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| Key Nutrients for Women |
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| Nutrient Pattern |
Protection against Risk Factors |
| Plant sterols, soy, soluble fiber |
• Cholesterol Reduction |
| • Reduction of menopause symptoms |
| Antioxidants: Vitamin C, E, Isolfalvones, Phytochemicals |
• Inhibit oxidation of Low Density Lipoproteins: Decrease Coronary Heart Disease Risk |
| • Provide a natural boost to the immune system |
| B Vitamins: Folate, B6, B12 |
• Reduce homocysteine levels which are thought to promote heart attacks and dementia |
| • Protective for colon cancer, breast cancer, and Alzheimer’ disease |
| • Folate is essential for a healthy pregnancy |
| Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium |
• Maintain healthy bone mass |
| Flavonoids, omega 3 fatty acids |
• Prevent stroke and heart attack |
| Whole Grains and Fiber |
• Positive effects on blood sugar control and coronary heart disease risk factors |
| Monounsaturated Fats |
• At least 25% of total caloric intake |
| • Provides protective role against breast cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's |
| • Minimize the risk of chronic inflammation: a key risk factor involved in cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and diabetes. |
| Omega 3 Fatty Acids |
• A varied intake from plants and seafood |
| • Provides cardiovascular protection, essential for brain function, and provides benefit to mood disorder conditions, improved immune function and response. |
| • These fats minimize the risk of chronic inflammation: a key risk factor involved in cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, stroke, and diabetes |
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1. Decrease Blood Cholesterol
2.
Decrease Low Density Lipoproteins
3.
Decrease Blood Triglycerides
4.
A source of Antioxidants
5.
Decrease Blood Clotting
6.
Decrease Elevated Blood Pressure
(Good sources of monounsaturated fat include olives and olive oil.)
Menopause may also affect risk factors for developing heart disease. Menopause is characterized by hormonal changes which promote body weight gain, especially in the abdomen area. By redistributing extra body fat to the abdomen, the risk for certain diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes increase. In July of 2002, a large trial, the Women’s Health Initiative, was terminated since the study showed that hormone replacement therapy significantly increased the risk of breast cancer and clots in the legs and lungs and did not protect women from heart disease and stroke. According to the American Heart Association, hormone replacement therapy should not be used for the purpose of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in women. In 2004, an additional study from the National Heart Lung Blood Institute (NHLBI) was stopped. In this study, estrogen alone increased the risk of stroke.
Plant based estrogens, such as phytoestrogens and isoflavones appear to offer many of the benefits hormone replacement therapy does but without the health risks. Phytoestrogens, which are estrogen like substance found in certain plants bind to estrogen receptors sites n the body. Peanuts, oats, corn, wheat, almonds, soy, fava beans, and adzuki beans are foods which contain significant sources of phytoestrogens and isoflavones. Along with their heart protective properties, these phytoestrogens and isoflavones may decrease symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and mood swings. Phytoestrogens and isoflavones may also play a protective role for breast cancer.
Breast cancer, which is a threat to many women in the U.S. is also affected by diet, genetics, and lifestyle habits. The importance of key protective nutrients continues to be researched. The importance of healthy fats as well as certain phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, and soy also provide insight to protective qualities in the diet.
(All California Olive recipes have healthy monounsaturated fats. For appetizers, try California Tapenade Toasts and add soy, a plant based estrogen, with Tex-Mex Tofu.) TOP
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Below are the top causes of death for women in the United States (Mayo Clinic), starting with the most common.
These conditions are termed as causes of death and do not encompass other valid health concerns for women such as
osteoporosis and anemia.
- Heart Disease
- Cancer: Lung Cancer is the most common, followed by breast cancer and then colorectal cancer
- Stroke
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: (strongly associated with lung cancer)
- Diabetes
- Alzheimer’s Disease
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Attracting Women
by Connie Guttersen, RD PhD,
author of the Sonoma Diet
Every day there seems to be a news story about how diet affects health, wellbeing, and even longevity. As consumers become more aware of the cause and effect of dietary choices and disease, it's not unreasonable to assume restaurants are going to feel pressure to offer menu choices that address more specific dietary needs.
Food manufacturers jumped on this bandwagon a while ago, offering product segmentations that address gender, age, and life-style specific dietary issues. Take, for example, energy drinks for jocks or orange juice with calcium for women.
While we'd hardly recommend a menu be sliced and diced to an nth degree, (Madam, you're looking a little anemic, can we add spinach to that burger?) it can't hurt to be aware of--and responsive to--your customers' increasing awareness of nutrition.
And since women make up over half of the population, we thought we'd start with a review of some of the dietary issues specific to them, beginning in girlhood and through the various stages of adulthood. TOP
Getting a good start.
Health in later years is actually built on the foundation of childhood. Important building blocks are an adequate stores of nutrients, an active lifestyle and a healthy body weight. Key nutrients for all age groups include iron, folate, vitamin B12, B6, vitamin C, Beta Carotene, calcium, magnesium, isoflavones, monounsaturated fats and omega 3 oils. These important nutrients play a role in protecting against most of the top health threats to women. TOP
Adolescents
Today's adolescents face an unprecedented rate of widespread overweight and obesity. Almost 15% of girls 6 to 19 are overweight. Adolescent lifestyles can pose a threat to health, including decreased physical activity, cigarette smoking, hormonal influences, and eating habits which favor fast food, processed foods, and hydrogenated fats rather than fresh fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and lean meats and healthy fats.
(Here are 3 recipes that'll help with grains & lean meat: Red Wine Beef Barley Stew,
Minted Multigrain Salad,
Baked Tomatoes with Olives, and
Grilled Flank Steak with Avocado and Olive Salsa.)
Increasing soda consumption has contributed to a very high intake of sugar and a subsequent decrease in calcium consumption. This may provide an unhealthy situation for future risks of osteoporosis.
A new study published in Lancet shows that eating fast food increases the likelihood of becoming obese. Researchers looked at eating habits and medical status of about 3000 young adults starting in the mid 1980’s. After 15 years of follow up, the study participants who ate fast food more than twice a week had gained an average of 10 pounds more than those who ate fast food less than once per week. Those eating more fast food were also more likely to have developed insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. Gaining excessive amounts of body fat at an earlier age may also increase the risk for early menarche. Early menarche prior to age 12 has been found by research studies to increase the risk for breast cancer later in life. TOP
Ages 20 to 39
Many young women do not eat enough iron rich foods. Iron is necessary for energy as it increases the body's ability to carry and utilize oxygen. Fatigue, pale skin, lack of concentration, depression, and a tendency to feel cold may be signs of anemia.
This is an especially critical period for women because inadequate nutrition not only influences a woman’s own health, but also the health of their children. Children of malnourished women are more likely to face low birth weight, cognitive disorders, growth problems, lower resistance to infections and a higher risk of disease and death throughout their lives. Folic acid can reduce the risk of having a child with neural tube defects. Plus, whatever your age, folic acid is an extremely heart healthy nutrient. Other key nutrients during this period are healthy fats, iron, calcium, and protein.
(Dried beans and legumes, oranges and orange juice, peanuts and leafy green vegetables all contain folic acid. Plus, many manufactured foods, such as flour, rice, pasta, cornmeal, bread and cereals are fortified with folic acid.)
Try Macedonian Lamb and Chick Peas for meat protein and dried beans. TOP
Ages 40 to 59
During middle age, a woman’s heart disease risk starts to increase significantly. Each year 88,000 women ages 45 to 64 have a heart attack. There are many risk factors such as medical history, body weight history, lifestyle factors and diet, which affect heart disease. The scientific literature continues to support the role of monounsaturated fats as a key factor in the overall diet and lifestyle prescription for decreasing cardiovascular disease. TOP
| Risk Factors for Breast Cancer |
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| Increases Risk |
Decreases Risk |
| Diets high in Red Meat and Total Fat |
Vegetables and Fruits |
| Obesity |
Monounsaturated Fat |
| Rapid Growth and Greater Adult Height |
Healthy Body Weight |
| Genetics |
Fiber |
| High Alcohol Intake |
Regular Physical Activity |
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TOP
Ages 60 and Beyond
Healthy women are entering this stage of life more active then ever. Physical activity and mental well-being are critical for preventing risks associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease. The B vitamins such as B12, B6, and folic acid also play an important role in decreasing cardiovascular risk and Alzheimer’s disease. The B vitamins keep the mind and heart healthy by minimizing the rise in homocysteine levels in blood. Heavy consumption of meat and dairy products increase homocysteine levels.
A study by Harvard Medical School, and colleagues, evaluated participants in the Nurses Health Study, which has followed the diets and health status of 13,000 women since 1972. The researchers calculated the women's intake of fruits and vegetables between 1984 and 1995 and correlated these values with performance on tests of cognitive function when the women were in their 70s (1995 to 2003). Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables did not affect the overall decline in the women's cognitive scores. However, the researchers found that subjects with the highest consumption of green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetable, such as spinach and broccoli--both high in folate and antioxidants such as carotenoids and vitamin C--declined less than women who ate small amounts of these vegetables.
Miia Kivipelto, M.D., Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and colleagues from Sweden and Finland presented data from a group of nearly 1,500 older subjects, followed for an average of 21 years. Study participants who were obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia later in life. For those subjects who also had high cholesterol and hypertension in midlife, the risk of dementia was multiplied six times. Inflammation and impeded blood flow to the brain may be among the factors that leave the obese individual more vulnerable to developing Alzheimer’s. Medical experts fear that today’s current obesity crisis may contribute to the future incidence rates of Alzheimer’s cases. Fruits and vegetables not only contain the protective antioxidants and nutrients to decrease risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s, but are also nutrient dense and low calorie, in other words, they provide the most nutrition with the least amount of calories.
Studies have identified a link between diet and Alzheimer's disease--in particular, the intake of dietary fat . Researchers from Chicago's Rush Institute for Healthy Aging found that saturated fat and hydrogenated oils are both linked with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Participants who ate the most saturated fat had slightly more than twice the risk of Alzheimer's compared with those who had the lowest intake of those fats. Conversely, omega-6 polyunsaturated fat, omega 3 fatty acids, and monounsaturated fat were found to decrease the risk. Additional research concludes that elevated blood cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer's, therefore, choosing healthy fats which do not increase blood cholesterol levels and low density lipoproteins, such as monounsaturated fats and omega 3 oils, will be a good prescription to a healthy mind.
(Serve dishes with healthy omega 3 and monounsaturated fats, with California Salmon Burger and
Grilled Scallops with Fennel Slaw. TOP |
