8 Nutrition Secrets every women needs to know

A woman is the backbone of the family. A strong and healthy woman can support a healthy family. For this, we need to take care of our health, listen to our body – pause where required, take a break, renew the energy and get back into the game again!

Let us give you 8 secret tips/nutrition hacks to keep you strong and healthy both mentally and physically.

• Never skip your breakfast.

Mornings are pretty hectic in all the families with women working at a breakneck speed to complete all the chores before they start with their office routine. Skipping breakfast tends to slow you down, there is a feeling of fatigue with aching limbs. Also clarity in thinking will not be there. So ensure that you have a healthy wholesome breakfast. Some of the option include – 

• Upma/Poha with vegetables & sprouts
• Overnight oats with fruits and nuts (works best for those who are short on time)
• Dosa/idli/dhokla/chillas
• Egg omelet/paneer sandwich/avocado toast + boiled egg
• Millet & oats muesli with dairy/non-dairy milk

• Include nuts and seeds daily

Having a tbsp of soaked chia seeds or flaxseed powder with your smoothies/early morning lime water gives loads of omega 3 fats essential for that smooth skin and strong hair. Omega 3 also protects you from any type of inflammation in the body and is cardioprotective.

Having 5 soaked & peeled almonds or 2-3 walnuts or a fist full of mixed nuts also gives good fat and proteins. They are also responsible for increasing the good cholesterol levels in the body. Best time to have nuts? – either in the morning with breakfast or in the evening as a snack.

• Don’t forget your probiotics

Probiotics are the food which give good bacteria to your body and maintain gut health. Curd, buttermilk, fermented ganji, kombucha, sauerkraut etc are all good sources to improve your gut microflora and aid with good digestion.

• Add fiber to both meals

Include raw vegetables in the form of salad for both lunch or dinner. No time to cut or chop veggies for salad? Just wash the cucumber well and start munching! 

Fiber cleanses the digestive system, prevents constipation, helps to lose weight, keeps you full for a longer time. Always have fruits between your meals and not with the meals to get maximum nutrition from them. Best time to have fruits – mid morning or in the evening.

• No time to cook elaborate meals? Try one pot meals!

Fed up of cooking dal, chawal, roti, sabzi in all your meals or too exhausted to cook multiple dishes? One Pot meals is an answer to quick and healthy cooking. Just add a protein source, some veggies, spices and it’s done. Some examples for one pot meals are – 

• Quinoa fried rice
• Chana pulao
• Bajra khichdi with vegetables
• Millet bisi bele bhat
• Rajma beans salad with garlic bread

• Give importance to your beauty sleep 

Ensure at least 7 hours of sleep daily, sleeping early and starting your day at 5 am gives you ample time to finish your work without any rush. Plus good quality sleep has been known to keep hormonal levels in balance, reduce the stress hormones, give time for the body to self repair and heal. Good sleep = good mood = better cognitive skills and memory.

• Drink, drink, drink…

I don’t mean alcohol, do restrict your alcohol intake to 1-2 drinks per week. Most important hydration for the body is water. Keep a liter capacity water bottle and ensure that you drink a minimum of 2 liters of water daily. Sufficient water intake ensures that you are not feeling exhausted or hungry all the time. Water also keeps the skin moist and is involved in digestion & various other metabolic processes.

• Last but not the least – get a health check up done 

If you are younger than 35 yrs without any health concerns, get yourself checked for deficiency of Vitamin D, calcium, iron and vitamin B12. If you are over 40 years without any health concerns, it is advisable to get a complete health check up done atleast once in two years.

These eight tips can help you to stay fit and highly energetic. After all, behind a happy family is a happy and healthy woman!