There are certain illnesses that affect women more than men - osteoporosis, cystitis and anaemia, to name a few - so it's important you take care with your diet. Even in terms of having healthier skin and hair, the food you eat can make a huge difference. Here are a few tips on what every sensible woman should include in her diet.
1. Osteoporosis
Protect against brittle bones in later life by eating a calcium-rich diet. The easiest source is milk, particularly semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, which contains as much as full fat – so don't beat yourself up about that skinny latte on the way to work. Supplement this with a low-fat yogurt and one small matchbox-sized portion of reduced-fat cheese and you'll hit the daily calcium target comfortably. Non-dairy calcium sources are leafy greens such as spinach and curly kale.
2. Cystitis
If you're prone to cystitis - an infection in the urinary tract - take precautions to avoid another bout by drinking a daily glass of cranberry juice. Its pH-changing properties can eliminate the condition. Blueberries also have a similar effect (and there's nothing to say you can't take your berries in muffins either!). Apple and pear juices are another remedy.
3. Cholesterol
You're not overweight, you don't smoke and don't gorge on fatty foods. Unfortunately that doesn't mean you don't have a high blood cholesterol, because the condition can be genetic as well as affected by diet. Next time you're at your doctor's, ask for a quick test. If you have high cholesterol (above 5.2), you will need to limit foods that contain saturated fats, which cause bad cholesterol (LDL). Replace them with good cholesterol (HDL) - found in olive oil, for example - which can lower LDL. You can also include cholesterol-reducing foods, such as Benecol products, into your diet. It is thought that apples can help remove excess cholesterol from the digestive tract, so keep eating that apple a day.
4. Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome manifests itself in two main forms: either causing diarrhoea or constipation. Whichever you suffer from, the first step is to cut out coffee, which can greatly aggravate the condition. If you have diarrhoea, cut back on the fibre in your diet. It's the reverse for the constipation type of IBS, which needs more fibre and wholegrain foods.
5. Get the glow
Vitamins and minerals are key to healthy-looking skin and hair. People think eating raw food is the best way to obtain these, but that's not always true. The beta carotene in carrots, for instance, is more easily absorbed once cooked.
6. Healthy babies
If you are trying to conceive, it's important to increase your folate intake because it lowers the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in your baby. Take a folic-acid supplement daily or eat folic-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, Brussels sprouts or beetroot.
7. Cancer-beating foods
Lycopene, found in tomatoes, is thought to have cancer-preventing properties. Lycopene is most potent in its processed form – so don't think ketchup and tinned tomatoes are second-class sources. Also eat a well-balanced diet and keep up that five-a-day vegetable and fruit regime!
8. Stay out of the cold
Bags of oranges packed with vitamin C is still a top choice to prevent colds, but it's worth giving this power juice from The Food Doctor a try. To make this immune-boosting juice, blend 85g each of strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants together with 0.5l soya milk and 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds. Repeat the dose as the weather gets colder.
9. Depressed and anxious?
You could be low on zinc. Rich sources include oysters, shellfish, red meats and wholegrain cereals. Alcohol is a depressive and, combined with a lack of exercise in the winter, may make you feel lacklustre.
10. Anaemia
This is a main concern for dieting women and vegetarians. Common sources of iron are meat, fish and poultry, so veggies should plan to substitute these with leafy green veg, seaweed, nuts, seeds and breakfast cereals. Endive, the salad leaf, is a particularly good source.
