For centuries a woman has been told she is an ABALA which in other words means a weak one. Now let us just add some strength to this ABALA and make her a S-ABALA – the strong one.
It’s only a woman who can withstand the three re-births gracefully and move on. And through this, if supported by a confident man, she comes out a winner.
So what are these three re-births? Guessed right, it’s Puberty, Pregnancy and lactation, and Menopause.
She is the daughter, the wife, the mother and the grandmother. She nurtures, she nourishes, she encourages and she just listens.
Since I am a wholistic practitioner, I am going to take a closer look at the nutritional perspective which can add the S-factor, i.e. the Strength to our wonder woman.
One may ask why do we call these milestones as a rebirth. That’s because most of the anatomy, physiology, psychology, in fact the essential perspective of a woman changes in and through these milestones.
So then let us approach the first rebirth. Get ready , your lovely little angel is now going to take you through the roller coaster of your life, the ‘teen’ years i.e. puberty. It is truly a roller coaster ride of hormones, both for you and for her. The estrogen and the progesterone secretions have started. Her primary sexual character starts to develop. The uterus and the ovaries develop. Ovulation and menstruation begins. Secondary sexual characters such as the breast and pubic hair also start developing. The growth spurt begins. Suddenly there is a need for questioning everything that is taught, of rebelling, of identity endorsement. Peers take precedence over the parents. Step back, make space. Take a deep breath and enjoy the ride.
But this is also the age when the foundation of a good health is laid. Calcium, protein and iron are three essential cornerstone of this foundation.
Calcium
Upto the early 20s is the only time when the maximum calcium absorption takes place. This is a very small window in which to pack a lifetime worth of calcium. The major source of calcium are leafy vegetables, sprouted beans, oatmeal, almond, figs. There is a little trick here, however, Vitamin D and exercise are needed for an optimum absorption. Thus more outdoor activity, walks in the sun for mother-daughter bonding should be encouraged.
Protein
These are the building blocks of the muscles, tissues and organs in the body. These enhance the growth spurt. And some of the richest sources of protein are:
- Beans – these when sprouted also give you Vitamin B12. Sprouting is very easy in a hot and humid country like Singapore.
- Soy bean – remember to use in moderation due to the controversial phytoestrogen.
- Nuts – almonds, macadamia ,pecan, walnuts, hazelnuts
- Seeds – such as sunflower pumpkin and flaxseeds
- Sesame – is also high in calcium but is equally high in phytoestrogen hence needs to be used in moderation
For those of us who come from India ,remember good old granny had advised us not to eat too many til ladoos(sesame sweet balls) during winter months,well there is an element of truth in it.
Iron
This is very important element. It helps to carry O2 to the growing muscles and brain. Also helps in replenishing the blood lost during menstruation. But the trick in this case is Vitamin C which is needed for maximum absorption. Some of the important sources of iron are –
- Beetroot, spinach, asparagus, lettuce, broccoli
- Cocoa, sea-weed, jaggery
- Black grapes, raisins and dates
Sources of vitamin C are
- Citrus fruits – lemons, melons, strawberries, guava and kiwi
- Orange yellow veggies like red peppers, carrots and pumpkins
Some other elements that one needs to focus on during puberty are
- Magnesium – very essential in controlling PMS(premenstrual syndrome).
- The major sources of magnesium are banana, brown rice, broccoli and nuts
- Vitamin E – almond, sunflower seeds, pepper (red, yellow, green) and whole wheat
- Vitamin B6 – pepper, potatoes (cooked with skin)
- Garlic – not only does it keep the vampires away but also helps in nerve development. It is also a great antioxidant.
I am sure you are wondering why I have not added milk, eggs poultry, or red meat on our list.
Well, this is not an article which goes into the depths of this topic. However, just so that I address this important question, most of these products are factory farmed and hugely pumped with hormones, which definitely will interfere with the developing hormones of our pubertal princesses. So if you are privileged enough to have access to fresh organic meats, milk or eggs, you might want to go ahead and indulge.
Just remember, she is your daughter, beautiful just the way she is. Short or tall, stout or lean, dark or fair, doesn’t matter. She is simply beautiful. Teach her to respect who she is. This will keep the vampires of anorexia and bulimia away. These horrible eating disorders sap our youngsters of their strength and vitality.
‘Fit’ should be the mantra, not thin. So long then hope you enjoy the roller coaster ride. We will touch base again in the second ‘birth’ (pregnancy and lactation).
Recipes
ABC Juice (Apple, Beetroot, Carrot)
Ingredients –
1 cup cut apple
1 cup cut carrot
½ cup cut beetroot
Procedures –
If non-organic please peel the carrot, beetroot and apples, since the peel retains the maximum pesticides. If organic please wash clean in running water.
Add the ingredients to a juicer. Serve immediately half an hour before dinner or first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Use a good juicer and not a blender.
Health benefits –
Rich source of iron, calcium and vitamin C.
Dates and nut balls
Ingredients –
1 small bowl crushed dates (remove the seeds)
1 small bowl crushed roasted seeds and nuts
Procedure –
Mix the ingredients of both the bowls together and roll them into tiny balls
Tip – how to make nuts and seeds powder
Ingredients
50gms almonds
50gms pistachio
50gms walnuts
50gms pecan nuts
50gms sunflower seeds
50gms pumpkin seeds
Dry-roast each of the above individually and cool. Coarsely crush them in a blender.
Health benefits –
Rich source of iron, calcium, proteins, vitamin E and magnesium
