What are the essential dietary restrictions, hormonal markers, and physical recovery strategies for a healthy pregnancy and postpartum transition?
When you’re pregnant, every doughnut and sweet food stares you in the face, but it’s important to eat foods that have a high nutritional value. Empty calories, such as doughnuts, soda and cookies, don’t provide your fetus with sufficient nutrients for growth and development.
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Pregnancy is a wonderful time for most women, but it’s also a time when they must watch what they eat and drink more closely to avoid consuming something potentially harmful to their unborn baby.
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Sugar itself is not dangerous to eat while pregnant. The problem is that many foods that contain high amounts of refined sugar, such as candy, cakes, cookies and soft drinks, don’t provide much nutritional benefit.
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Constipation is common during pregnancy. You may experience infrequent bowel movements or stools that are hard to pass and require straining. This can cause pain and discomfort. According to the American Pregnancy Association, 50 percent of women experience constipation at some point during their pregnancy.
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Not all products, even so-called natural supplements and oils, are safe to use during pregnancy. Use of any herbal preparation should be discussed beforehand with your obstetrician. Calendula is an herb that you will likely have to avoid while pregnant, as use of it could adversely affect the health of your baby.
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By the end of pregnancy, you might be willing to try almost anything to get labor started. But before you start piling the ginger on all your food or downing gingerbread cookies, realize that the spice will not get labor started unless you were ready to go into labor anyway.
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Vanilla extract lends a slightly sweet, but bold flavor to many desserts and baked goods. Because it contains alcohol, you might be wondering if it's safe to use while you're pregnant. If you eat foods that contain vanilla extract, you probably don't need to worry.
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Stevia is an artificial sweetener made from the leaves of the stevia rebaudiana plant. It is sweeter than sugar, so less of it is needed to sweeten foods.
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During pregnancy you have to be careful about what you eat, particularly if the foods have additives. While pregnant, your body and the fetus are more sensitive to foods.
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Hippocrates, the father of medicine, once taught that the diseases caused by overeating can be cured with fasting. The earliest treatment for diabetes at the turn of the 20th century, for example, quite literally starved patients for a few days.
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Topical retinol is a form of vitamin A you may use to keep your skin clear of pimples and reduce the effects of aging and sun damage. While the product typically might not have any effects other than a little skin redness, if you’re pregnant, retinol may adversely affect your baby.
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During pregnancy, you must be cautious about the types of foods you eat, even if you've eaten them regularly without any problem before getting pregnant. Hummus, a traditional Middle Eastern dish, is a mild flavored, creamy textured soft paste often. used as a dip or spread.
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Nurturing and protecting your growing bundle of joy during your first trimester doesn't mean staying inside and being afraid to move. Physical activity prepares your body for the marathon of pregnancy and labor.
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The medicinal herb vitex, also known by the common names chasteberry and monk's pepper, has been used for hundreds of years as a component of naturopathic medicine. For men, vitex has been used most commonly as an anaphrodisiac, or a product to reduce sex drive.
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It is not uncommon to have a blood test during pregnancy, especially if your doctor suspects you are developing high triglycerides. Though it is normal during pregnancy for cholesterol to be elevated, high triglycerides can result in complications.
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Pregnancy is a time full of do’s and don’ts, including food restrictions. If you love spicy food, the thought of giving it up for nine months might have you dreaming of pepper and onions.
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The first month of pregnancy is an exciting time, but it also brings many changes to your body. Often feeling fatigued and nauseated in the first month, many women do not want to give a thought to exercise.
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Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is 600 times sweeter than sugar, according to FamilyDoctor.org. Unlike other artificial sweeteners sucralose does not leave any aftertaste and has a taste similar to actual sugar. Unlike regular sugar, sucralose contains almost no calories.
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Eating for two during pregnancy can mean making several changes to your diet. This is because while your immune system doesn't function as effectively udring pregnancy as it normally does. Bacteria that wouldn't typically affect you can cause unexpected illness when you're pregnant.
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A yen for salt is one of the more common cravings of pregnancy. Parenting.com indicates that as many as 80 percent of pregnant women experience some cravings. As long as you check with your doctor first, you can indulge yourself. A little extra sodium probably will not hurt you or your baby.
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