7 stress-busting foods you should include in your diet

People who are stressed or
depressed, especially women, are more likely to eat chocolate. Despite
its negative side, chocolate has been proved to be beneficial for stress
by improving mood. Chocolates are high in sugar which enhances the
synthesis of stress relieving compound called glucocorticod. Dark
chocolate, particularly, can regulate blood pressure and promote a sense
of calmness. Chocolate also contains compounds called polyphenols and
flavonols, both are antioxidants that help to boost the immune system.

With the demands of the family,
career and other activities many women feel tired every day. But do you
feel tired even before the day has begun? Is your skin pale? Do you have
brittle nails? Chances are that you are anaemic and your blood lacks
enough red blood cells. Low RBC count means reduced oxygen carrying
haemoglobin (Hb) count which translates to low oxygen in blood making
you feel exhausted, irritable and dizzy. Smooth, swollen painful red
tongue, cracks or fissures at the corners of the mouth and sore and pale
mouth are other signs. Blood loss from menstruation, increased blood
supply demand during pregnancy, deficiencies of vitamins like vitamins
B2, B­6, B12, and folic acid due to poor eating habits can cause
anaemia.

Wonder why our grandmothers and
moms are so fit, when they hardly had access to gyms and ‘healthy’
options to eat like we have now? While rapid urbanization and
redefinition of gender roles are giving women more freedom and power,
they are also taking their toll on women’s health.

Women with agile, lean, svelte
bodies and perfect-than-thou faces – you admire them, but at the same
time envy them because you look nothing like them. Before you heave a
sigh of relief because most women around you are struggling with
obesity, acne and unwanted body hair just like you do, you should know
that you might be suffering from what’s commonly known as PCOD or PCOS
(Polycystic ovarian disease or syndrome). While women are leaving their
traditional roles behind and donning the hats which men once did, the
stress build-up is only causing the hormones to go out of whack. There
is an increase in male sex hormones leading to increased body hair,
decreased breast size, etc. The periods are irregular and the ovaries
produce many small, immature eggs instead of healthy, mature eggs. If
the right kind of eggs isn’t produced, the chances of conceiving reduce.

Every 3rd or 4th woman in the
cities has ‘fibroids’ these days. Usually detected when women approach
the doctor due to very heavy bleeding and pain during menstruation or
when they have problems conceiving, fibroids are nothing but fibrous
growths in the uterus. They grow fairly slowly, and are formed in
response to the female hormone oestrogen. They occur naturally, and
sometimes shrink after menopause due to the lack of the hormone in the
body. Occasionally, they can grow to weigh several kilograms and cause
pain during sexual intercourse and frequent urination, urgency to
urinate and in very rare cases, infertility.

Do you have itching and redness
around your vagina, abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant smell,
burning sensation during urination and/or pain during intercourse? It
could be vaginitis, an infection or inflammation of the vagina. Some
women may not have any symptoms. Extreme illness, creams, tight
clothing, douching, sexual activity, faecal contamination, etc. disrupt
the normal bacterial environment of the vagina and cause vaginitis.
Vaginal yeast infections can be treated with over-the-counter creams and
vaginal suppositories, and bacterial vaginosis with antibiotics.

There are so many ‘PMSing’ jokes
cracked by men who do not know what women actually go through.
Bloating, abdominal cramps, breast swelling or tenderness, constipation,
joint or muscle pain, acne along with emotional symptoms like mood
swings are only some of the symptoms occurring 1 to 2 weeks before the
periods. Some women could even suffer from a very severe form of PMS
called the Premenstrual Dysphoric disorder

And if you thought problems with
menstruation end here, you could not be more wrong. Every month the
cells of the endometrium (inner lining of the womb) swell and get
thicker, and are shed during menstruation. Endometriosis is a condition
in which endometrial cells grow in other areas of the body most commonly
in the area lining the abdominal cavity. It causes irregular bleeding
and mild to severe cramping pain in the pelvis which may radiate to
legs. It may even lead to infertility in some women. What’s worse, it
may not even be your fault – it’s known to run in the family.