Women, it's time you cut down your caffeine intake!

Read on to find out the benefit of replacing coffee with more alkaline foods and much more. 

Since menarche (the first occurrence of menstruation) to menopause, a woman undergoes various phases of hormonal changes which affects her health directly.

Balanced hormones, the right food and optimum physical activity are the tripods of female health.

Poly Cystic Ovarian Disease, Premenstrual Syndrome, early osteoporosis, difficult conception, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and recurrent Urinary Tract Infections are fall outs of a turbulent mental and physical health regime.

Let us count and correct the missteps.

1. Watch your weight

 A BMI ranking of 19-24 indicates a healthy weight.

Ovaries and fat cells produce estrogen which is a direct indicator of female health. So keep your curves intact.

2. Drink enough water 

It helps in the detoxification process of the body.

It's an indispensable tool to defer ageing, minimise skin problems and keep menstruation woes at bay.

3. Cut caffeine intake

Instead of tea and coffee, opt for more alkaline foods like fruits and salads (not juices and soups) which help to minimise the natural osteoporosis process.

4. Maintain a healthy lipid profile

This takes care of dryness of the vagina and skin as well.

Eat walnuts, flax seed chutney, fatty fish and virgin olive oil.

Avoid saturated fats. You can have a fresh lemon daily. 

5. Replenish calcium and Vitamin D

Ajwain, til, khus- khus, homemade paan, rajgira, ragi, rajma, green leafy vegetables, milk and yogurt contain loads of calcium.

Sun bathing and timely Vitamin D supplements are recommended for healthy bones. 

6. Boost the haemoglobin levels in your blood

Proteins, iron, folate, copper and Vitamin C is what's needed for its formation.

You can also have black sesame, ragi, rajgira, lentils, water cress (ahlive) seeds, black dates, raisins and black chana.

Oranges, guava, litchi and lemon are treasures of Vitamin C.

7. Immunity dips before and during menses 

Eat light meals, drink herbal decoctions (prepared from ajwain, dana-methi, dalchini) and plenty of water. Cut down on salty and fried foods.

8. Healthy hair and glowing skin 

Eat fresh coconut, cucumber, melons, red bell peppers, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes and garlic for shiny hair and flawless skin.

9. Pickup pro-health foods

Probiotics like yogurt (even coconut yogurt and soya yogurt will do), pickles and prebiotics (high-fibre foods are rich in prebiotics), garlic, raw and cooked onions, wheat/rice/oat bran and raw bananas.

10. Mind the menopause menace 

Women of menopausal age must seek the help of foods containing phytoestrogens like ground fresh flax seed, tofu, soybeans, sesame seeds, green and black tea and strawberries.

Earlier, daily chores of women took care of the much needed pelvic exercise.

The modern day woman however misses out on these due to a mechanised lifestyle.

Integrate pelvic floor exercises, which are must for healthy functioning of reproductive organs.

Everything you need is already inside you. Be positive, patient and persistent.

Take care and enjoy the quintessential womanhood that we are born with.

The author Dr Rani Bhutada is a homoeopath and nutritionist.

Courtesy

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