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A change in one's diet, lifestyle, food supplements, and everyday practices can help us overcome most diseases. As per studies, the food and supplements we eat directly affect our health and well-being, and this led to the emergence of nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals are derived by combining two terms, 'nutrient' and 'pharmaceutical' and are products that are extracted from food sources due to the extra benefits they offer to our health. They help our immunity levels and encourage our body to fight diseases. The core idea behind nutraceuticals is 'let food be your medicine.'
Nutraceuticals can be classified based on the food they are derived from. Everyone needs to be conscious of the different micronutrients, minerals and vitamins their body needs as they age. Also, suppose people take supplements and medicines to manage their symptoms. In that case, they need to make specific lifestyle changes and diet changes to ensure they don't live with the same symptoms throughout their lifetime. While the base is the same for both men and women, women need to pay closer attention to their dietary needs and supplements as they go through different stages in their life.
Right from her adolescence, when she is transitioning from childhood to adulthood, a woman needs to pay attention to her diet. The proper nutrients and supplements ensure and encourage good physical growth and the maturity of her reproductive system. During this stage in a woman's life, her diet must include multivitamins (A, B, C, D, E), minerals (zinc, calcium, phosphorus), healthy fats and proteins. Not taking them in the right proportions can cause a delay in her physical and sexual maturity.
Nutraceuticals are known to be very effective and helpful for women who suffer from menstrual cramps and pains. As women age, the imbalance in hormones and/or growth of fibroids can increase the level of discomfort they experience during their menstruation cycle. Therefore, including nutraceuticals in their diet can help ease the pain and discomfort. In addition, these have anti-inflammatory and smooth muscle relaxing properties. This makes them an excellent natural option to cure menstrual disorders.
Nutraceutical rich foods have helped women deal with the lows of menopause too. In addition to the supplements, these ingredients help women deal with hot flashes, loss of bone density, and prevent breast cancer.
Due to the change in dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle, young adults these days complain of low body mass index, brittle bones, urinary tract infections and even infertility. However, including specific nutraceuticals have shown signs of drastic improvement and, in some cases, even 100 per cent recovery from these problems.
In today's lifestyle, prenatal, natal, and postnatal supplements have become a norm for expecting mothers. While it is not recommended to stop these supplements, including certain nutraceutical rich foods in their diets, expecting mothers can overcome many difficulties and troubles they might otherwise face during pregnancy. Ginger, in particular, helps expecting mothers deal with nausea and vomiting that they experience during their pregnancy months. In addition, feeding mothers are often advised to include fenugreek and milk thistle in their diets to enhance their milk production levels.
While the known benefits of nutraceuticals are many and growing still more, there may sometimes be some side effects. Some nutraceuticals may induce allergic reactions. Sometimes, some people may also experience sleeping problems, blood thinning, cardiac arrhythmia and other serious conditions if they take it along with some prescribed medications. So it is always advised to ask a doctor first before adding nutraceuticals to your diet.
Like they say, you are what you eat, and if you eat healthily and a well-balanced diet, you live a healthy and well-balanced life.
(This article is authored by Kamayani Naresh, Health Expert & Founder Zyropathy)
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