It should come as no surprise that women have different nutritional needs than men. Women's bodies handle stress differently than men's bodies, and their complicated systems require a variety of nutrients to perform at optimum levels. Because a woman's health changes with the cyclical nature of her body, it is important that she keep up with this cycle and supplement her nutritional intake accordingly. Let's look at how a woman can best do this to maintain peak health all year long.

Many people can benefit from supplementing with Essential Fatty Acids, or EFAs, but they are of utmost import for women. Not only are they essential for optimum brain functioning, these supplements play an important role in heart health for women. They are quite beneficial for the hair, skin and nails, all of which concerns are on the top of a woman's list.

Women will do a lot for the sake of beauty, and it may even include eating fish when they don't like the taste of it. Salmon is probably the best natural source of EFAs, but if you would prefer to take your fish oil quickly and easily you can do so with a tablet or capsule. So long as you are diligent with your supplement regimen, you can reap the same benefits as you would by eating a lot of fish.

Another very important supplement for women is folic acid. The body does not easily manufacture folic acid, so it is important to supplement the diet with this B-vitamin derivative. It is especially critical for women to get folic acid, especially women of child-bearing years. Every prenatal vitamin contains folic acid and most practitioners will suggest an additional folic acid supplement even while a pregnant woman is taking a prenatal vitamin.

This is true even after childbirth, and while a woman is still breastfeeding. Folic acid deficiencies have been known to cause birth defects. If you are within the range of child-bearing years and you think you may become pregnant, it is a good idea to start supplementing with folic acid even if you do not anticipate pregnancy for many months. The best plan for a safe and healthy pregnancy is to build up folic acid in your system prior to the time when a developing fetus may need to rely on it.

Calcium is a mineral that is especially important for women to have in plentiful amounts. Women are much more prone to osteoporosis, and the chance of developing this debilitating condition can be greatly reduced by taking in sufficient amounts of calcium before you significantly age. Along with calcium, women should take magnesium in a ratio of 2:1. Magnesium helps calm anxiety, and more important for women it reduces premenstrual cramps and hormonal fluctuations that cause emotional upset during this time of a woman's cycle.

During a woman's cycle, certain herbs have been touted as being quite helpful although they remain somewhat controversial as to efficacy and safety. One herb that is very popular for women is dong quai, which is said to lessen mood swings and cramping and have a direct effect on estrogen and progesterone levels.

Another herb that is known for this is wild yam. Some women use a cream made from wild yam that you can rub directly into the skin of your hands or elsewhere, and they indicate that it evens your levels of estrogen and progesterone because the herb itself has plant hormone levels similar to those a woman has during her menstrual cycle.

As indicated above, the efficacy and safety levels of these herbs are often the subject of much debate among health professionals. Last in this list of herbs is black cohosh, which again is used by many to help ease premenstrual symptoms. It can be taken in tea or tincture form, and also comes in a capsule or tablet if that is preferable.

It is imperative that women supplement their diet with crucial vitamins, minerals and herbs for a number of reasons. Not only is it important during times of added stress such as menstruation, but a women's body tends to have additional stress for a number of reasons all year long.

Childbirth, preparation for childbirth, the after-effects of childbirth as well as menstruation and pre-menstruation all require additional nutrient intake. For older women, the issue of menopause and peri-menopause arises and this too is taxing on the delicate balance of hormones.

Add to all of these stage-of-life issues the daily stress of child-rearing and other issues and it is no wonder women need serious supplementation. Even if you are a woman who eats right and gets proper exercise, chances are you could benefit from additional supplementation. It is never too late to make sure you get the right nutrients for the healthiest life possible.