Micronutrients Key To Keeping Women Healthy

By Elsa Lam, RPh, HC, FDN-P

Golden Health Holistics

. http://www.goldenhealthpharmacy.com/

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Micronutrients Key To Keeping Women Healthy

From juggling different tasks to keeping up with everyone's busy lifestyles, women experience not only excess stress and fatigue, but also a variety of women-specific chronic conditions.We all understand the need to live a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly, but it is also important for women to learn the role of micronutrients in achieving optimal health. There is overwhelming evidence that vitamin deficiencies are associated with the overall condition of one's health as well as chronic disease processes.

A few examples of women's diseases and how they link with micronutrient deficiencies are osteoporosis, PMS, menopause, and breast cancer. Good bone health requires more than just calcium. In order to absorb calcium and prevent bone loss, women also need proper levels of vitamin D, K, and C.

Several symptoms of PMS are alleviated by specific nutrients and worsened by deficiencies. The evaluation of how each nutrient is functioning in a woman's body reveals crucial information. In clinical trials, zinc has reduced and sometimes eliminated menstrual cramping; calcium and vitamin D can mitigate premenstrual headaches; and magnesium plus vitamin B6 supplementation can reduce anxiety due to PMS.

Menopausal women are at a higher risk for micronutrient deficiencies. This is due largely to the fact that as we age, our bodies are less efficient at absorption, but also due to the oxidative stress that accompanies normal aging. As a woman enters menopause, her risk for cardiovascular disease also increases, partly because certain micronutrients that protect against heart disease become deficient.

Several key nutrients are critical for maintaining healthy breast tissue. Low antioxidant status is linked to higher rates of breast and other cancers. Antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10, cysteine, and vitamin A have been shown to mitigate DNA damage in cancerous tissue and inhibit hormonal toxicities that can initiate cancerous cells.

SpectraCell's micronutrient test assesses your vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant deficiencies on the cellular level. This unique test provides you with individualized results to determine what micronutrients your body needs to reduce your risk of chronic diseases. An integrative pharmacy that offers this test can also provide an in-depth consultation, informing you of what you are lacking and what can be done to help you live a happy, healthy life.