3 Nutritional Intake That Women Should Not Ignore

Illustration of the nutrients needed by women. (Freepik)

JAKARTA - Meeting the needs of balanced nutrition is an important foundation for women's health at every stage of life. Adequate intake of nutrients plays a major role in maintaining body resistance, hormone stability, reproductive health, and overall fitness.

Conversely, a lack of certain nutrients in the long term can have an impact that is often not realized because it appears slowly.

Pathologist and hematopathologist from Agilus Diagnostics, Dr. Kamlesh Prajapti, explained that nutritional deficiencies often go unnoticed until they start to interfere with daily activities.

He emphasized that symptoms of nutritional deficiency usually develop gradually, so many women only realize it when the condition has affected their quality of life.

According to Dr. Prajapti, there are three main nutrients that are crucial for women's health, namely iron, vitamin B12, and folate. The three of them have an important role in maintaining body functions and if the intake is not sufficient, it can trigger various health disorders.

Iron

Iron is needed by the body to form hemoglobin, a component in red blood cells that carries oxygen to all body tissues. When iron levels decrease, the oxygen supply becomes less optimal so that the body is more prone to fatigue.

Dr. Prajapti said that iron deficiency is often characterized by prolonged fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, decreased stamina, and repeated infections.

If not handled, this condition can trigger menstrual cycle disorders, problems during pregnancy and postpartum recovery, as well as physical complaints such as hair loss and pale-looking skin.

To help meet iron needs, he recommends consuming foods such as green vegetables (including spinach), nuts, grains, dates, palm sugar, red meat, and egg yolks. Iron absorption can also be increased by combining it with vitamin C sources, such as oranges and tomatoes.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 plays an important role in maintaining the health of the nervous system, supporting brain function, and helping the formation of red blood cells and the process of DNA synthesis. Deficiency of this vitamin can have an impact on both physical and mental conditions.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include fatigue, tingling in the hands or feet, concentration disorders, to mood changes. Vitamin B12 intake can be obtained from various animal products, such as milk and its processed products, eggs, fish, and meat.

Folate

Folate or vitamin B9 has a crucial role, especially for women who are planning to get pregnant or are pregnant. This nutrient supports cell division and repair, helps the immune system, and plays a role in preventing developmental disorders in the fetus.

It is known that adequate folate before and during pregnancy can reduce the risk of birth defects. In addition, folate deficiency can also increase the risk of anemia and weaken the body's resistance. Natural sources of folate can be found in dark green vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus, avocados, oranges, peanuts, lentils, and whole grains.