FOR MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS: A Guide to Good Nutrition for Women

Simply presented, authoritative information On the nutritional needs of women throughout their lifetimes--mostly available in general nutrition and women's health guides, yet handy as an all-in-one package. As Winick points out, women require less food than men, but more of certain specific nutrients to stay healthy. Consequently, they tend to be either overweight or undernourished; and Winick sets out to rectify this situation by describing, from infancy to the ""Mature Years,"" what's needed and how best to get it (supplements are sometimes in order). Breastfeeding rates a plus (it just is the best way to feed a baby); ""alternative"" diets are attended to (Winick favors responsible vegetarianism); the mature years get particular notice. Winick not only discusses nutritional requirements in older women, but also covers such special concerns as preventing bone and tooth disease, and drug-nutrient interactions. (Antacids and high blood pressure medications, among others, can cause nutrient losses.) A final note on ""Diseases Common to Women""--alcoholism, anemia, scoliosis--explains the dietary adjustments that can be made to support medical treatment. Winick is director of Columbia-Presbyterian's Institute of Human Nutrition and the author of Growing Up Healthy (1982), among others. This is written in his usual clear, easygoing style--so it's a worthwhile resource, if in no way especially new.