By Sofia Logarta Cebu Daily News
I realized that nutrition is a gender issue a while back when we invited Dr. Tomas Fernandez to speak to our students on nutrition. His son was our student and he was heading a nutrition research study. I remember his discussing their research findings and saying that women usually eat last. Often females serve the head of the family first then the children. Females get to eat the last and often consume what the children reject. He commented that this might mean a smaller amount of poor quality food. This would be a sadder situation if she were pregnant. I wonder how far we have moved away from that situation.
Womens Nutrition Issues, in fact declares: Women have special nutritional needs due to hormonal changes that occur with menstruation, pregnancy, lactation and menopause, all of which alter the recommended daily intake of nutrients. Of the many diseases that affect women, five have scientific-based connection to nutrition: iron deficiency anemia, osteoporosis, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
The article recommends red meat, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, and fortified breads and cereals to prevent iron deficiency during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It also recommends green leafy vegetables, oranges and orange juices, dried beans and peas and fortified breads and cereals to have folic acid to prevent birth defects. It stresses the big dose of calcium needed both for pregnancy and breastfeeding.
For pre-menstrual syndrome, it suggests a combination of good nutrition, exercise, and stress management for relief.
For women undergoing menopause, wherein a womans metabolism slows down and weight gain can occur exercise and careful food choices could reduce these.
Then, there is osteoporosis women are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. Women will be prone to this if their diets are low in calcium, vitamin D, or magnesium or higher intakes of caffeine, alcohol, sodium, phosphorus, or protein. Instead walking, hiking, climbing is suggested, together with cheese, yogurt, milk, canned fish with bones, dark green leafy vegetables.
The article reminds us of studies which suggest excessive fat intake may increase breast-cancer risk. Diets that include adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, and other fiber-rich food may protect women against breast cancer.
In the case of heart disease which begins to rise once a woman reaches menopause, and it increases rapidly after age sixty-five, anti-oxidants are suggested again found in fruits and vegetables.
We can do a great deal to take control of our bodies and promote our well-being through the proper management of our diets. But nutrition consciousness is not only a matter for individual women. Its a family concern as well as a social concern. It is linked to development because we are dealing with our human capital. Many studies have shown that good nutrition is a factor in the good performance of our students.
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Women’s health
