Avoid Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Posted on | June 27, 2009 | No Comments
Now that you have sought advice and found that there is no medical reason for you not to exercise, you will need ask yourself, “What do I want to achieve from my exercise?” The reasons why women want to exercise vary, depending on their previous experience and enjoyment of exercise. Some of most common reasons given for exercising in pregnancy are to control weight gain, to prepare for childbirth and to maintain fitness.
Most medical consultants recommend a weight gain of 10 to 20 kilograms in pregnancy. Some women will put on more, others less, and still have a healthy-sized baby and not have gained excessive weight themselves. We are all different. The key is a balance between your energy needs, your baby’s and the amount of kilojoules you consume.
The weight you gain during pregnancy will be made up of extra circu¬lating blood, larger breasts, extra muscle and fat and, of course, your baby, uterus, placenta and amniotic fluid. It is the distribution of the extra fat on hips and thighs that causes some women to be very concerned about their weight gain, particularly if they do not understand that this weight distri¬bution is normal and is caused by the hormones of pregnancy.
Excessive weight gain in pregnancy is not recommended because this puts extra strain on your body and can lead to physical discomfort for you and a less than optimal environment for your baby. Controlling excessive weight gain by diet and exercise is therefore a healthy alternative. Research has shown that the best exercise for anyone, pregnant or not, wishing to control their weight is mild to moderate aerobic exercise, maintained over an extended time. This is also an ideal type of exercise during pregnancy. Walking and swim¬ming are probably the most common forms of aerobic exercise used by pregnant women.
Make sure controlling excessive weight gain remains your aim with your program and don’t become obsessive. Exercising in order not to gain weight at all tips the balance to unhealthy exercise. If you are concerned about your weight gain during pregnancy or whether your diet is adequate nutritionally for the demands of both pregnancy and exercise, you may wish to consult a dietician.
Labour is a very physical event, an event that requires you to have both endurance and strength. If you enter this event physically prepared, your ability to handle it will be enhanced. Just as no sensible athlete would ever consider entering an endurance event without suitable training, adequate rest and appropriate diet, neither should you. Suitable training for child¬birth aims to make you strong and flexible, both in body and mind, and to give you specific skills and movements such as pelvic rocking for use during labour.
Physical strength and flexibility can be gained from the exercises, and mental preparation from the relaxation time you spend at the end of each session as you become in tune with your body and your baby. It can be used on its own or as a complement to other general fitness activities.
Healthy Eating While Pregnant
Posted on | June 16, 2009 | No Comments
During pregnancy every organ in your body works harder than normal and uses more energy than before. In addition, your diet must supply all the new materials for your baby`s growth. The rule is to eat well and healthily, being careful that your diet also contains all your nutritional requirements. To cope with these high demands, you’ll find your appetite increases, you may even experience food fads that, in most cases, accom-modate nutritional deficiencies, and your calorie intake will increase. This is normal. Eat the most varied, diet possible and you won`t go far wrong. But there are specific pregnancy needs you also need to consider.
As a general rule, you can increase your calorie intake by about 500 calories a day. Instead of eating two or three main meals a day, try spreading your food intake into five or six smaller meals so that your blood sugar doesn’t dip between meals. This will help avoid energy lows and morning sickness in the first three months.
Carbohydrates provide the essential fuel that give you energy. Most of your calories should come from carbohydrates, but rather than sugar-based carbohydrates you should eat complex unrefined carbohydrates in the form of wholegrains, wholemeal bread, porridge, brown rice, potatoes, peas, beans and lentils because these provide long-lasting energy and fibre. It is now well known that the closer your food is to its raw state, the better, so avoid processed carbohydrate where possible. However, simple carbohydrates are absorbed by the system in minutes, so the sugar from fructose (fruit), lactose (milk) and dextrose (honey) are good for a quick energy boost and can help to relieve morning sickness.
The protein is the building block to enable all your baby`s tissues – bone, muscle, cartilage and blood to grow, so you should eat at least lOOg (4oz) of protein a day if you can. You may not necessarily eat red meat very often (or at all) but in pregnancy it is important because red meat is the most concentrated source of iron. For vegetarians, milk (skimmed), yoghurt, cheese and eggs are excellent sources of protein, as are seeds, nuts, peanut butter (although high in calories), and the vegetable protein in peas, beans and lentils. Most bread is protein-enriched. Eat as much fish as you can – its easily digested pure protein, rich in minerals and vitamins and oily fish also contain essential fatty acids.
All the vitamins are important for maintaining general good health but some vitamins such as B and C cannot be stored by the body and a daily intake is required. Some vegetables and fruit contain B vitamins, as do meat, fish, dairy products, grains and nuts. Vitamin C is provided by fresh fruit and vegetables. Vitamin D is found in fish oils and can be. manufactured by the body; this process is triggered by j the action of light on the skin and most people in the UK require about 40 minutes of sunlight per day to produce adequate amounts. Folk acid is important in the prevention of spina bifida and supplements should be taken three months before conception and during the first trimester. Avoid liver or liver pates because they are high in vitamin A and this can cause problems.
Minerals are essential for your body to function efficiently. Calcium is needed to build the baby’s bones and teeth, a process which starts as soon as you conceive. It is wise to make sure your diet is rich in calcium before you become pregnant, then keep your calcium intake high by eating broccoli, dried milk and tinned salmon with the bones. Leafy green vegetables and dairy products also contain calcium. Remember that vitamin D is needed to promote calcium absorption.
Iron is vital, not just for your baby but for your own needs too. Your own iron level must be kept high throughout pregnancy because your baby uses iron so fast that it is cleared instantly from his blood. He is, so to speak, in a constant iron-deficient state.
If you are iron-deficient when you become pregnant, or become so later on, your doctor will prescribe iron tablets or injections to prevent you from developing anaemia. Eat foods that are rich in iron including red meat, eggs and offal (not liver); non-animal sources include fish, haricot beans, apricots, raisins and prunes.
How To Calm Yourself
Posted on | April 2, 2009 | No Comments
A dog, when frightened, licks its nose quickly and repeatedly. This is a calming behavior. It simultaneously lets the world know that something is wrong and soothes the dog. We all have calming behaviors. Behaviors that soothe are tools to use when we’re scared, nervous, or upset.
Exercise Eases Stress – Exercising produces endorphins, which can bring a sense of wellbeing. Even simple stretches can break relieve tension. The world looks much better after a walk around the block.
Rescue Remedy – Rescue Remedy is a combination of five flowers — cherry plum, clematis, rockrose and start of Bethlehem — in an alcohol base. Drops placed on the tongue bring almost instantaneous temporary relief from panic, fear, or worry. It’s great in an emergency and works equally well for people and many animals.
Soothing Smoothies – A homemade fruit smoothie calms me right down when I’m a little out of sorts. Whether it’s warm milk or a grilled cheese sandwich, everyone has a favorite comfort food. Some foods, like turkey or scallop stew, contain chemicals that physically relax the body. Sometimes it’s a memory or an association that brings relief, like tomato soup when you were home from school with a cold. Many people find comfort in chocolate, even though it’s actually more of a stimulant than a relaxant.
Whisper the Word – A mantra is a word or saying that, when repeated to yourself, has the power to change your state of mind. Various religious beliefs have formal practices related to mantras, but you can choose your own consoling words or phrases. An affirmation, which is a positive statement about yourself, can have a similar effect. Imagine saying “I am safe and calm” when you feel anxiety starting to rise. Practicing affirmations or mantras when you are relaxed will help you remember them at stressful times.
Pet a Pet – Pets make us feel safe and loved. Petting a dog reduces blood pressure. Watching kittens play can make a bad mood disappear. It’s a fact that pet owners require much less medical care for stress-related problems than people who do not have pets. You can’t pet fish, but just watching them swim around and around in an aquarium is relaxing. That’s why clever doctors and dentists have fish tanks in their waiting rooms.
Benefits of Breathing – Quick intakes through the nose followed by slow exhalations through the nose or mouth have an immediate soothing effect. You can sustain relaxed breathing by paying attention to the rise and fall of your chest and diaphragm. Inhale, pause, exhale, pause. In a short time, your breathing will naturally become slower and shallower, that is, more relaxed.
Sing a Song – My niece and nephew calm their baby sister with a song. They sing, “It’s okay Annie; it’s okay today. It’s okay Annie; it’s okay today.” My elderly mother now sings the song to herself to relax. The soothing words, the repetition, and the memory of hearing and seeing the much-loved children sing bring my mother back to the moment, which is, in fact, okay.
Acupuncture
Posted on | March 13, 2009 | No Comments
Acupuncture is one of the most well known methods of traditional Chinese medicine. Asian practitioners have used acupuncture for thousands of years. Acupuncture spread to Europe in the 1700s, but did not gain popularity in the west until the 20th century.
Acupuncture is a highly effective and gentle treatment for hundreds of health problems. It is a well-respected pain reliever, even used as anesthesia for surgery. Acupuncture can relieve gastrointestinal disorders, chemotherapy nausea, soft tissue problems, headaches, lung congestion, menstrual cramps, backache, asthma, emotional problems, and many other disorders. Acupuncture can also treat obesity, insomnia, and certain types of infertility.
Acupuncture works by restoring and balancing the flow of energy in the body, which is often disrupted by physical, mental, or emotional problems or by environmental circumstances. Called chi (pronounced “chee”), this energy is the vital force behind all life. Stimulating the chi enhances the body’s ability to maintain good health.
The most common method for restoring chi is by inserting very thin, sterile, stainless steel needles into specific points along meridians, which are invisible pathways in the body. Over 460 acupuncture points are located along 12 meridians. The acupuncturist may choose to manipulate the needle in place to further stimulate the points. Needles usually stay in place for 15-30 minutes while the patient rests. The acupuncturist decides which points to stimulate based on observation of the patient (especially the tongue), discussion with the patient, and palpation of the pulses of the left and right wrists. Treatment usually takes place over several weeks or months.
Cupping is another type of acupuncture treatment. The acupuncturist heats a glass cup from the inside to create a vacuum, and then places the cup on acupuncture points on the body. Cupping improves circulation and relieves discomfort from congestion, swelling, or pain. It is particularly effective for easing low back pain; reducing sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries; and relieving fluid in the lungs. Cups are left on the body for five to fifteen minutes, resulting in a round bruise that lasts for a few days. While cupping is generally safe (as is acupuncture as a whole), it should not be done over cramps, convulsions, or ulcerated sores; when the patient has a high fever; or over the low back or abdomen of pregnant women.
Tags: Acupuncture
White Flower Oil
Posted on | February 7, 2009 | No Comments
White Flower Oil is a natural analgesic (pain killing) balm used worldwide. It is named for the white narcissus, the favorite flower of Gan Geog Eng, the resident of Singapore who developed the oil in 1927. Eng intended the balm for personal use only, but its popularity among his family and friends convinced him to make it available commercially.
White Flower Oil, also known as White Flower Analgesic Balm, provides temporary relief from muscle and joint aches and pains, backache, arthritis, sprains and strains, bruises, and neck aches. This deep heating balm relaxes muscles and increases blood circulation. A few drops on the temples and neck relieve headache and fatigue. It also soothes itching from light burns and insect bites.
The typical dosage is several drops rubbed into affected areas three times a day. White Flower Oil may also be mixed with massage oil for a penetrating heat. It can be inhaled directly to help clear nasal and sinus congestion. A few drops in hot water will also ease congestion when inhaled. To relieve dizziness from pain or motion sickness, rub the oil on the nose, ear, and neck so the aroma can be inhaled.
White Flower Oil is not like other liniments or balms. It is made entirely of oils from naturally-occurring aromatic herbs. The traditional formulation is 40% wintergreen, 18% eucalyptus, 15% peppermint, 15% menthol, 6% camphor, and 6% lavender.
A few words of caution: White Flower Oil is not recommended for use with children, and should be kept out of their reach. It should not be used on thin, broken, or irritated skin. Discontinue use if irritation develops. Do not put a tight bandage on areas treated with White Flower Oil. Keep it away from the eyes and do not ingest it. Dangerously high levels of methyl salicylate, the active ingredient in wintergreen, can result from excessive use.
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