Your Health, Your Power - Wellness tips for Women at Every Lifestage
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
Nourish Your Body, Thrive Through Menopause
1. Prioritize protein to maintain muscle mass—add pulses, soy, dairy, eggs, chickpeas, beans, and nuts.
2. Eat fiber-rich foods for digestion, weight management, and heart health—whole grains, fruits, vegetables, pulses, and legumes. Check out this Fiber Calculator to find the right foods for you. Supplement smart with ActiFiber Natural Weight Control to meet your fiber needs and manage weight better. It is 100% natural, clinically proven, and nutritionist-recommended for healthy weight loss that lasts. Just add a sachet to each of your 3 main meals.
3. Include Omega-3s for heart health and menopause support—flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and fatty fish.
4. Strengthen bones with calcium—milk, curd, buttermilk, paneer, ragi, and leafy greens.
5. Boost cognitive health with iodine—seafood, dairy, eggs, iodized salt, and plant-based sources.
6. Ensure vitamin D intake for calcium absorption—fatty fish, fortified dairy, and sun exposure.
7. Manage menopause symptoms better with phytoestrogens—soy products, flaxseeds, and chickpeas.
YOUR PATH TO A FITTER, HEALTHIER YOU
Excess weight gain, particularly abdominal weight gain is a major cause of concern at every stage in a woman’s life. One in 3 Indian women is overweight today. Staying fit and maintaining a healthy weight can also go a long way to improving your quality of life and minimising risk to metabolic disorders like Diabetes and heart health related concerns like High BP and High cholesterol.
Check your Waist to hip ratio with the WHR (Waist to Hip Ratio) Calculator and take the first step towards getting fitter. WHR ratio is an important health indicator linked to lifestyle diseases. A higher WHR suggests more abdominal fat and higher risks of heart disease and diabetes.
Apart from a healthy diet, include a 100% natural & Nutritionist recommended supplement like ActiFiber Natural Lean & Fit to support weight & fat loss, regulating appetite and reducing body fat. Known as the "Inch Loss Expert," it aids long-term health. Just 2 sachets a day can help you stay Lean & Fit. Unlike unsafe weight-loss supplements, ActiFiber’s safety is globally approved, including by USFDA and European FSA.
Having a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean protein, getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity weekly, plus muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week is key to long term health & wellness. Avoiding ultra processed foods, alcohol and smoking adds more years to your life, quality time with your friends, family and of course great for your financial health.
A healthy woman's influence, whether at home or in the workforce, is profound and immeasurable, benefiting both her family and the nation. Happy Women’s Day, celebrate yourself today and every day!
Click the links below and take that first step towards self-care
Avoiding ‘MenoBulge’ - How to combat Menopause Weight Gain?
Decoding the Insulin Resistance - Central Obesity Connection