6 Healthy Superfoods for Women’s Health

When it comes to making healthier choices, finding foods that pack in the most possible nutrient power is a wise move. Superfoods are those that tend to be nutrient dense and therefore good for your overall health. However, as a woman, you know your overall health needs can differ from that of a man’s.

As women, our bodies have an entirely separate set of nutritional demands that must be met in order to keep us looking and functioning our best.

That’s why we’ve rounded up a list of superfoods just for the ladies and women’s health! These particular foods would make a great choice in meeting some of your nutritional needs while also helping you on your goal to lose weight.

Here are six healthy superfoods for women’s health to add to your shopping list today.

10 Metabolism-Boosting Tips for Women

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1. Beans

Beans pack in the nutritional benefits including fiber and protein, making them a powerhouse food for these reasons alone. Beans can help fill you up and keep you feeling full for longer. They’re also a good source of magnesium.

According to Premier Health, the combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 has been shown to reduce PMS symptoms in women. Magnesium “regulates serotonin levels” that effect mood and may also help to decrease bloating. Premier Health explains that beans just may help reduce the uncomfortable and often frustrating symptoms of water retention and bloating.¹

Plus, it helps that beans are so easy to eat! They can very easily be added to various dishes and serve as a great meat substitute if you’re moving toward a more plant-based diet.

2. Fatty Fish

Fatty fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which research has shown offer excellent heart health benefits. A study, published in the journal Hypertension, specifically looked at women of reproductive age (who were previously underrepresented in studies). They found that a low intake of fish is associated with an increased risk of heart disease in this younger population.²

Fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, cod, canned light tuna and Atlantic mackerel, says Mayo Clinic.³ While buying and preparing fish may feel intimidating if you haven’t previously done so, you can start simple. Tuna, for instance, is found in a can and can be added to a salad or a sandwich. We also have plenty of easy recipes featuring fresh or frozen fish right here on The Leaf. Check out this simple Sheet Pan Pesto Salmon and Veggies! >

3. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a superfood that are packed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that gives a tomato its bright red coloring. Lycopene is also thought to play a role in cancer prevention. A lot of the research has previously focused on lycopene and prostate cancer. However, research, published in Cancer Science, indicates that lycopene may have a role in preventing breast cancer, making it an important antioxidant for women.⁴

If you’re looking for more ways to get tomatoes into your diet, we have plenty of recipes that you can try. We believe it shouldn’t have to be difficult to incorporate superfoods for women’s health into your day.

6 Ways Weight Loss Can Improve Women’s Health

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4. Watermelon

As its moniker suggests, watermelon is mostly made up of water—more than 90 percent, according to Medical News Today.⁵ This makes it a great fruit to incorporate if you’re looking for ways to stay hydrated. There has been a wealth of recent research demonstrating the importance of hydration—much of it pointing toward the fact that even mild dehydration can impact everything from our cognitive health⁶ to our mood.⁷

In addition to H2O, watermelon is also packed with nutrients, including the antioxidant lycopene that’s found in tomatoes. Along with lycopene, watermelon also contains many other vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium. Vitamin C is used to produce collagen and promotes healthy skin, says Medical News Today.⁵

5. Leafy Greens

Leafy greens are a go-to superfood choice that many people already have on their list for their vitamin benefits. You probably already know that leafy greens like kale, Brussels sprouts and Swiss chard are rich in vitamins. But did you know they also contain quite a bit of calcium?

Since simply being female does put you at a higher risk of osteoporosis, it’s important to find ways to incorporate more calcium into your diet. According to Cleveland Clinic, the best sources include dairy products, dark leafy green vegetables, beans, dried peas and fortified foods like orange juice and cereal.⁸ If kale isn’t your go-to green, there are others you can try and many ways to incorporate them into your daily meals.

6. Bananas

Most people think of bananas for their potassium power—and that’s certainly true. This is especially important for women, as research out of the University of Surrey indicates potassium may be able to provide some protection against osteoporosis, says ScienceDaily.⁹ Because it is an electrolyte, potassium also has the added benefit of helping muscles to recover faster from a workout. And thanks to containing folate, a nutrient that research has shown may play a role in fighting depression, bananas may also help to boost your mood, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.¹⁰

With all of these benefits, you’ll want to find ways to incorporate bananas into more meals—and it’s easy to do just that with a variety of simple recipes! Check out some of our favorite banana recipes below:

10 Banana Recipes You’ll Go Bananas For

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Sources: 

1. https://www.premierhealth.com/your-health/articles/women-wisdom-wellness-/yes-you-can-manage-your-pms-with-diet-and-nutrition
2. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.179382
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/omega-3/art-20045614
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24397737/
5. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266886
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29933347/
7. https://today.uconn.edu/2012/02/even-mild-dehydration-can-alter-mood/#
8. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/16297-increasing-calcium-in-your-diet
9. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150114115340.htm
10. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/#depression

*Always speak to a doctor before making any changes to your diet. 

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Fitness Pep Talk & Motivation

Hello all,

I'm a 31F who has been steadily losing weight (96.5kg down to 64.3kg) since October 2019. While I'm delighted with my weight loss, recently I've really been lacking with motivation to keep my fitness and workouts up.

Where I am, gyms are closed due to lockdown and won't be open for another monthst least.

I get a few walks in a week, due to walking to work and back, but I've been finding it very hard to motivate myself to go for runs and to do home workouts.

Usually, when gyms are open (or when I had motivation to workout independently!) I used to do four sessions a week, doing strength training and cardio each session.

Does anyone have any motivating or helping words that may help push me in the right direction?

Thanks!

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[Century Club] March 4, 2021 - Have you lost or need to lose 100 lbs or more? Here’s a thread just for you!

I have often welcomed those who have lost 100+ lbs (~ 50 kg , ~7 stone) to “the club” and joked that club meetings were on Thursdays. I recently suggested that we try out having a regular weekly thread to talk about issues that are particular to those who have lost 100+ lbs, those who are well on their way and those who are just at the beginning of a journey this big.

Welcome back to the Century Club! Each week I will provide a topic of the day that has been on my mind or inspired by previous posts. However you are free to talk about any topics you think might be relevant to current and prospective club members.

Previous Topics: Surprising Food Facts - Mistakes were made - Time to Vent - Relief Valves - Seeing Objectively - Tips you hate - Fear and Self-Loathing - Starting - 2020 recap

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Today's topic: Is it worth it?

A few days ago I saw a post asking if the weight loss was worth it. "Do people treat you better? Do you feel better? Do you find it easier to meet people?" So that started me thinking about what exactly made my journey "worth it" for me.

Of course it was worth it from a health perspective. I will be going in for my annual physical in a couple of weeks and we'll see what my doctor thinks. I got off CPAP, maybe I can get off my blood pressure meds this year.

I'm also way more fit than I have ever been in my adult life thanks to being more regularly active. Even though I have not been running much this month, I have been walking 7500-10000 steps most days and keeping up with the NHS Strength and Flex routine that has been providing a reasonable alternative to running that should actually help me when I start running again.

At the core though it boils down to a single simple thing for me now. Self confidence. I know that I am capable of doing something most people find quite elusive: Losing a very significant amount of weight and keeping it off for longer than a year. I am in control of my weight. If I overeat, it's no one else's fault. All mine. If my eating habits lead to weight gain over time, it's my fault for not adjusting my intake to whatever my current activity levels may be.

I know well the simple knob I need to adjust so that I can stay at my current weight level. Eating just a little bit less if I want my weight to trend downwards. For the past 90 days or so I've been on a slight upwards trend. Happy Scale shows my trend weight going up at about 2 lbs/90 days so 8 lbs a year, ~100 kcal/day over maintenance at ~155. As the weather improves, and I can resume running regularly, I expect that trend will reverse. But I also know that don't need to really change much until I look at the March/April/May trend. Even if I gain another 2 lbs by June, my trend weight will be at the middle of my 10 lb maintenance range.

Anyhow, that self confidence is what drives a lot of the other non-medical benefits of keeping the weight off. Even though we're not in a current pandemic situation that allows for much in the way of social interaction, presenting myself with more confidence makes it easier to strike up random conversations and makes it easier for others to treat you well and meeting new friends or potential romantic partners.

So what about you Centurion? What makes losing 100+ lbs worth it for you? Is there some benefit of losing the weight that you didn't expect?

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I’ve officially been in a calorie deficit for 30 days. First time I feel like I’m making smart sustainable lifestyle changes

26F here about 2 months into my journey but 30 days on serious mode. I gained a lot of weight in college/grad school... went from about 170 lbs to 270 by the time I got my graduate degree. Back in 2018 I decided to put in work through the gym and stop eating out so much and I lost 40 lbs over a few months but stalled around 230 lbs. Recently I’ve had a lot of stressful events and around the holidays went up to 242 lbs. I just said enough is enough, I need to get serious about this and make some changes. I can’t live like this, unhealthy and hating myself.

All throughout January I made efforts to move more and eat less but I didn’t track calories. I lost about 3 lbs but had some weak moments and gained the 3 lbs back before the end of the month. February rolled around and I downloaded my fitness pal and started getting serious. I’ve logged every bite of food or drink since then, aiming for around 1700 cals a day, and I’m down 9.2 lbs. I know this rate of loss won’t continue but I’m going to keep going with this deficit. I also have tried to add 30 minute walks or exercise to my day 5 times a week and that helps.

For the first time I feel like I’m making REAL sustainable changes. I eat what I want, including pizza, starbucks, McDonald’s, dessert, etc. I just make sure it fits into my deficit. I don’t feel like I’m restricting myself and I just generally feel great and healthy.

I was so scared of counting calories and becoming obsessed with numbers and food, but honestly since I started tracking I think about weight loss way LESS. I don’t have to worry because I know I will continue to lose weight as long as I continue to be in a deficit.

We can ALL do this. My goal is to lose 50 lbs total before my wedding in November. Can’t wait for the next 30 days of tracking and progress.

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Weight loss stall?

Hi all. Since last November (2019) I have lost 47 pounds. I went from 175 ish and now am about 128-129. I started in January at 140 and hit 128 February 8th, but have now been stuck here. I lost the weight through staying around 1100-1300 cals with light exercise, and for the past few weeks i’ve been on 1200 with no change. I’m 5’5, 18, and count religiously, oil and everything, with cups + double weighed on a scale. I even took a diet break 2 weeks ago where I went around 1500 cals, and my weight maintained. I am 128-129 and want to be around 123/124, as I still have a decent amount of stomach fat. I do anywhere from 2-3 days of cardio (yesterday I walked 17k steps, randomly) and 2-3 days of lifting weight, I typically do squats and deadlifts 3x12 for about 50 pounds. Not much, I’m still learning. Anyways, my weight seems to be stuck and I have no clue what to do. I can’t go lower in cals and I drink about 3 Liters a day. Thank you!

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https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/3/128

An Increase in the Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio Increases the Risk for Obesity

The Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health, 4330 Klingle Street NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA

Nutrients 2016, 8(3), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8030128

Received: 15 January 2016 / Revised: 10 February 2016 / Accepted: 15 February 2016 / Published: 2 March 2016

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fatty Acids in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes)

Abstract

In the past three decades, total fat and saturated fat intake as a percentage of total calories has continuously decreased in Western diets, while the intake of omega-6 fatty acid increased and the omega-3 fatty acid decreased, resulting in a large increase in the omega-6/omega-3 ratio from 1:1 during evolution to 20:1 today or even higher. This change in the composition of fatty acids parallels a significant increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Experimental studies have suggested that omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids elicit divergent effects on body fat gain through mechanisms of adipogenesis, browning of adipose tissue, lipid homeostasis, brain-gut-adipose tissue axis, and most importantly systemic inflammation. Prospective studies clearly show an increase in the risk of obesity as the level of omega-6 fatty acids and the omega-6/omega-3 ratio increase in red blood cell (RBC) membrane phospholipids, whereas high omega-3 RBC membrane phospholipids decrease the risk of obesity. Recent studies in humans show that in addition to absolute amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid intake, the omega-6/omega-3 ratio plays an important role in increasing the development of obesity via both AA eicosanoid metabolites and hyperactivity of the cannabinoid system, which can be reversed with increased intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). A balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio is important for health and in the prevention and management of obesity. View Full-Text

Keywords: obesity; omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids; omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid ratio; eicosanoids; browning of adipose tissue; endocannabinoids; FTO (Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated) Gene

...

Table 4. Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratios in Different Populations.

Population	ω-6/ω-3
Paleolithic	0.79
Greece prior to 1960	1.00–2.00
Current Japan	4.00
Current India, rural	5–6.1
Current UK and northern Europe	15.00
Current US	16.74
Current India, urban	38–50

...

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

• Human beings evolved on a diet that was balanced in the omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids.

• A high omega-6 fatty acid intake and a high omega-6/omega-3 ratio are associated with weight gain in both animal and human studies, whereas a high omega-3 fatty acid intake decreases the risk for weight gain. Lowering the LA/ALA ratio in animals prevents overweight and obesity.

• Omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids compete for their biosynthetic enzymes and because they have distinct physiological and metabolic properties, their balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio is a critical factor for health throughout the life cycle.

• Adipose tissue is the main peripheral target organ handling fatty acids, and AA is required for adipocyte differentiation (adipogenesis). The increased LA and AA content of foods has been accompanied by a significant increase in the AA/EPA + DHA ratio within adipose tissue, leading to increased production in AA metabolites, PGI2 which stimulates white adipogenesis and PGF2α which inhibits the browning process, whereas increased consumption of EPA and DHA leads to adipose tissue homeostasis through adipose tissue loss and increased mitochondrial biogenesis.

• High omega-6 fatty acid intake leads to hyperactivity of endocannabinoid system, whereas omega-3 fatty acids lead to normal homeostasis (decrease hyperactivity).

• High omega-6 fatty acids increase leptin resistance and insulin resistance, whereas omega-3 fatty acids lead to homeostasis and weight loss.

• Because a high omega-6/omega-3 ratio is associated with overweight/obesity, whereas a balanced ratio decreases obesity and weight gain, it is essential that every effort is made to decrease the omega-6 fatty acids in the diet, while increasing the omega-3 fatty acid intake. This can be accomplished by (1) changing dietary vegetable oils high in omega-6 fatty acids (corn oil, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, and soybean oils) to oils high in omega-3s (flax, perilla, chia, rapeseed), and high in monounsaturated oils such as olive oil, macadamia nut oil, hazelnut oil, or the new high monounsaturated sunflower oil; and (2) increasing fish intake to 2–3 times per week, while decreasing meat intake.

• In clinical investigations and intervention trials it is essential that the background diet is precisely defined in terms of the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid content. Because the final concentrations of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are determined by both dietary intake and endogenous metabolism, it is essential that in all clinical investigations and intervention trials the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are precisely determined in the red blood cell membrane phospholipids. In severe obesity drugs and bariatric surgery have been part of treatment.

• The risk allele rs 1421085 T to C SNV in intron 1 and 2 in the FTO gene functioned similarly to AA metabolites, PGI2 and PGF2a increasing proliferation of white adipose tissue and decreasing its browning respectively, whereas the knockdown of IRX3 and IRX5 genes functioned similarly to omega-3 fatty acid metabolites increasing the browning of white adipose tissue, mitochondrial biogenesis, and thermogenesis. Therefore, further research should include studies on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids in blocking the effects of the risk allele (rs 1421085), which appears to be responsible for the association between the first intron of FTO gene and obesity in humans.

• In the future studies on genetic variants from GWAS will provide opportunities to precisely treat and prevent obesity by both nutritional and pharmaceutical interventions.

Obesity is a preventable disease that can be treated through proper diet and exercise. A balanced omega-6/omega-3 ratio 1–2/1 is one of the most important dietary factors in the prevention of obesity, along with physical activity. A lower omega-6/omega-3 ratio should be considered in the management of obesity.

---

found here: https://twitter.com/nicknorwitz/status/1345703852595687425

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This is why you take progress pics even when you don't want to

My stats: 26F, 5'6", SW: 230-ish, CW: 165. GW: 145-ish.

I have such an aversion to taking pictures of myself, especially when I'm missing some articles of clothing. Like...looking at my body?? No thank you, I would rather lick sandpaper. I've been on my weight loss journey for about two years now, and I didn't take ANY progress pictures in the beginning. The one I'm linking here is, I think, the only such photo I have from 2019 (and that's after I lost maybe 20 pounds just by getting my thyroid under control. Not my heaviest at all!!)

So, late 2019 --> now

https://imgur.com/a/6SrtkRu

It was a very spur of the moment, spontaneous sort of decision while visiting one of my best friends (so I felt relatively good at the time). But I do remember seriously thinking, "what's the point of this? I'm going to look the same tomorrow, and next week too." Spoiler alert: I DID. I did look the same the week after!! But one week snowballed into another, taking care of myself adds up, and now I DON'T look the same at all. How can I look at this and think that I do, that I've made no progress since then? Objectively, it's a flat-out lie.

I still don't like taking pictures. But I think it's important to recognize the value of them and the useful tool they can be. You are your own worst critic, but think of yourself as a work in progress...who you are now is NOT what you are going to be a year down the road. I have the proof.

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