Women’s Health Foods To Add To Your Shopping List - Page 16

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This year, Women’s Health Week is falling during a time when everyone is worried about health, but specifically COVID-19 rather than overall wellness. For that reason, it’s possible that we’ve become so obsessed with not contracting the coronavirus—washing our hands for 20 seconds every hour, wearing a mask, wearing gloves, not touching our faces—that we’ve totally put general health on the back burner. In some ways, it’s on us, like we are struggling to keep up with our healthy eating and exercise routines. In other ways, it’s not on us, since so many medical practitioners are currently closed, making it difficult for us to get things like regular checkups, skin exams, teeth cleanings, pap smears, and the like.

One thing we have control over is our diet. And, many say that good health starts with what we eat. Our diet impacts everything from our heart health to our joints to even our oral health. It’s easy to throw good eating habits to the wind right now. You can feel like you’re already putting up with so much stress, do you really need to watch what you eat, too? But if you don’t eat well, then you could face even more health problems and even more stress.

Some foods are particularly beneficial to a woman’s body. Our genetic makeup makes us prone to certain conditions, and just makes us need some nutrients more than men do. Among some of the conditions that tend to present frequently in women are osteoporosis, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, osteoarthritis, breast cancer, and irritable bowel syndrome. Wow, we’re a lucky bunch. Here’s a look at healthy women’s foods to add to your grocery list right now.

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Beans

Black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, garbanzo beans—whatever your preference is, you can’t go wrong. Except for jelly beans—those don’t count. Beans offer a wonderful source of insoluble fiber which can not only help lower cholesterol but also battle irritable bowel syndrome symptoms like constipation, to which women are prone. They may also help stabilize female hormones.

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Yogurt

As previously noted, we’re the queens of stomach issues. We’re gassy and bloaty and backed up—yaaaay! Fortunately, there are things called probiotics which can help treat some of those issues, and yogurt is full of the stuff. It also contains tons of calcium, which can fight osteoporosis. Stick to the low-fat variety, or Greek yogurt, but don’t touch the sugary, fruit-at-the-bottom options.

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Pickled foods

Pickled foods are additional excellent sources of probiotics to keep your gut full of the healthy bacteria that keeps your digestive system moving. You may have recently stocked up on jarred pickled foods since they’re non-perishable, and we’re in a pandemic. Luckily, there are plenty of great ways to use those.

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Tomatoes

Tomatoes may seem rather basic and boring, but don’t overlook this watery red fruit. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which may protect against breast cancer. And they’re so easy to put in everything, from salsas to meat marinades to salads to bruschetta to a caprese salad. And remember to store these on the counter, not the fridge—don’t make that mistake or they’ll lose their flavor.

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Tart cherries

It’s important that you get tart cherries and not the sweet stuff. It’s the tart cherries that have wonderful anti-inflammatory properties that can fight symptoms of arthritis and other joint issues. You’ll typically find these in cans in the baking section. They’re great for making sour cherry baked goods like gooey bars and muffins.

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Salmon and tuna

Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are full of omegas that you need for all sorts of issues. They promote joint health and heart health, and can give you a fighting chance against Alzheimer’s and hypertension—the last of which women are particularly susceptible to. Add canned salmon and tuna to your COVID-19, non-perishables shopping list.

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Orange juice

Before turning to the almighty coffee in the morning to get your buzz on and possibly your poop on (you know it helps you go in the morning), have a glass of orange juice. It’s loaded with vitamin D, which helps your gut better absorb calcium, which can fight nasty osteoporosis.

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Low-fat milk

If you don’t have a dairy intolerance, you could also start your day with a glass of low fat milk, which also has plenty of vitamin D. If you prefer not to drink it straight, have it with some high-fiber cereal to fight constipation while you’re at it.

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Watermelon

Watermelon is also a member of the fruit family that has beneficial lycopene, like tomatoes. And, with the weather heating up, this is a great time to have more of this fruit because it’s also extremely hydrating. So it can give you some good H2O if you get tired of drinking the stuff.

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Turmeric

Add this to your regular rotation of spices. This gorgeous spice has something called curcumin, which makes it that pretty orange color, and curcumin can fight inflammation, digestive issues, and Alzheimer’s. That’s why it’s long been used in eastern medicine to heal wounds.

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Beets

Buy them whole and boil them or, if you’re feeling lazy, get the canned stuff or jarred variety. However you get them, get them because they’re high in potassium, which fights the negative effects of our sodium-heavy diet. Drinking beet juice daily can also help lower blood pressure. Just be sure to wear an apron, as this stuff stains!

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Berries

Berries contain anti-cancer nutrients called anthocyans, which can help in the fight against the several cancers to which women fall victim like colorectal and breast. Go with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries—or try cranberries if you want the added benefit of strengthening your urinary tract health.

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Kale

This dense leafy green picked up steam in the healthy food community for a reason: having some every day can lower cholesterol, and it’s also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts your immunity and does wonders for your skin. Plus, it’s got plenty of calcium to promote joint health. Try having it juiced to streamline those benefits.

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Broccoli

Sulforaphane is a chemical found in broccoli that can kill cancer as well as fight leukemia and melanoma. Hopefully, your mom made you eat the green, funny-looking food while you were young and you’ve learned to love it as an adult.