Healthy Woman Healthy Family

Benefits of Healthy Eating

• Improves memory and concentration

• Increases energy

• Beautiful skin

• Gives better rest and sleep

• Provides better digestive power

• Less likely to have medicines

• Gain confidence

• Reduces risk of diseases.

Day Begins & Ends in The Kitchen

Life Cycle of a Woman

The Indian Scenario

• 23 % of women (15-49 age ) are under weight (NHFS 4) -2015- 2016 data

• 54 % of adolescent girls are anemic 53 % of non pregnant women and 52.2 % pregnant women are anemic -urban and rural population.

• Poor maternal nutrition leading to poor infant nutrition leading to poor adolescent girl and on to poor fetal nutrition.

Factors Causing Malnutrition

• Inadequate diet

• Increased needs in certain stages of life 

pregnancy/lactation

• Lack of awareness among population

• Gender Bias

• Faulty eating habits – energy dense but low in MN, use of excessive bran and phytates in diets, processed or refined foods.

Paradox of Malnutrition

• Evolving lifestyle – traditional based diets to highly processed foods.

• Energy dense but poor in micronutrients

• Obesity and NCD increasing – nutritional transition.

• Obesity co existing with micro nutrient deficiency (MN) (excess of macro but poor in micro nutrients).

Consequences of Malnutrition

• Anemia

• Osteoporosis

• Obesity/Under nutrition

• Chronic fatigue

• Polycystic ovary disease (PCOD)

• Hypertension

• Cardio vascular disorders

• Thyroid disruption

What is a Healthy Diet

BALANCED DIET

Energy Foods

• Gives energy to sustain and work

• Whole grain cereals, millets – bajra, whole wheat atta, ragi, jowar, maize.

Protein Foods

• Builds Tissue – skin, muscle, hair, tissue, cells

• Pulses, grains, milk and milk products, nuts and seeds, egg, fish and meat.

Foods To Maintain Weight

• Good Carbohydrates

Fruits, whole grain cereals, legumes, vegetables, milk and milk and curd.

Avoid buying bulk purchse of cooking oil/fat

This tends to oxidise the fat making it toxic for our body

Foods to Prevent Anemia

• Iron and Vitamin C Rich Foods

• whole grains, millets, legumes, green leafy vegetables, fruits like figs, banana, flax seeds, raisins egg yolk, meat

Foods To Avoid

• Tea/coffee with meals

• Chocolate/cocoa

• Red Wine

Foods for Good Bones

• Calcium Rich Foods

• Milk and milk products, certain millets like ragi, eggs, green leafy vegetables

Foods Bad for Bones

• Acidic foods – carbonated drinks, colas

• Sugary beverages

• Processed /refined foods

Foods To Prevent Hypertension

Foods Causing Hypertension

• High Salt

• High Sugar

• High Fat foods

• Highly Processed foods

• High trans fats

Foods That Cause PCOS

Sugars and fats

Contributes to anxiety, depression hyperactivity and negative calorie uptake.

Increases risk of diabetes ,weight gain, hypoglycemia ,kidney damage tooth decay.

High risk of fatty deposits in the liver

Thyroid Disorders and Diet

Causes

• Nutritional deficiencies

• High carb foods

• Over weight/Obesity

• Gut disorders –fungal/bacterial infections

• Pesticides, hormone/antibiotic laden dairy, poultry, meat

• Hormone disrupters – plastics, heavy metals in water, food, environment, cosmetics, paints etc

Diet for Healthy Thyroid

• Foods rich in selenium, magnesium, zinc, iodine, tyrosine(protein)- nuts, seeds, flax seeds, legumes, eggs, fish, chicken, iodized salt.

• Avoid high carb foods, white rice, gluten, corn, sugar and processed foods, packaged foods

• Use of good fats –desi ghee, cold pressed mustard oil, extra virgin coconut/olive oil.

• Maintain healthy weight – physical activity.

Supplements For Indian Women

• Peri /postmenopausal Indian women tend to be deficient in certain important nutrients.

• Dietary intake mostly inadequate due to decreased appetite, restricted diet, soil depletion of nutrients.

• Mal absorption due to gut issues.

• Lack of time and/or interest/laziness.

• May be on meds for diabetes, blood pressure, anxiety etc.

What Supplements

• Vit D3K2 – keep monitoring for dose

• Magnesium – citrate or glycinate form

• Omega 3 – 1 -2 g

• Others – on consultation with qualified health worker

Physical Activity

• Helps to maintain weight

• Prevents hypertension

• Keeps your heart working

• Keeps your bones healthy

• Helps to cope with stress

The Indian problem

• Portion sizes

• High carbs/fats

• Low protein/fiber

• Cooking methods

• Left-over foods

• Fast foods/ snacking

• Dining out

Tips for Eating Healthy

• Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health and no one food can supply them all.

• Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. An average person should consume 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal, and pasta group, 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables.

• Maintain a healthy weight. This weight depends on many factors such as sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses.

• Eat moderate portions. Keeping portion sizes reasonable, it’s easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy.

• Reduce, don’t eliminate certain foods. Moderation of unhealthy favorite foods and how often you eat them can improve health.

• Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what’s wrong with them. Keeping a food journal can help recognize these pitfalls.

• Make changes gradually. There is no easy answer to a healthy diet and changes will not happen over night.

• Remember, foods are not good or bad. Its about eating food in moderation and choosing foods, which will give you a balanced diet.

Take Home Message

• Change lifestyle/food habits

• Encourage vegetarianism, moderate animal foods

• Eat lots of organic food – be mindful of the source of your food.

• Low carbs, good proteins and fats, moderate fruits.

• Junk the Junk – like fast food, instant/packaged foods, ready to eat food etc