A nutritionist’s guide to women’s wellbeing

A registered dietitian shares five simple food and activity habits that can support women’s overall wellbeing and may help reduce breast cancer risk.

Breast cancer awareness season is a good time to zoom out and think about women’s health more broadly. For many women, personal health can end up near the bottom of a very long list of responsibilities. Work, family and everything else can make it easy to put ourselves last. But supporting your health does not have to mean a total lifestyle overhaul. The meals you choose, how often you move and the routines you repeat each day can all play a role in better overall health. Keeping things simple can help: add more color, more nourishment and more movement, while easing up on the pressure to be perfect. Here are five dietitian-approved ways to support your health, one bite and one habit at a time.

1. Build a rainbow on your plate: When it comes to fruits and vegetables, variety matters. Different colors provide different vitamins, minerals, fiber and plant compounds, so instead of searching for one “best” produce option, aim for a colorful mix during the week. The American Cancer Society recommends a range of vegetables, including dark green, red and orange varieties, along with whole fruits. Try challenging yourself to include three colors at meals. Add spinach to eggs, blueberries to oatmeal, peppers to tacos or roasted broccoli to pasta. Frozen fruits and vegetables absolutely count, and they can be a busy woman’s best friend. Blueberries are an easy way to bring color, fiber and natural antioxidants into everything from breakfast bowls to salads.

2. Let plants take up more space: You do not need to become a vegetarian to eat more plant-based foods. Beans, lentils, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds can all help create a nutritious eating pattern. Plant foods also bring something important to the table: fiber.

Try swapping instead of restricting. Add black beans to taco meat, toss chickpeas into a salad, choose oatmeal instead of a refined breakfast pastry, or mix whole-grain pasta with your favorite sauce and plenty of vegetables.

3. Make protein part of the picture: Women’s nutrition is about more than breast health. As we get older, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important for strength, mobility and overall health. Build meals around a quality protein source such as chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, beans, lentils or nuts and seeds. Supporting foods matter too. High-protein, high-fiber breads can make it easier to put together a more balanced meal. Try a slice of Hero Bread with eggs at breakfast, use it for a turkey-and-veggie sandwich at lunch, or turn it into avocado toast for a quick meal.

4. Take another look at alcohol: What you drink can matter just as much as what you eat. Alcohol use is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, so cutting back can be one practical way to support long-term health. Start small by choosing a few alcohol-free days each week. Reach for sparkling water with citrus, try a mocktail or simply pick your favorite non-alcoholic drink. Small changes can still make a meaningful difference.

5. Nourish your body and move it: Nutrition gets plenty of attention, but movement belongs in the conversation too. Regular physical activity is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, and the American Cancer Society recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity each week for adults. You do not need to suddenly become a marathon runner. If you are currently inactive, begin with something manageable. A 10-minute walk still counts.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a helpful reminder that prevention is not about perfection; it is about the habits we practice most often. There is no guaranteed way to prevent breast cancer, and many risk factors are outside our control. Still, maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, eating a variety of nutrient-rich foods and limiting alcohol are lifestyle choices that can support overall health and may help lower breast cancer risk.

Lentil and Brown Rice Chili Bake

Serves: 6

All You Need

• 1 c. white onions

• ¾ c. Bob's Red Mill Red Lentils

• ¾ c. Hy-Vee Long Grain Brown Rice

• ⅓ c. yellow bell pepper

• ⅓ c. red bell pepper

• 1 ½ tsp. bottled minced garlic

• 3 c. Swanson Vegetable Broth

• 1 (16-oz.) jar medium salsa

• 1 (15-oz.) can Hy-Vee black beans

• 1 (1-oz.) pkg. Hy-Vee chili seasoning mix

• 1 (8-oz.) pkg. Hy-Vee finely shredded Mexican cheese blend

• Fresh cilantro

All You Do

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 3-qt. baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.

2. Combine onions, lentils, rice, 1/3 each yellow and red bell peppers, and garlic in prepared baking dish. Stir in broth, salsa, black beans and chili seasoning; spread evenly. Cover tightly with foil.

3. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes. Uncover; stir in 1 cup cheese. Spoon mixture into 6 (12-oz.) casseroles. 4. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and additional bell peppers, if desired.

Recipe Source: Lentil and Brown Rice Chili Bake | Hy-Vee