Women’s health beyond the multivitamin

The female body is amazing, and not just because it can grow and birth a whole human being. But let’s face it, that ability comes with some associated struggles. Between menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and ever-changing skin care needs, the female body goes through some things.

But help is out there! Whether it’s an iron deficiency, monthly cramps or hot flashes, there are plenty of vitamins and supplements that provide additional nutrients or botanicals to support women and their various everyday health needs. Let’s take a look at some of the more common issues around women’s health.

Childbearing years and prenatal care: Address iron deficiency

Iron is lost through menstruation, which means all menstruating women should pay special attention to their iron intake to avoid iron deficiency. But iron and folic acid are especially important for those who are pregnant or may become pregnant.

The Office on Women’s Health reports that birth defects can occur in the very early stages of pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. Also, about 40% of all pregnancies are unplanned, so it’s important to pay attention to iron and folic acid intake.

Foods rich in iron include meat, seafood, eggs, beans, lentils and fortified cereals. Folic acid is found in dark leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, asparagus and avocados. Many breads, pastas, rice and flours are also fortified with folic acid.

Supplements can help fill any gaps, too, such as Nutrilite™ Iron Folic. It features three sources of iron (iron bisglycinate, iron fumarate and mustard greens) plus folic acid and 30mg of vitamin C to increase your body’s ability to absorb iron.

Menopause supplements and support

Menopause occurs when a woman has no more menstrual cycles. The time leading up to that and the phases after are called perimenopause and post-menopause. The whole process typically lasts about 7 years, but it can go as long as 14 or more.

During this time, women need to increase their calcium intake to combat the rapid loss of bone mass and strength that can occur. Vitamins K, D and magnesium also support bone health. Menopause can also be filled with unfortunate symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and natural mood swings.

Supplements can help meet these nutrient needs by filling gaps that may occur in a woman’s diet. Supplements may also help with some of the frustrating symptoms associated with menopause. Nutrilite Menopause Ease Dietary Supplement, for example, offers relief from hot flashes and night sweats while also providing antioxidant protection.

Vitamins for skin, hair and nails

While the types of skin care products used on the outside of your skin may change as you age, supporting healthy beauty through a well-balanced diet is one strategy that stays the same no matter how old you are.

A healthy diet filled with plenty of fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors is a great start toward supporting healthy skin, hair and nails, but a supplement with some key nutrients can help support healthy beauty efforts, too.

Biotin is an essential nutrient that works at a cellular level to help support hair and nails, and vitamin C helps protect against oxidative stress, which can take a toll on skin.

Nutrilite SHiNe™ features those nutrients plus grapeseed extract for additional antioxidant protection and extract from horsetail, a plant that is a natural source of silicic acid, which supports healthy hair and nails.

Support everyday health with a women’s multivitamin

Regardless of what age you may be or what stage you are going through, a women’s multivitamin is a good baseline supplement to support everyday health and ensure you’re filling any nutrient gaps that might exist when your diet might not be ideal.

Nutrilite Women’s Daily is a women’s multivitamin that targets immunity, energy, eye and bone health while rounding out daily nutrition needs with 23 essential vitamins and minerals and 200mg of organic plant nutrients to support everyday health.

You could also consider the Nutrilite Women’s Pack, a convenient collection of supplements that target women’s health needs: Nutrilite Cal Mag D for calcium and magnesium, Nutrilite Concentrated Fruits and Vegetables for added plant nutrients as well as the Women’s Daily Multivitamin and Hair, Skin & Nail Health.

Want to learn more about the nutrition needs of women and how they may differ from men? Read this story on Amway Discover. And to learn more about various Nutrilite supplements that might meet your health and wellbeing needs, check out Amway.ca.