Research has shown that a balanced diet and nutrition plan can reduce or even prevent the chances of following ailments in a woman:

• Risk of heart problems
• Cancer
• Osteoporosis

 It is understood that a woman's nutritional needs would vary with advancing years. While it is always recommended irrespective of age that a woman ought to have foods rich in fiber, folate, unsaturated fat and calcium, you must consult your personal physician as he or she is the best person who can advice you the right diet suitable to your age. But one thing for sure, as you age, you ought to reduce your intake of sugar, salt, cholesterol and saturated fats and concentrate more on fruits, vegetables, whole grains.

While the foods recommended for men and women may be same for making a balanced diet plan, there are some foods which are particularly to women because of their body structure and hormonal interplay during specific times of their reproductive cycle, particularly during pregnancy and menopause. Here are some typical food contents which are meant especially for women's health care:

• Folate: This is a special type of vitamin B which helps in the growth of red blood corpuscles which prevents heart diseases and colon cancer. This is particularly helpful for women of child bearing age and having supplements can prevent a host of birth defects of the baby. Natural sources of folate include orange juice, peas, breakfast cereals, beans and leafy green vegetables.
• Antioxidants: These are also helpful in the prevention of heart ailments as well as cancer. There are some fruits and vegetables and vitamins A, C and E contain antioxidant properties.
• Calcium: This is extremely important as women tend to lose a lot of the body's calcium with age and having calcium from external sources can help in the prevention of osteoporosis, which affects most women after menopause. Calcium can also act in cancer prevention and helps women in weight loss. Sources of calcium include milk and milk products, sardines, anchovies and salmon, leafy green vegetables and citrus fruit juices.
• Vitamin D: To help calcium absorption and bone formation, having adequate
  

• quantities of vitamin D is important for women sources include egg yolks, herring, sardines, tuna, etc.
• Iron: During the monthly menstruation, women tend to lose a lot of iron hence external supplementation sometimes becomes necessary. Any iron deficiency