The International Women's day is celebrated on the 8th of March every year to commemorate women and their achievements. While we usually gift the special women in our life chocolates and roses on other occasions, why not help them with a dose of health on this special day? Women, who are rubbing shoulders with their male counterparts both in the workspace and family matters today have additional gender specific issues to tackle. Issues like irregular menstrual problems, pregnancy complications, being on the pill, hormonal therapy, amongst others, may affect their overall health. While it might feel impossible to tackle these issues, there is nothing that some healthy lifestyle and diet changes cannot resolve.
The good news is that with a couple of diet changes, women can stride towards improved health, both inside out. We have heard about benefits aplenty of a healthy diet, however, what exactly it is that these healthy foods do for you? Confused? Here is a list of fruits and their benefits on women's health. Include these in your daily diet and move towards a healthier tomorrow:
(Also Read: Celeb Fitness Instructor Yasmin Karachiwala Shares 5 Health Tips For Women)
Heart health: Make seasonal fruits a part of your daily diet
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5 Fruits That Are Women's Best Friends:
1. Apple:
Women, men or children, there is no gender or age group that the humble apple does not benefit! However, if we were to scale down the benefits of apple solely for women's health, it is known to help with weight loss, heart health and diabetes. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that women who regularly ate apples were found to have a 13 to 22 percent lower risk of coronary disease than those who didn't bite into the crunchy fruit.
2. Amla:
Dr Yuvakshi Juneja, Department of Gynecology, Moolchand hospital, reminds that it is of utmost importance for women to regulate their iron consumption. One of the most prevalent reasons for women to suffer with iron deficiency is the loss of iron in the blood during menstruation. Dr Juneja further suggests, "Women are more prone to iron deficiency because of the way we Indians prepare our food. Most of the iron is lost and destroyed during cooking itself; therefore it is important to include berries like amla in the diet regularly."
3. Pomegranate:
Amongst the many benefits that pomegranates provide for almost everyone, the ones that are beneficial for women is that they improve skin health too while being the answer to your hot flashes and night sweats during or before menopause. Actress Bhagyashree, too, is known to believe in the powers of pomegranate and has a video explaining why on her Instagram profile. While the antioxidants present in the food have many benefits, Bhagyashree can be heard saying in the video that is especially great for skin health. "The pomegranate can be called the elixir of youth," Bhagyashree states.
4. Cherries:
Dipping energies is another concern that starts effecting women in and after their 30s; cherries can be the answer for situations like these. Cherries are known to combat several health problems that are common in middle aged women like gout and arthritis. Plus, they are a rich source of antioxidant anthocyanin that boosts energy. Eat a dozen cherries or drink a glass of unsweetened juice three or four times a week. Better still, eat fresh cherries with yogurt to ensure absorption of the beneficial vitamins.
(Also Read: 9 Fruits And Vegetables That Have More Vitamin C Than Orange)
5. Vitamin C rich fruits:
Oranges, lemon, and grapefruit are known for their Vitamin C content that in turn help in immunity boosting. Along with these, other citrus fruits also help in keeping cholesterol levels in check helping us stay clear of cardiovascular diseases. The book 'Healing Foods', published by DK publishing house, says, "Citrus fruits contain hesperidin, which can reduce symptoms of hypertension, hardening of arteries, "unhealthy" (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. Antioxidant flavones can also lower the risk of strokes in women."
So ladies, what are you waiting for? Start adding these fruits into your diet to enjoy their benefits. Happy Women's Day 2022 to each one of you out there!