Enjoy teen to new-mom's journey with right nutrition

Being a woman is not so easy because they have to go through different phases of life. If a woman is healthy then only she can keep her family healthy and fit. Apart from getting adequate macronutrients like carbs, fats, and protein, there is huge requirement of micronutrients like vitamins, and minerals are also there.

Late teens 

Nutrition is mainly required for physiological changes that happened during this phase.

Calcium: Important during all ages, but it's particularly important during this phase for bone development

Vitamin D: Required to absorb calcium

Iron: Essential for healthy blood cells, especially because of menstruation

Zinc: Required for growth and sexual maturation

Iodine: Required due to high growth velocity

Vitamin C: Required for the absorption of non-haem iron

Early adult (18-23 years) 

Nutrition is required due to the high utilization of brain capacity. It is important to boost mental alertness and also helps to deal better with long hours of study and stress as an effect of pursuits of higher education and early days of professional career.

Tyrosine and Vitamin C: Helps to produce the neurotransmitters that carry signals between brain cells

Vitamin B1: Extremely important for the brain because it facilitates glucose processing, thus ensuring energy production, and also needed for cognitive performance

Vitamin B6: Associated with improved performance in memorization tests

Vitamin B12: Needed to maintain the myelin sheath of nerve cells. Inadequate myelin results in nerve damage and impaired brain function

Omega 3 fatty acids: Regulate glucose uptake in the brain

Magnesium: Contributes to neurotransmitter release and the ability of brain cells to form new connections, contributing to normal cognitive function

Zinc: Deficiency may impair the whole-body accumulation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, thus affecting brain supply. Consequently, zinc deficiency induces behavioral changes

Young professional 

Diet, exercise, and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function. Energy from the food we eat helps fuel electrical impulses for learning, memory, and other cognitive tasks. A balanced nutrition plan is the key to boosting brainpower. 

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) & DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid): Help to manage stress and also make the good mood brain chemical, serotonin

Folic acid: Required to improve memory, and also to lower blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine that is known to damage brain cells

Vitamin B6: Helps to convert 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5HTP) into the mood chemical serotonin and also helps in making dopamine

Choline: Important component of our brain cells which is used to make acetylcholine, a compound that helps our brain send messages from one cell to another

Phenylalanine: An amino acid that helps to produce the focus on boosting chemical dopamine

Homemaker 

Several nutrients are particularly important for women during this reproductive period.

Folic acid: Helps to prevent neural tube defects, especially spina bifida 

B12: Essential for healthy nervous system development and function

Choline: Impacts liver function, healthy brain development, muscle movement, nervous system, and metabolism, thus required for optimal health

Omega-3s: Essential for building healthy brain and nerve cells.

Pregnant 

Pregnancy is associated with increased nutritional needs due to physiologic changes of the woman and the metabolic demands of the embryo/fetus.

Vitamin A & Beta Carotene: Helps bones and teeth growth

Vitamin D: Required to utilize calcium and phosphorus and also promotes the strengthening of teeth and bones

Vitamin E: Required for formation and utilization of red blood cells and muscles

Vitamin C: Protect tissues from damage and helps the body to absorb iron as well as builds a healthy immune system

Pyridoxine/B6: Helps to form red blood cells, and also helps with morning sickness

Folic Acid/Folate:  Support the placenta, and prevents spina bifida and other neural tube defects

Calcium: Promotes strong bones and teeth, and prevent blood clots during pregnancy, as well as helps in muscles and nerves function

Iron: Helps in the production of hemoglobin, prevents anemia, low birth weight, and premature delivery

Zinc: Helps produce insulin and enzymes

Choline: Essential for embryonic and fetal brain development, liver function, and placental function

Iodine: Iodine is required to reduce the chances of miscarriage or stillborn child. The physical growth and mental development of the children who do survive are often severely impaired, and children may suffer irreversible mental retardation.

New- moms/Nurturer 

Nutritional demands during lactation are high and can have a negative impact on both mother and infant if they are not met. Breast milk is the ideal source of nutrition for the infant and also contains a number of bioactive compounds important in immunity, such as antibodies, cytokines, antimicrobial agents, and oligosaccharides.

Calcium: Babies get a substantial amount of calcium from breast milk, so it is essential for nursing mothers to eat foods rich in calcium.

Casein protein: Important component of breast milk which helps to provide calcium and phosphate to the baby. 

Iodine: Adequate breast milk iodine levels are particularly important for proper neurodevelopment in nursing infants.

Vitamin B12: Deficiency can impair brain development and cause neurological problems. Vitamin B12 is found only in foods of animal origin and fortified foods, and lactating women who follow vegetarian diets should take supplemental vitamin B12.

Vitamin C and Vitamin B: These micronutrients are important for the health of the child. Maternal vitamin deficiencies can negatively affect infant growth and development.

*Being a woman is the most beautiful gift from GOD