Many women have multiple roles to play, having to be a mother, partner and carer while at the same time having to work and run a household. Balancing all these duties can sometimes leave you with little time to spare, taking a toll on your health. Below are some natural solutions to assist with common women’s health hurdles.
Stress
In today’s fast paced world, women are experiencing more stress at every stage of their lives. Feeling stressed for a long period of time can put pressure on your body especially your nervous system and adrenal glands leaving you feeling tired and stressed. A B complex vitamin may assist with stress levels. When our bodies are forced to withstand the demands of physical or emotional stress, the B-vitamins are the first to be depleted; therefore it is important to ensure they are replaced.
Pregnancy
Good nutrition during pregnancy can help keep you and your developing baby healthy. Pregnancy creates extra demands on the body for nutrients such as iron, folate and iodine which can be supplemented, by taking a good-quality pregnancy supplement.
- Folate is a B-group vitamin and its need increases during pregnancy, so it is important for pregnant women to increase their folate intake. Excellent sources of folate include asparagus, broccoli, Brussel sprouts and chick peas.
- Iron needs increase during pregnancy. Therefore it is essential for women to increase their iron intake during pregnancy by eating foods rich in iron such as red meat. It is also important to have foods that are good sources of vitamin c (like oranges) as it helps absorb the iron.
- Iodine is an important mineral which assists in the growth and development of your baby during pregnancy. Foods that are good sources of iodine include seafood, seaweed, eggs, meat and dairy products.
Menopause
Menopause is a natural process in the body when a women stops ovulating and menstruation ceases. Menopause usually occurs between a women’s early forties and mid-fifties, but can also occur earlier or later in life. As you approach menopause, levels of estrogen and progesterone (female hormones produced in the ovaries) begin to change, or fall. These changing levels begin to cause the symptoms of menopause. Some symptoms include:
- Mood Swings
- Hot Flushes
- Insomnia
- Weight Gain
- Poor Concentration
- Memory Loss
Other later menopause symptoms include hair thinning, dryer skin and nail weakness. However taking a nail, hair and skin supplement may help assist with strong nails, healthy hair and skin. For further advice on how to best manage your symptoms speak to our pharmacist.
References:
www.blackmores.com.au
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au
www.womenshealth.gov