Women are superheroes in the simplest and enormous ways. From being a child who will experience monthly cramps due to menstruation, from being a mom who takes extra mile in caring for her child – staying up to breastfeed the child – even being a worker at the same time, experiences a hard postpartum depression, to being a grandmother to all her grandchildren. Women are indeed incredible.
In support to the commemoration of 2022 National Women’s Month this 1-31 March, NNC MIMAROPA prepared simple nutri-tips for women in every life cycle:
Infant:
- Exclusive breastfeeding should be initiated within the first hour of life for the first six (6) months – 0 to 5 months old
- Do not give any kinds of food and beverages, even water
Older Infancy and Toddlerhood:
- Conduct breastfeeding along with age-appropriate complementary feeding starting the 6th month of life
- Monitor weight and height for proper identification of nutritional status
- Limit use of gadgets and devices and engage more on outdoor activities such as biking and sports
- Take Vitamin A supplement and deworming treatment, as needed
School Child:
- In between online classes, engage the child to household chores to avert from sitting the whole day
- If face-to-face classes permit, prepare homecooked meals and snacks to refrain from buying to the school canteen
- Encourage to try different sports and learning new hobbies without using screen devices
- Educate children on the advantages and disadvantages of having healthy lifestyle
Adolescent:
- Take iron-folic acid to replenish blood loss during menstruation
- Do not try highly addictive, harmful substances such as smoke cigarettes and weeds
- Emotions fed up with this phase – release frustrations with your family members and trusted friends
- During premenstrual syndrome, satisfy your cravings with fresh fruit beverages, dark chocolate, and nuts
- Boys tend to be more physically active than girls – have at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity
Pregnant:
- At least 4 pre-natal visits in three (3) trimesters; 1 for first trimester, 1 for second trimester, 2 for third trimester
- Taking of 180 tablets of iron-folic acid supplementation
- Monitor weight gain through balanced diet and light physical activity
- Avoid consumption of alcoholic beverages and raw food items
Lactating:
- Attend to postnatal care visits for nutrition counselling
- Join breastfeeding support groups for accurate guidance on breastfeeding and complementary feeding
- Breastfeed the child to reduce risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension
- Consume galactagogue foods such as green, leafy vegetables to increase breastmilk production
- Mothers who consume 10 and more cups of coffee a day results to irritability, poor sleeping patterns, and fussiness of infants compared to those who consume 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day
Older Adults:
- Eat small, frequent meals and snacks to ease poor appetite
- Drink enough water – older adults tend to be very forgetful
- Engage to physical activity by simply watering the plants or going to a daily walk
- Communicate with fellow friends to maintain a support system
Through the easy-to-remember tips and recommended energy and nutrient intakes abovementioned, NNC MIMAROPA hopes that all Filipino women will become more mindful in prioritizing their health and nutritional status most especially in this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
Written by: PNFP Nichole Loyola
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/breastfeeding-benefits/index.html#:~:text=Breastfeeding%20can%20reduce%20the%20mother's,common%20among%20women%20who%20breastfeed.
https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/diet-and-micronutrients/maternal-diet.html
Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute. (Revised 2018) 2015 Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes. Retrieved from https://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/images/images/news/PDRI-2018.pdf
https://www.unicef.org/nutrition/maternal
https://www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/staying-well/older-women/older-women-and-eating
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/nutrition-during-pregnancy
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
