Prioritize women’s health with these Top 9 Dietitian Lifestyle Tips for Women’s Health on how to live a long, vibrant, rich life through diet and activity.
It’s time to give a little support and care for all of the women in your life, who brought you life, love, and nourishment. That’s me, sharing some of my favorite foods in my bountiful picnic table in my garden, which will be well appreciated by me and my whole family. One of the most important things women can do to live long, rich, vibrant lives is to eat healthfully and to include physical activity in their lifestyles. Women are at risk for numerous chronic diseases, including heart disease (the number one killer of women), cancer, stroke, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. That’s why it’s so important to prioritize women’s health with lifestyle. But that doesn’t mean that your lifestyle has to be void of enjoyment—including joy for foods, life, and recreation is part of healthy living! So, I asked some of my favorite dietitians to share some of their best advice on how women can maintain optimal health through a wholesome disease-protective lifestyle. Check out these Top 9 Dietitian Lifestyle Tips for Women’s Health, and let’s stay strong together.
Eat and Live Well,
Sharon
Top 9 Dietitian Lifestyle Tips for Women’s Health
1. Go Red!
Include more red foods in your diet for heart health. “Have a red food on your plate for a strong heartbeat. These foods have potassium, an electrolyte that helps prevent the damaging effects of too much sodium, such as high blood pressure. Think of adding tomato sauce or purée, tomato paste, or dark red kidney beans in your meals,” says Tamar Rothenberg, RDN.
2. Don’t Be Afraid to Enjoy Food.
Eating should bring love, life, connection and joy! “It’s okay to be a woman with an appetite who enjoys food. Use that enjoyment to plan regular, satisfying meals instead of grazing to get what you truly like. You will feel better and get better nutrition when you’ve had adequate meals than when you’ve nibbled your way through the day,” says Adina Pearson, RD.
3. Stay Active.
While you don’t have to sweat it out in the gym to be healthy, it is important to be active and move your body every day. “Find an activity you like to do and keep active daily; this can help with the weight gain through the aging process,” says Janet Brancato, MS, RD, of My Nutopia.
4. Power Up on Calcium.
Calcium is a nutrient of concern for women during all life cycles, in particular for maintaining healthy bones. “Don’t throw in the towel on calcium after you hit 30 just because peak bone mass has been reached by then. You can still slow down bone loss by staying focused on calcium, vitamin D, and weight-bearing and strengthening exercises,” says Sarah Curry, MS, RD, CDE.
5. Protein is Your Friend.
Remember to ensure you meet your protein needs for optimal health. “Get the protein you need at every meal every day to preserve muscle mass and maintain bone health to keep you as active and able to take care of yourself as possible. It doesn’t matter if the protein comes from animal or plant sources, but you should aim for at least 20 grams at each meal, and I highly recommend including protein-rich foods for snacks since they typically contain many more nutrients than protein alone,” says Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, of Better Is the New Perfect.
6. Savor Each Bite.
Remember to enjoy your favorite foods! “Be a mindful eater. Eat nutritious foods that you love, slow down, and savor every bite. Cut back where you don’t notice, so that you don’t feel deprived,” says Sarah Remmer, RD.
7. Don’t Forget the Fat.
Don’t exclude healthy fats in your diet; though they are dense in calories they still need to be included in an optimal eating plan. “Make friends with fat, especially the fats found in foods like avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Fat is a key nutrient your body needs to make hormones, absorb fat soluble vitamins, and keep you satiated. Most importantly, it makes food taste good!” says Kendra Tolbert MS, RDN, CDN, CLC, of Live Fertile.
8. Resistance Training is Key.
It’s important to include resistance exercise in addition to cardio for good health. “Get those resistance exercises in to help promote bone health! While we can’t stop bone loss after a certain age, we can certainly slow down the rate by incorporating weights, resistance bands, and body weight exercises into our regiment. Plus, think how great you’ll look and feel from building some lean muscle!” says Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT.
9. Prioritize Yourself.
One of the most important ways to focus on women’s health is to reduce stress and practice self care while nourishing your body. “Take the time to nourish yourself. Women notoriously prioritize everyone else before themselves. Yet, the secret to feeling better and living longer is to prioritize your own nutrition, so that you have the strength and energy to care for others. Take time to sit down and enjoy your meals, whether that means stepping away from your desk at lunchtime or sitting down to the table with your family at dinner,” says Denine Marie Stracker, MPH, RDN.
For more suggestions on women’s health, check out the following:
Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet for Older Women
Plant-Based Eating: Pre Workout for Women
Fueling Plant Protein and Activity to Help Preserve Muscles During Aging
Best Odds Diet Approach for Fighting Cancer
Eating a Plant-Based Diet to Fight Diabetes
