Women Unite: 3 Key Health Focuses for A Stronger You
Women Unite: 3 Key Health Focuses for A Stronger You
Contributed by Sue Moores, M.S., R.D., Kowalski's Nutritionist.
If you're a woman, do yourself a well-deserved favor: take some time for you and your health. Here are three of the top health concerns for women and ways to create a strong(er), healthier you.
1. Heart Disease
More than one in three women have some form of cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 health condition affecting women, yet only half are aware that it is the leading health concern. The good news: following a healthy lifestyle may prevent more than 80% of heart disease cases.
Women's hearts are very responsive to heart-healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating well. Making a move toward a heart-strong diet can reduce your disease risk by as much as 30%. Add these items to your grocery list:
- Grains, beans and produce. Oats, barley, any and every bean, pears, plums and other "skin-on" produce contain a good amount of soluble fiber. This type of fiber forms a gel-like substance in your intestines, binds with excess cholesterol that's floating around and shuttles it out of your body. Soluble fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels, triglycerides and blood pressure, three "ingredients" known to raise heart disease risk.
- Omega-3-rich fish. Salmon, trout, halibut, sardines, herring and tuna are omega-3-rich fish. The American Heart Association encourages you to eat 2-3 meals a week of these fish for multiple heart-health benefits, such as discouraging the formation of plaque inside arteries. Plant sources of omega-3s, including walnuts, chia seeds and flax seeds, are good but don't provide as big of a boost to health as fish sources.
- Produce. Much is written about inflammation and its detrimental influence on heart health. Eating plenty of produce tames the flames.
2. Breast Cancer
Excess weight ups a woman's risk of breast cancer, in part because it may lead to elevated levels of estrogen. When it comes to food and its role in breast cancer, conclusive evidence on impact is limited. A plant-rich diet filled with fruits and vegetables may help reduce risk, especially eating cruciferous vegetables, including cabbage, broccoli, arugula and Brussels sprouts. Potential risk-raisers are:
- Foods high in trans fats (found in some highly processed foods, bakery goods, chips, crackers, cookies, etc.) and high in saturated fat (found in certain meats and dairy foods).
- Alcohol (a daily serving is linked with an increased risk).
3. Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, or a weakening of the bones, affects more than half of women over age 50. It's a "silent" condition that develops over time yet often isn't recognized until a bone breaks. Eating calcium-rich foods is important because it keeps bones strong, of course, but here are some lesser-known tips:
- Trim the salt. Eating foods high in sodium causes the body to lose calcium. Highly processed foods are the biggest source of sodium in our diets. Check the Nutrition Facts label on food packaging for sodium info. A food that has more than 20% of the Recommended Daily Value of sodium is considered a higher-sodium food.
- Ease up on coffee, soft drinks and energy drinks. If these beverages are the majority of what you drink, your bones can suffer. Caffeine decreases calcium absorption, and the caffeine and phosphorus in soft drinks can weaken bones. If you're big on coffee, sodas and energy drinks, you may not be getting enough milk or other bone-building beverages.
- Shake up calcium-fortified drinks. If you pick these to boost calcium, be sure to shake ‘em up. The calcium added in can settle to the bottom of the container.
- Think beyond calcium. It's a big part of bone health, but there are plenty of other nutrients that are on the strong bones team: vitamins A, C, D and K; potassium; magnesium; boron and more. Get all those nutrients in produce, lower-fat dairy foods, lean meats, beans and whole grains.
References
Heart Disease:
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University. "Preventing Heart Disease." The Nutrition Source. Accessed November 2021.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Women's Health." FastStats. Last updated February 1, 2022. Accessed November 2021.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Lower Your Risk for the Number 1 Killer of Women." CDC Health Equity. Last updated February 4, 2022. Accessed November 2021.
Osteoporosis:
- National Osteoporosis Foundation. "Osteoporosis Fast Facts." Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation. Uploaded December 2015. Accessed November 2021.
