A recently launched women’s health website gives user friendly and interactive information on fitness, pregnancy, beauty and nutrition. This site is dedicated to the health and welfare of Indian women.

This user friendly and interactive website is being designed under the guidance of some of the most well known doctors from across the country. The core team consists of specialists ranging from gynecology, nutrition, lifestyle, relationship, beauty and skin care. You can also ask the experts and make queries of the above topics.

According to a survey carried out in 2006 by National Family Healthy survey (NFHS), Government of India, one out of two women is anaemic, with almost 39 percent of Indian women in the age group of 15-49 years suffering from mild anaemia. This is literally means that almost 115 million Indian women of the reproductive age are anaemic.

“Besides consuming appropriate diet, it is also important to take it in an appropriate fashion. Most Indian women do not know the fact that having tea, coffee or colas with meals inhibits the iron absorption leading to iron deficiency. The Indian staple diet is predominantly cereal/ pulse based and contains substances called phytates and tannins, which inhibit the iron absorption.

On the other hand, having fresh vitamin C rich fruits and salads with the meals is beneficial since these enhance iron absorption,” informs Dr. Suneeta Mittal, Head Deptt of Obstretacian and Gynaecology, AIIMS. Quite often the vigorous cooking conditions employed in preparing the food as in Indian culinary practice, could destroy the vitamin C and folic acid that are required in iron absorption and utilization. In addition, unhealthy environment and bad hygienic practices compound the problem of anaemia. Intestinal ingestation with worms and bacteria could deprive the hosts even the modest amounts of iron absorbed and contributes to significant prevalence of anaemia.

Taking a regular dose of nutritional supplements containing all the essential hemopoietic nutrients would help to meet the daily requirement of these nutrients. An ideal supplement is one that contains all the hemopoietic nutrients in required levels along with other key nutrients needed for the daily functioning of the body. It is needless to mention that the requirements of iron and other nutrients for pregnant and lactating women are much more for meeting the ever-growing needs of the baby and thus are more prone for anaemia. Additional intakes are to be ensured for protection of both the mother and the baby.