Naturally, women need a different balance of vitamins to men: a need often neglected in today's society. Here's our advice for parents and for families of all sizes who know the importance of family health.

Nutritional support

It's just one of those facts of life: women and men have different needs. Females of all ages are more vulnerable to bone weaknesses, tooth decay, arthritis and osteoporosis, simply due to genetic makeup. But it doesn't end there. During and after puberty, the female body needs more folic acid than the average Western diet provides; and the poorer the economy of a country, the poorer the diet.

Average deficiencies

Studies have shown that the average Western woman is deficient in several vitamins and minerals, that almost certainly account for certain wearinesses and ailments that are widely noted. The most common form of malnutrition is anaemia (iron deficiency), which 47% of the women worldwide develop at some stage in their lives.

Tiredness

The lack of iron-rich foods such as meat, shellfish, beans and enriched cereals is a common cause of tiredness. It can cause severe malnutrition in some cases, and can develop into amaemia. Shockingly, the nutritional handicap accumulated by years of this kind of diet is self-perpetuating. Passed on to the next generation through low birth weight, iron and protein-deficiency jeopardizes the later growth of children and can cause anaemia and tiredness to develop, too.

Mood swings

Balancing one's diet cannot fail to have good effects, and female mood swings can be greatly helped through this. Simply by protein, fibre and carbohydrate in recommended amounts (instead of indulgent amoutns), you'll stay clear of sugar lows and annoying tirednesses. In fact, females can slighty tip the scales to their advantage by eating different kinds of protein than those favoured my male counterparts: fish and white meat provide just as much as red meat, with a far lower concentration of fat. So although you'll have the energy, you won't be doing your body a disservice.

Menstrual cycle

To regulate and optimise the menstrual cycle, folic acid supplements and a folic rich diet are recommended. The higher the levels of folic acid in a woman's diet, the less likely she is to suffer menstrual cramps, irregular cycle patterns, and unusually heavy periods. Studies have also suggested that folic acid helps the system deal with the physical symptoms and results of stress, which may play a large role in regulating the female cycle.

Injuries and infections

It's been proven that the average female body takes longer to heal cuts, scrapes and bruises than the average male. While this is largely due to a faster metabolism, there are strong links with the levels of certain nutrients in the body, too. Women with high concentrations of zinc and iron in their diets have been shown to recover much faster than those without, and levels of vitamin A in a diet have a beneficial effect on muscular tissue.

Illnesses and colds

The female immune system is often said to be naturally stronger than the male (just think of man flu): but this is not innate. The female diet contains a higher concentration of vitamin C, which is essential in fighting off harmful bacteria. Women whose diets are low in vitamin C can take supplements, or start eating more fruit.

Bone weaknesses

Women are also more prone to weaker bones than males. Sometimes this can simply be a bearable frailty, while sometimes it can develop into arthritis and osteoporosis. Women therefore need more calcium and vitamin D to prevent these eventualitis as much as possible. Studies have shown that women with vitamin D deficiency absorb less than 10% of the available calcium in their diet, so this vitamin is essential.