GIRL'S TIP: 5 Essentials for Women

With all the coverage of body weight, sometimes a lot of us forget about all the important nutrients we need to eat to be healthy. For women, there are five important nutrients we really shouldn't forget about. 

1. Iron needs - due to our menstrual cycle, pre-menopausal women need more iron as we lose a lot during our period. To make sure your iron needs are met, it's important that you include iron-rich foods such as lean red meat, fish, chicken, beans and iron enriched cereals in your diet. Iron-rich foods should also be eaten with vitamin C as this increases the absorption.
2. Calcium and vitamin D - both these are important for bone and teeth development. Vitamin D plays a key role in calcium metabolism and therefore needs to be consumed in adequate amounts. Get 20 minutes of sunlight on most days and consume three serves of dairy each day.
3. Eat breakfast - breakfast boosts your metabolism and helps you concentrate first thing in the morning. It helps to control body weight and studies show people who eat breakfast weight less than those who skip breakfast.
4. Enjoy your leafy green vegetables - it's important for women in child-bearing years, to consume enough folate. Inadequate folate increases the risk of developing neural tube defects in the unborn infant. Get your folate from dark green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals and asparagus.
5. Exercise daily - it doesn't have to be a hard exercise - you can still walk and get benefits. Enjoy at least 30 minutes of physical activity in most, preferably all days of the week.