| Beans and Pulses | | | | shows that women who have more fruit and |
| Beans and pulses should be included in everyone's | | | | vegetables in their diets, tend to have higher bone |
| diet, but for women they are especially important. | | | | density. Fruit and vegetables contain an array of |
| They are highly nutritious, low in fat, and an | | | | micronutrients such as magnesium, vitamin C, and |
| excellent source of vegetable protein. A fibre-rich | | | | boron. We now know that these play an equally |
| diet is one of the first components to colon | | | | important role in bone metabolism. |
| cancer prevention, and with more women dying | | | | If you feel you need to supplement with calcium, |
| of colon cancer than breast cancer every year; it | | | | remember that calcium should be taken with |
| makes sense to eat plenty of beans. This group | | | | magnesium in a 2:1 ratio. This is because calcium |
| of foods also contain phytoestrogens, the natural | | | | and magnesium require each other for proper |
| plant hormones, which are also protective against | | | | absorption, and utilisation in the body. So, if you |
| cancer, as well as being important for bone health. | | | | supplement with 500 mg of calcium, you need to |
| Kale | | | | take 250 mg of magnesium at the same time. |
| Kale is an often-overlooked vegetable that | | | | Most reputable companies now formulate |
| happens to be loaded with folate (folic acid), an | | | | supplements that take this into account, as well |
| important B vitamin for women. Having a | | | | as the synergistic "need" for the other nutrients |
| deficiency in folic acid during pregnancy may | | | | involved in the entire process of bone metabolism. |
| cause neural-tube defects in babies. In the UK, all | | | | Choose carefully. |
| women of childbearing age are now thought to | | | | Water! |
| need 400 micrograms of folate daily. Kale is also | | | | Water is a nutrient and the fact is, we need it... |
| an excellent source of vitamin C and calcium, too. | | | | and plenty of it. Certainly, water may be one of |
| Orange vegetables | | | | the best tools in the weight loss game. It not only |
| Orange squashes (and tubers) like pumpkin, | | | | suppresses the appetite, but helps the body |
| butternut squash and sweet potatoes are a girl's | | | | metabolise stored fat. Water keeps the body's |
| best friend when it comes to nutritious, | | | | tissues well hydrated, so if you want smooth, |
| comforting food. All these foods are filling, low in | | | | line-free skin for as long as is naturally possible... |
| calories, and rich in beta-carotene, a precursor to | | | | drink! |
| vitamin A, which will work plenty of it's antioxidant | | | | Salmon and other oily fish (in moderation) |
| magic in your body. Antioxidants are important in | | | | Salmon was at one time avoided in favour of |
| the anti-ageing process, helping to repair and | | | | white fish or sole, due it's higher fat content. |
| regenerate skin and other tissues. Beta-carotene | | | | However, once we understood the value and |
| is also thought to help reduce the risk of breast | | | | benefit of the essential "Omega 3 fatty acids" |
| cancer. | | | | present in salmon and other oily fish, it was back |
| Linseeds (flaxseeds) | | | | on the plate. |
| Flax seeds (or linseeds) and flax seed oil have so | | | | The time has arrived however, that |
| much to offer women. For starters, flax is full of | | | | food-conscious individuals are steering away from |
| "essential" Omega 3 fatty acids (EFA's), which help | | | | oily fish again (or at least cutting down), not |
| to balance a women's hormones, protect a | | | | because of the fat content, but because of the |
| woman from heart disease (the leading cause of | | | | presence of harmful chemicals and metals. Fish |
| premature death among women) and the pain of | | | | such as mackerel, salmon and swordfish are |
| arthritis. The dietary fibres in flax are called | | | | known to contain high levels of potentially |
| lignans, which contain phytoestrogens, currently | | | | carcinogenic chemicals, and others, including shark, |
| being researched and showing promise in cancer | | | | marlin, swordfish and red snapper contain the |
| prevention. Lignans are also thought to have | | | | highest levels of mercury. These larger, long-lived |
| antioxidant properties. The best way to get the | | | | predatory fish and mammals tend to accumulate |
| benefit of the flaxseeds fibre and oils is to grind | | | | more mercury from the environment than |
| them in a clean coffee mill, used just for this | | | | shorter-lived fish. |
| purpose. Alternatively use a pestle and mortar, | | | | The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends |
| and sprinkle them onto cereal in the morning or | | | | that we eat 2-4 portions of fish a week, and 1-2 |
| add them to a bowl of natural yogurt and fruit. | | | | at least should be of an oily variety. Pregnant |
| The essential fatty acids are very fragile, | | | | mothers are the only group that need to limit oily |
| unstable, and liable to oxidation if exposed to light | | | | fish intake to 2 portions a week, but not to avoid |
| and air. Within the whole seeds, the oil is | | | | fish altogether. Omega-3 fats are vital for the |
| protected. So buy fresh, organic seeds if at all | | | | baby's brain development. Many people often |
| possible. You can eat them whole; just chew | | | | prefer to take an uncontaminated fish oil |
| them thoroughly! | | | | supplement, or stick to flax seeds as a source of |
| Iron-rich foods | | | | Omega-3's. Nutri's Eskimo oil is one of the best |
| Women need to eat more iron-rich foods. Getting | | | | un-contaminated fish oils on the market, and |
| iron from food (as opposed to a supplement) is | | | | contains the fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin E to |
| by far the best way to get the correct amount | | | | ensure the fish oils do not oxidise in the body. |
| of iron the body needs and can absorb. Lean red | | | | Remember Omega-3s ARE essential to good |
| meats and dark poultry are the ideal food sources | | | | health, and freedom from diseases such as |
| of iron. Unfortunately that doesn't help much if | | | | Alzheimer's, cancer, depression, diabetes, heart |
| you are vegetarian or one of the many women | | | | disease, and rheumatoid arthritis... so as I say, |
| who avoid red meats. In this case, think about | | | | don't avoid fish altogether, as fish oil is clearly the |
| eating more of the following iron-rich foods... lentils, | | | | richest source of Omega 3's we know. Important |
| dried apricots, beans, spinach, enriched wholegrain | | | | omega-3s are DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), and |
| cereals, pumpkin seeds, and oysters! If you do | | | | EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) - from fish oil and |
| need to take a supplement, the best choices are | | | | algae - and alpha linolenic acid, usually from |
| Easy Iron (Higher Nature Ltd), which is an organic, | | | | vegetable sources such as flax seed oil. In a |
| food-form of iron, and Floradix, an herbal-based | | | | healthy person, linolenic acid can be converted to |
| iron-rich tonic. Increase your intake of vitamin C | | | | DHA, and EPA, provided the correct enzymes are |
| too, which helps to absorb non-haem sources of | | | | present. However, only 2% of the alpha-linolenic |
| iron. | | | | acid found in flax oil is actually converted to EPA... |
| Soya | | | | far less than we find in fish oil. EPA and DHA |
| Soya foods (including beans, tofu, soya milk | | | | substantially lower your risk of heart disease by |
| & yogurt, soy sauce, Tamari and Miso) are | | | | lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, prevent |
| the richest food sources of phytoestrogens (and | | | | blood platelets from becoming sticky, and can |
| of course soy protein). The natural plant | | | | lower blood pressure. They also promote good |
| substances - phytoestrogens - are now thought | | | | bone health, heart health, and breast health. DHA |
| to be beneficial in maintaining bone density, as well | | | | is particularly important during brain development, |
| as being the best "alternative" to HRT when | | | | so is a popular and useful supplement during |
| many women need hormonal support as they | | | | pregnancy. |
| enter menopausal years. Tofu, milk, and yogurt | | | | Re: CANNED FISH - During the canning process of |
| are also great calcium sources. All these foods | | | | tuna, all the fat is lost, so tinned tuna does not |
| can help a woman significantly lower her bad | | | | count as an oily fish. The canning process of other |
| cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good (HDL) | | | | fish (salmon, sardines, pilchards etc.) is different to |
| cholesterol. Tofu is a great source of low-fat, | | | | that of tuna, and does not affect the oil content |
| vegetable protein, best used in a vegetable | | | | of the fish. How the canning process affects the |
| stir-fry with soy sauce, and brown rice. Try | | | | stability and integrity of the delicate fish oils has |
| Cauldron Foods, firm tofu. | | | | not been fully elucidated. The possible presence of |
| Brocolli | | | | mercury and toxic chemicals I would imagine is no |
| Broccoli is not only a good source of calcium and | | | | different in canned vs. fresh fish. |
| B vitamins; it contains plant substances called | | | | Eating fruit to offset mercury absorption? |
| sulphurophanes. These plant chemicals are | | | | To enjoy fish while minimising your mercury |
| cancer-protective and help the liver process and | | | | exposure, eat some tropical fruit for dessert... |
| clear any excess oestrogen. Nowadays we don't | | | | eating antioxidant-rich tropical fruits, such as |
| just produce oestrogen internally, but we are | | | | mango, pineapple, banana, and papaya, may help |
| exposed to it in the environment in the form of | | | | reduce the amount of mercury that your body |
| oestrogen-like chemicals found in plastics, tap | | | | absorbs, according to research published recently |
| water and other insidious places. Excess | | | | in Environmental Research (2003). |
| oestrogen causes weight gain, hormonal | | | | This particular study was a 12-month prospective |
| imbalances, night sweating, and presents an | | | | dietary survey, carried out with 26 adult women |
| increased risk of fibroids, breast cysts, breast | | | | from a fish-eating community in the Brazilian |
| cancer and endometriosis. | | | | Amazon. They found a strong relationship |
| Calcium and magnesium - rich foods | | | | between fish consumption and mercury (Hg) |
| Women of all ages need enough calcium in their | | | | levels in hair. Not surprising you may think.... What |
| diets to build and maintain strong bones. | | | | was surprising and very interesting was the finding |
| Calcium-rich foods that are also good sources of | | | | that this strong relationship was significantly |
| magnesium (and other nutrients) go a long way to | | | | modified by fruit consumption: for the same |
| supporting bone, and heart health. Magnesium is | | | | number of fish meals, those who ate more |
| the nutrient that plays an important role in the | | | | tropical fruits had lower hair mercury levels. The |
| creation of new bone; so think about seeds and | | | | findings of this study indicate different ways of |
| nuts as healthy additions to a wholegrain cereal. | | | | maintaining fish consumption while reducing Hg |
| Calcium, magnesium and potassium are alkalising | | | | exposure in the Amazon. A number of |
| minerals. Bones serve as a reservoir of these | | | | phytochemicals and nutritional fibres present in |
| highly important alkaline minerals, which are | | | | fruits might be interacting with Hg in several ways: |
| released to help neutralise the acids in your body. | | | | absorption and excretion transport, binding to |
| If your body is overly acidic (this happens if you | | | | target proteins, metabolism, and sequestration. |
| eat a lot animal protein, smoke or drink too much | | | | More research on larger worldwide populations |
| alcohol, or become highly stressed), your bones | | | | would further elucidate the extent, and public |
| must donate their minerals to restore your pH | | | | health implications of the use of fruits to |
| balance. This can deplete the bones, leaving them | | | | counteract the toxic action of methylmercury. |
| brittle and weak. | | | | Try this tasty fish dish... with minimal mercury |
| The UK RNI for calcium is 700 milligrams a day, | | | | exposure! |
| but many experts feel it should be more like 1200 | | | | Fresh Tuna Steak with Mango Salsa |
| to 1500 milligrams a day. When you take into | | | | (Serves 2) |
| consideration the epidemic of osteoporosis and | | | | Ingredients: |
| heart disease among women, it is wise to include | | | | 2 fresh Tuna steaks, marinated in olive oil and |
| or increase your intake of the following foods... | | | | chopped garlic |
| plain natural yogurt, which is not only a source of | | | | For the salsa: |
| beneficial bacteria for good colon health, it is also | | | | 1 whole mango, peeled, sliced off the stone and |
| much easier to digest than other dairy products), | | | | chopped |
| parmesan cheese (again, easy to digest), ricotta | | | | A small piece of finely chopped fresh ginger root |
| cheese & goat's cheese, tinned bony salmon, | | | | Handful of chopped fresh coriander |
| freshly grilled sardines, kale, almonds and | | | | 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon |
| sunflower seeds, tofu, fortified "SoGood" soya | | | | of olive oil, mixed |
| milk (20% more calcium than cow's milk) and | | | | Juice of half a lemon or lime |
| "Provamel" soya yogurts. Replacing dairy with | | | | Ground black pepper to taste |
| soya milk and yogurts in the diet provides all the | | | | Method: |
| benefits of soya protein while reducing the | | | | Place the steaks into a frying pan. Pan-fry on a |
| amounts of animal fats in the diet. A 100g serving | | | | medium heat until opaque on the outside and a |
| of tofu or 125g pot of plain yogurt both provide | | | | little pink in the middle. |
| 200mg of calcium. An ounce of Parmesan | | | | While the fish is cooking, combine all the salsa |
| provides a whopping 390mg of calcium, and 100g | | | | ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. |
| canned pink salmon 300mg. Don't forget your fruit | | | | Serve the fish alongside the mango salsa and a |
| and vegetables... latest research in bone health | | | | large mixed green salad. |