Maybe Baby? Finding the Right Nutrition for Your Pregnancy

January 29, 2010 by Keith Woolley  
Filed under Prenatal and Pregnancy

Newspapers have been writing a lot about fertility and the fact that more and more women are making a choice to start a family in their 30′s or 40′s. Girls these days are highly likely to have a high flying career and be considering town trips, shoe shopping and sports autos, and a lot less about Mothercare, changing nappies, and pushing carts.

The average age for giving birth in the UK is going up about two months every year. The average age in 2007 was 29.3 years compared with 28.6 years in 2001. Statistics show that the average lady under thirty will get pregnant within the first 6 months and those in their early thirty’s may take up to and longer than nine months. From 35 onwards it might take one year.

Some girls are spending plenty of cash attempting to increase their possibilities of conceiving naturally, but this may be a needless cost. Lord Robert Winston, pioneer of IVF treatment, told the Daily Mail that ladies who freeze their eggs to obstruct parenthood are being given false hopes by fertility clinics. He is going on to say that this does not in any way guarantee that a women will become pregnant or go on to have a healthy baby.

So without ditching the thrilling lifestyle what can you do to help turbo-charge your wellbeing for that ‘maybe baby’ stage? Being healthy is far easier than you might think. Here are a few tips

For her :

Iron

Most ladies recognize iron as an important mineral for good health. Despite this knowledge, iron deficiency is regarded the most common nutritive deficiency and the most influenced group are ladies of child-bearing age. Studies have shown that even delicate deficiencies of iron are linked to reduced fertility. It appears that a deficiency of iron may perform a part in ovulatory dysfunction. Take daily Iron supplements ( look for non-constipating form )

Essential trans acids

The force on girls to remain slim has lead to many women adopting very low fat diets. Unfortunately, this pattern of eating is related to a decline in fertility. The necessary trans-acids ( found in nuts, seeds and oily fish ) have many functions throughout the body, including balancing the hormones concerned in fertility. Try Omega 3-6-9 capsules with a mix of prime quality fish, flax and borage oil.

Multivitamin and mineral formula

A multivitamin and mineral formula has for some time been regarded as a measure for general wellness and as health insurance. Studies now suggest that a multivitamin formula could also be of use for maintaining fertility in women. Studies in the latter 90s proved that ladies who constantly took a multivitamin formula, were less sure to be infertile due to ovulatory failure than people who didn’t. Similarly, the more frequent and regular the supplements were taken, the better the results .

Try Solgar’s Female Multivitamin & Mineral complicated

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 ( sometimes called the sunshine vitamin ) could augment the fertility of girls afflicted with ovulation Problems. One in 5 women suffer with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome ( PCOS ) and can have a lesser chance of conception at a later age. Researchers at Yale school college of medication ( 2008 ) concluded ladies with ovulation problems or PCOS were much more sure to be low in vitamin D.

Try 1000iu D3 supplement

For him :

Your better half should be thinking along the same lines as you when it comes to living healthily. Sperm count and motility plays a particularly significant part in the act of making an attempt to become pregnant. Why do all of the hard work when your other half plays an equal part in the middle of conception? current figures ( from Norwich Union Healthcare in 2005 ) show that 2.5 million men suffer from sterility in the UK. Male infertility may account for as much as a 3rd of Problems with conception so it is important that your man takes similar steps to you to keep himself and his sperm in tip top health.

Zinc

Zinc is clearly one of the most vital nutrients needed for fertility, particularly for men. Studies show that a low zinc intake corresponds with a low sperm count and poor sperm motility.

Vitamin C

As an antioxidant, vitamin C is essential for good health. For men, this nutrient plays a particular role in augmenting fertility. Research has shown that vitamin C may help to reduce the clumping together of sperm and thus reinforces sperm motility. Additionally, vitamin C usually reinforces sperm quality and protects the DNA contained within it from damage.

Visit www.solgar.co.uk for more information on vitamin & mineral supplements

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The first step in conception is getting the right Prenatal Support. Go along to the Solgar site and find all the data you need. Keith Woolley is a Research Director for Natural Food Stores in the UK

Pregnancy Exercises

September 11, 2009 by Janine Rose Morley  
Filed under Prenatal and Pregnancy

Pregnant Womens Exercise Plan Whether you were always fit or not, every woman should consider an exercise program while pregnant. After consulting your baby doctor, you should put together a program that works for you. Your body will be going through a lot of changes during the course of a pregnancy, it would be best to be prepared. Your first step in an pregnancy exercise program is to decide how much you want to accomplish with the program. Are you continuing with a program that you had in place before you were pregnant? Is this a new exercise program that you have put in place just for your pregnancy? Answer this question and you will create a pregnancy exercise program.

Pregnant Womens Exercise Plan.. The first part of any exercise plan is a stretching program. Gentle stretching exercises for your neck, shoulders, hips, arms, and legs should be done on a daily basis to keep your body limber. In addition, you should start a breathing program early on. The exact stretching exercise for pregnancy can vary.

Pregnant Womens Exercise Plan.. The principal part of any exercise plan is a stretching program. Gentle stretching exercises for your neck, shoulders, hips, arms, and legs ought to be done on a day after day basis to keep your body limber. In addition, you ought to start a breathing curriculum early on. The exact stretching work out for pregnancy can vary.

Pregnant Womens Exercise Plan.. Two of the most traditional exercises also should also be incorporated in a pregnancy health plan. A daily walking program will stretch out the muscles. Try power walking around your neighbourhood. Without much planning you can do this everyday. Swimming exercises are a comfortable way to stretch out muscles.

What about more active exercises during pregnancy? If you enjoy an active lifestyle, and your doctor agrees, you should be able to continue this active lifestyle during the first and part of the second trimester. And dont forsake your trips to the gym. A jogging and tennis (not Wimbeldon) are fine. Limit away from more active exercises that could lead to accidents even when you are not pregnant (Anything that involves skates or horses). If you chose an active plan, make sure that you scale back your schedule prior to pregnancy.

What about more vigorous exercises during pregnancy? If you enjoy an energetic lifestyle, and your doctor agrees, you ought to be able to continue this active lifestyle during the first and part of the second trimester. And dont forsake your trips to the fitness center. Jogging and tennis (not Wimbeldon) are fine. Limit away from more vigorous exercises that could lead to accidents even when you are not pregnant (Anything that involves horses). If you chose an active idea, make sure that you scale back your schedule prior to pregnancy. There is no straightforward way around it: Pregnancy is a gruelling physical experience. A good pregnant womens exercise idea, like any parallel experience, can make this easier. Stretching, low impact exercise, even more energetic exercises can help make you stay throughout. Training can always lead to a better lifestyle. For the duration of a pregnancy, an appropriate program can help you cope. Good luck

Pregnant Womens exercise Plan

Top Pregnancy Diet Tips

September 7, 2009 by Janine Rose Morley  
Filed under Prenatal and Pregnancy

Top Pregnancy Diets. A pregnancy diet is built around a few fundamental principles (which are actually pretty similar to the basic principles of healthy eating at any time in life). Proper consumption during pregnancy is vital. But what if you also concerned in relation to weight gain? Although you must never try to lose weight throughout pregnancy, there are diets that are accessible during pregnancy that can cover your diet needs as well as account for your well being and nutritional needs.

What top pregnancy diets should cover. Before we begin looking at specific diets, lets quickly cover what needs to be part of your diet. You will need to obtain a diet that contains plenty of dairy, fruits, vegetables, proteins, and grains. You furthermore need to make sure you get the proper vitamins such as folic acid, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin B12. You ought to avoid too much fat, sugar, and seafood that is susceptible to mercury. Stay away from the dreaded alcohol and sugar substitutes. These are fundamental nutritional needs that a pregnant woman needs every day. Calcium is of great consequence, but you can fulfil your necessities with low fat milk.

Top Pregnancy Diets. Should pregnant women go for popular diets? Doctors do not suggest going on a diet during pregnancy, therefore many trendy diets should be avoided. Since the initial thing we did was tell you to ensure you hit all your food groups, the last thing we would instruct you is to remove them from your diet. The Atkins diet restricts the intake of particular food groups to induce weight loss. These are without doubt two no-nos.

The pregnancy diet is clearly not for men. (Although in this day and age that could change sometime)… Who knows what the men in their white coats are up to ?? You can do the South Beach Diet while pregnant, with a caveat. This diet is based on getting rid of bad carbohydrates and replacing them with good carbs. Since phase one is about temporarily getting rid of all carbs, you should skip this phase and go straight to phase two. And because phase three is about maintaining weight, the diet is a winner all around.

The Zone Diet, with its 40% carbs, 30% fat, and 30% protein would fall within the guidelines of an acceptable pregnancy diet, with proper modifications to ensure that all the nutritional guidelines are fulfilled

Top Pregnancy Diets for Vegetarians. Vegetarian diets will fulfil your pregnancy needs. If you enjoy tofu or soy milk, it can be substituted for milk. Make sure your soy milk is fortified with calcium. For breakfast, a traditional breakfast of cereal, toast, and wheat bread (two slices) will take care of mother and baby. You should also include a small serving of fruit and a glass of fruit juice. Lunch should include either a tofu sandwich or a healthy salad with plenty of greens. Also include some fruit. Dinner should also include whole grains and tofu. You should also include beans, legumes, and nuts. Do not neglect snacking at least twice a day. Snacks should include legumes, nuts, or seeds.

Water is very important for everybody whether you are expecting or you are not, plenty of water is an inevitable part of your daily regime..Dieting during pregnancy must take a backseat to the needs of you and your baby. But if you follow the guidelines, you can ensure that you can slip back into your pre-pregnancy clothes while your little one is still cooing from his bassinet by following the outlined top pregnancy diets available to you.

Top Tips On Nutrition For Pregnant Women

Nutrition During Pregnancy

September 7, 2009 by Janine Rose Morley  
Filed under Prenatal and Pregnancy

Guide to pregnancy diets A pregnancy diet is built around a few basic principles (which are actually pretty similar to the basic principles of healthy eating at any time in life). Pregnancy and eating always seem to go together.

Your first priority is feeding your unborn child. Do not skimp on the right foods for your baby. Include at least two portions of fruit, six portions of grains. You should also include four or more servings of vegetables and dairy protects. Also include two or three servings of protein. This diet should help ensure that your child gets the proper vitamin. Your doctor will supplement this with vitamins. Iron, Vitamin C, and folic acid are all needed for the healthy growth of your baby. Finally, you should have no alcohol and very limited caffeine.

Pregnant or not, you should be limiting fat to 30% of your calorie intake. This is especially true when you are pregnant. Check labels and avoid fatty meals. Low fat milk will cover your dairy needs just as good as whole milk. Sweets are not part of the pregnancy diet either, sorry.

How much weight should you gain during pregnancy? You should expect to gain about 25 pounds. Whatever you do, do not try to lose weight during pregnancy. This can put your child at risk. If you are already worried about your weight before pregnancy, you can limit your weight gain. As always, consult your doctor and research a reputable guide to pregnancy diets. The pregnancy diet is clearly not for men. (Although in this day and age that could change sometime)… Who knows what the men in their white coats are up to ?

How much weight should you gain during pregnancy? You should expect to gain about 25 pounds. Whatever you do, do not try to lose weight during pregnancy. This can put your child at risk. If you are already worried about your weight before pregnancy, you can limit your weight gain. As always, consult your doctor.

There are other foods to avoid during pregnancy. Seafood that is known to be high in mercury, such as swordfish, should be avoided. Artificial sweeteners should also be avoided. Any foods that are a source of potential bacteria, such as raw meat, eggs, or certain cheeses should not be in your diet. What should also be taken in to account that a pregnancy diet that is aimed at your babies health is not a weight loss plan, but rather a way of eating properly for the benefit of yourself and your unborn baby while pregnant.

A well researched guide to pregnancy diets will ask how many extra calories should you add to your diet during pregnancy?. Your calorie count should rise by roughly 300 during the second trimester and 500 during the last trimester. Staying inside these guidelines should keep your weight gain under control. The above information should keep you allow you to stay healthy, fit, and as comfortable as feasible during your pregnancy. Make certain you keep these in mind when creating your proper pregnancy diet.

Helping Hand To Healthy Pregnancy Diets

The Hazards of Drinking While Pregnant

September 4, 2009 by Julie Xillion  
Filed under pregnancy

Consuming alcohol when pregnant has substantial risks to the pregnant mother. Unfortunately, statistics reveal that in this area twelve percent of women in the United States consume at a little when pregnant and approximately 2 percent binge-drink. Earlier this year the Center for Disease Control reiterated that those percentages have not changed significantly in the more than 18 years. From a the standpoint of good health, drinking when pregnant can genuinely effect development of the baby and the ensuing fetal alcohol syndrome may well take a generation of intensive therapy to control.

Consuming Alcohol When Pregnant

Grown of alcohol when pregnant basically supplies toxin into the developing baby which may effect his or her development. A lot of women however, decide to drink a flute of alcohol during pregnancy or infrequently consume one or two drinks. While the risk of impairment may be less with a smaller amount frequent consumption, scientists have not yet found out what, if any, amount of alcohol consumption is safe for the pregnant mom. As a result, there is almost universal agreement that expecting mothers should avoid drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Nutrients and Vitamins May Help While Pregnant

For those expecting mothers who are unsuccessfully fighting alcohol addiction, there may be some hope on the horizon. A study being performed in SDSU is looking at the effects of drinking alcohol on 600 expecting mothers in the Ukraine. The study is looking at the nutrient choline to determine the effect, if any, it may have on the expecting mothers and their children. In looking at the quote form the AP press release that announced the drinking while pregnant study.

“Nutrition plays a powerful role in proper development of the brain and nervous system: Getting enough folate during pregnancy, for example, can prevent spina bifida and related birth defects. And significant alcohol consumption interferes with mom’s ability to absorb various nutrients, in turn affecting whether her fetus gets enough. So Thomas’ group tested choline, a precursor to a brain chemical that plays a key role in learning. She exposed pregnant rats to alcohol during a third-trimester spurt of brain growth. Giving the mother rats extra choline – or, importantly, giving newborn pups the nutrient – significantly improved the pups’ later ability to learn.”

In addition to choline, zinc and a few other nutrients and minerals are being looked at to determine if they have an effect on these conditions. The best advice however, is to still have a healthy and varied diet. When pregnant, take care of your health, eat right, avoid toxins, and enjoy your pregnancy.

Total refrain from alcohol is the best approach to ensuring that drinking liquor does not affect the baby. In addition to nutrition status, genetics, and levels of consumption, there are numerous other factors that determine if drinking alcohols during pregnancy will affect the baby. With all those variables, and the risk of an objectionable outcome, why risk it?

Written by Julie Xillion of Bloomen Nutrition Chewable Prenatal Vitamins. Visit Julie today and during each phase of pregnancy.

Ensure the Wellness of Your New Baby

A new baby is a beautiful and indescribable blessing to any family. Months of preparation and anticipation lead up to a very climactic birth day. All is well it seems, mother and baby are doing wonderfully and in a day or two will head home. From the warm, safe and very recognizable, to the baby, environment of moms womb, what environment, what cocoon will provide your baby safety from here on out?

Unless you specify during pregnancy that your baby will be wrapped in only the safest and best 100% cotton organic materials possible you will receive lots of gifts in blankets and crib materials that will not be so supportive for a newborn. Let people know early on your preferences for organic and green. This will ensure safe and cozy crib bedding for your sweet baby. Why cotton and why organic?

Certain clothes, especially permanent press, wrinkle free and water resilient fabrics are dipped or sprayed in formaldehyde, which is also used as embalming fluid. Many fabrics on sofas, chairs and carpets are preserved with harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde. Formaldehyde has some alias names to look for: Formalin, Methanal, Methyl aldehyde, Methylene oxide, Morbicid acid and Oxymethylene.

Long term benefits will result from taking a stand for organic, especially next to your new precious baby. Remember that organic is different than merely meeting safety standards.

With constant contact, any person, and especially a small person will acquire sensitivities. These are simply put, allergies. Without constant mineralization and good enzymes, they will get progressively worse throughout life.

Sensitivities are what many call allergies. An allergic reaction can appear as benign as a slight skin rash, or unbearable dermatitis. Allergies can also come on unexpectedly as a life threatening asthma attack or anaphylactic shock. No need for scare tactics though; it is enough said that any of those aforementioned reactions are not what you want for a newborn infant or any person.

The best way to insure a healthy environment for the entire home, starting with baby is fine though, is to buy 100% cotton, organic and from a reputable company. There are many listed in the green directories, online and most search engines.

No parent knowingly wants to harm their child; and even with the best intentioned lifestyles there are always possibilities that as a child grows that he or she will be introduced to toxic materials. Good natural health and a healthy green environment is about creating strength, not a lifetime of protection. The best defense is a mineral-rich and enzyme-full diet, healthy support and respect for the environment.

Those babies and children who have a poor diet, rich in fast foods, sugars, hydrogenated fats and sodas will always be those that go to the doctor more, are diagnosed with strange diseases, labeled ADHD, etc. Not meant simply as a general statement, it is meant to emphasize what makes all the difference between a child that survives to adulthood and one that thrives to be a productive and vibrant part of society

Breast fed babies have a great lead into life when mom is a healthy eater. Whether prenatal or during breast feeding a woman should eat well so that her health can recoup post natal.

What to Do If You Suspect Allergies?

First of all you must stop all contact with the irritant whether it is a food, a fabric, an environmental contaminant such as air, water, etc. This is most crucial when dealing with allergic reactions suffered by the very young or the very old.

The body is equipped with digestive juice factories. Some are located in the mouth, some in the stomach, some juices that digest travel from the liver and pancreas through the hepatopancreatic duct to supply digestive help in the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.

When the body is depleted of the juices it needs to digest, even proteins which could be building blocks, become instead boulders the body simply carries along until it has the capacity to rid itself of what has become a liability. At this crucial point 75% – 80% of all foods ingested should be raw or lightly cooked.

During times of allergy outbreak, and I would add always, dairy should be avoided completely, along with any food that looks white or colorless, processed meats, canned or pre-packaged foods and sugars. In addition, having a good naturopath or nutritional counselor will create the support the parent needs to do the right thing for children who struggle with health.

Precautions and Solutions

Creating Green Environments is going to be our best ally for the future. Begin small and add on something new each month.

Eating whole and natural creates whole Human Beings. If you are pregnant or newly into parenthood ” begin now. Begin throwing out dead foods and replace them one by one with live food. Make it a family quest and project. What fun!

Create an organic nursery for your organic and healthy baby. This is a new beginning for your entire family, no matter whether you are expecting child #1 or #5.

Look for whole and green everywhere. Expect the best and insist upon it. To Your Best Health, Ellen Valentine, CNC

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