The ultimate nutrition guide for women: how to stay healthy with diet, vitamins, minerals, and herbs

483 Pages·2003·1.62 MB·English

by  Leslie Beck

T h e U l t i m a t e
N u t r i t i o n G u i d e
f o r Wo m e n
How to Stay Healthy with Diet,
Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs
Leslie Beck, R.D.
Associate Researcher
Anne von Rosenbach, B.A., M.L.S.
John Wiley & Sons,Inc.

T h e U l t i m a t e
N u t r i t i o n G u i d e
f o r Wo m e n
How to Stay Healthy with Diet,
Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs
Leslie Beck, R.D.
Associate Researcher
Anne von Rosenbach, B.A., M.L.S.
John Wiley & Sons,Inc.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.(cid:1)∞
Original edition published by Pearson Education Canada.Copyright © 2001 by Leslie Beck.
All rights reserved
Published by John Wiley & Sons,Inc.,Hoboken,New Jersey
No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in any form
or by any means,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,scanning,or otherwise,except as
permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act,without either the prior
written permission of the Publisher,or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee
to the Copyright Clearance Center,222 Rosewood Drive,Danvers,MA 01923,[phone],
fax [phone],or on the web at www.copyright.com.Requests to the Publisher for permission
should be addressed to the Permissions Department,John Wiley & Sons,Inc.,111 River Street,
Hoboken,NJ 07030,[phone],fax [phone],email:[email protected].
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty:While the publisher and the author have used their best
efforts in preparing this book,they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or
completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.No warranty may be created or extended by sales
representatives or written sales materials.The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable
for your situation.You should consult with a professional where appropriate.Neither the publisher nor
the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages,including but not limited
to special,incidental,consequential,or other damages.
For general information about our other products and services,please contact our Customer Care
Department within the United States at [phone],outside the United States at [phone]
or fax [phone].
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats.Some content that appears in print may
not be available in electronic books.For more information about Wiley products,visit our web site at
www.wiley.com.
ISBN 0-471-27426-7
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is dedicated to the memory of
my grandmother, Dorothy Coulter;
(cid:1)
to the women in my family and
the women I have worked with in
my private practice.
(cid:1)
I thank you for the incredible learning
you motivate and inspire me
to achieve every single day.

Contents
Introduction vii
Part 1 Essentials of Nutrition for Women 1
1 A Healthy Diet: Standard Advice for All Women 2
2 Weight Control and Food Sensitivities 44
Part 2 Low Energy Levels, Fatigue and Pain 61
3 Anemia 62
4 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) 76
5 Hypoglycemia 89
6 Insomnia 106
7 Migraine Headaches 117
Part 3 Breast, Bone and Heart Health 129
8 Breast Cancer 130
9 Fibrocystic Breast Conditions 151
10 Osteoporosis 164
11 Heart Disease and High Cholesterol 188
Part 4 Emotional Health 211
12 Depression 212
13 Eating Disorders 226
Part 5 Conception, Pregnancy and Motherhood 239
14 Infertility 240
15 Pregnancy 256
16 Breastfeeding 286
Part 6 Hormonal Health 301
17 Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) 302
18 Perimenopause 328
19 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) 346
20 Thyroid Disease 362
Part 7 Pelvic and Urinary Tract Health 389
21 Cervical Dysplasia 390
22 Endometriosis 404
23 Interstitial Cystitis (IC) 425
24 Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) 437
Endnotes 449
Index 459
vi Contents
Introduction
More than 100 million women live in the United States today.And we can expect to
live longer than did our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. A woman born in
America in 1901 could expect to live,on average,until the age of 50,and a man until
the age of 47. A century later, the situation has changed greatly. The average life
expectancy for a woman in America today is 79 years,about eight years longer than
that of the average man.
The fact that women live longer is partly due to the fact that we practice better
health than men.We are more apt to seek medical advice and we are more likely to
report that we are making an effort to achieve a healthy weight,to eat better and to
exercise more.We are also more interested in nutrition than are men.According to the
American Dietetic Association’s most recent survey,89 percent of American women
say nutrition is extremely or very important,compared to 79 percent of men.1
Over the years,women have always been concerned about nutrition.Every day in
my private practice I see women wanting dietary advice for themselves,their children
and their partners. As caregivers for their families, women continue to be largely
responsible for grocery shopping and meal preparation. At the same time, many
women are looking after aging parents, as members of a phenomenon called the
“sandwich generation.” And as the female baby boomers consider early retirement,
there’s a strong focus on living an active life,free of aches and pains.As women age,
they want to fulfill their life goals with plenty of energy and in good health.
As a professional nutritionist (a Registered Dietitian), I have been giving
women and men dietary and supplement advice for the past 13 years.When I see a
client,I assess her diet,her medical history and her lifestyle,and then I make rec-
ommendations for change. Based on a woman’s personal goals, I develop a cus-
tomized nutrition and eating plan for her.My private practice is located in the heart
of downtown Toronto, so many of my clients are baby boomers, women who are
taking charge of their health care.
The Nutritional Status of Women
Despite our interest in nutrition and our enthusiasm to live a healthy lifestyle, as
women we experience more health problems and visit the doctor more often than