• Strong Bones (Calcium): Mom’s & baby’s bone health. (Yogurt/Dahi, Milk, Green Leafy Veggies)
• Iron Replenishment (Iron): Restores mom’s stores. (Spinach/Palak, Dates/Khajoor, Beetroot/Chukandar)
• Thyroid & Brain (Iodine): Baby’s brain & mom’s thyroid. (Iodized Salt)
• Growth & Health (Zinc): Baby’s growth, mom’s well-being. (Chickpeas/Chana, Sesame Seeds/Til)
• Bones & Immunity (Vitamin D & Calcium): Mom’s bones & baby’s defenses. (Sunlight, Fortified Milk)

MENOPAUSE LIFESTAGE

Perimenopause, the transition to menopause, typically begins in a woman’s 40s or 50s and can last several years. It’s marked by fluctuating hormone levels, leading to irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, sleep disturbances, and often abdominal weight gain.  Menopause officially begins 12 months after a woman’s last period.   Menopause self-care is crucial, management strategies include lifestyle changes like regular exercise, a balanced diet, stress reduction techniques like meditation, rekindling a hobby, and potential hormone therapy or other medical treatments as recommended by a healthcare provider. Timely check-ups to prevent lifestyle diseases, breast cancer, cervical cancer, hypertension, heart diseases are crucial.