Mindful micronutrient supply for women

Mindful micronutrient support for women

The female body performs astonishing feats every month and goes through demanding phases of adjustment throughout life — from puberty through possible pregnancies to the menopause. These phases can be challenging not only for the body but also for mental wellbeing. Being aware of what the female body accomplishes each month in every phase makes it all the more important to address its specific needs and support it as best as possible. A conscious supply of micronutrients can be a major component of this. It has a crucial influence on hormonal balance and depends heavily on a healthy diet with the right nutrients. Depending on the phase of hormonal change, some nutrients are particularly significant. We would like to present three phases and look at which vitamins and micronutrients can be especially helpful companions.

1. Menstruation

Menstruation accompanies every woman month after month and brings quite a few ups and downs for the body and mood. Particularly unpleasant lower abdominal pain can affect daily life. To give women more balance during this phase, yam root has been a popular support for decades. The climbing plant from West Africa contains a particularly high proportion of diosgenin. Diosgenin is a so‑called phytohormone whose structure resembles the sex hormone progesterone. In its country of origin, yam root is even referred to as a “women’s plant”.

2. The pill

The pill (oral contraceptives), as it is colloquially called, is still one of the most popular contraceptives on the market. There are so‑called combined pills that contain the synthetic hormones oestrogen and progestogens. These are intended to prevent ovulation. However, the pill can affect not only ovulation but also the micronutrient balance. Particular attention should be paid to the B vitamins when taking the contraceptive pill. A conscious diet rich in vitamin B is advisable with this method of contraception.

3. Menopause (change of life)

Menopause denotes a woman’s very last menstrual bleeding. This marks the end of the fertile period. A phase of natural hormonal readjustment and a cessation of oestrogen production begins. Even in this turbulent time, a conscious look at vitamin and mineral supply can help. For example, vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity and therefore should be present in sufficient amounts for the body. As oestrogen declines, bone density also decreases. It is therefore particularly important to keep an eye on the supply of vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc, as they contribute to the maintenance of normal bones. True treasures in times of change can also be isoflavones. These are found, for example, in soy and resemble the declining hormone oestrogen in their structure.

Being aware of the phases of hormonal change can help restore a lot of balance through mindful micronutrient support. It also helps to put the little pitfalls of hormonal shifts into perspective and deal with them more calmly. 😊