Managing the Discomforts of Pregnancy Through Nutrition



Find out why you might be experiencing certain problems and use the following suggestions to prevent or minimize the discomforts that may accompany your pregnancy.


Managing the Discomforts of Pregnancy Through Nutrition

Many of the discomforts of pregnancy relate to what you eat, and range from occasional nausea to more serious conditions, such as elevated blood pressure. Find out why you might be experiencing certain problems and use the following suggestions to prevent or minimize the discomforts that may accompany your pregnancy. Of course, you'll also want to discuss any discomforts or concerns with your health care provider.




Morning Sickness
What is it: "Morning sickness" runs the gamut. Some women have mild nausea, while others experience persistent vomiting that puts them at risk for dehydration and weight loss. "Morning sickness" can occur at any time of the day and often subsides after the first trimester, but some women experience nausea throughout their pregnancy.


What to do about it: Let your health care provider know if you vomit two or more times daily. But, if morning sickness is more of an irritation than a health threat, try these tips:

Avoid offensive smells, since they can trigger nausea.
Figure out what foods or beverages ease your nausea, and eat them. Even if they are soda and snack chips, they are better than nothing at all.
Keep your bedroom window cracked at least one to two inches when sleeping, provided noise or safety are not an issue. Stale bedroom air can set off nausea.
Get enough fluids. If you're nauseated, try to drink liquids that you can tolerate to help keep you hydrated. When you vomit, fluid loss occurs, and fluids must be replaced. If vomiting is severe and prolonged, hospitalization may be required to treat dehydration.
Don't allow yourself to get too hungry. Keeping food in your stomach with small snacks seems to keep nausea at bay for many women.

Heartburn
What is it: Heartburn has nothing to do with your heart and everything to do with your stomach and esophagus. That irritation and sour taste in your mouth comes from highly acidic stomach juices spilling into your esophagus.


What to do about it: One or more of these strategies may ease your heartburn symptoms.

Don't lay down right after eating since this can aggravate heartburn.
Sleep with your head slightly elevated to decrease acid back up.
Try eating frequent, small meals, especially in the third trimester.
Avoid known irritants, including caffeine, chocolate, and highly-seasoned foods, and any other food that bothers you.
Ask your health care provider about taking antacids.

Constipation
What is it: Infrequent stools or hard, dry stools.


What to do about it:

Keep taking prescribed supplements.
Include high fiber foods in your daily food choices. Aim for 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily.
Drink at least 64 ounces (8 cups) of caffeine-free fluids daily to enhance fiber's laxative effects.
Get regular physical activity, which stimulates your digestive tract, to promote regular bowel movements.
If constipation persists, ask your health care provider if you can divide your iron dose during the day or take the supplement with food.

Hemorrhoids

What they are: Dilated, engorged veins surrounding the rectum. They cause itching and sometimes, severe pain.


What to do about them:

Prevent constipation by following the tips above.
Include plenty of fiber and fluids to keep your stools soft.
If you have a severe case, ask you health care provider about treatment.

Swelling
What is it: Extra water held in and around your cells.


What to do about it:

It may sound funny, but drink more water.
Don't restrict your sodium intake.
Elevate your feet whenever possible. Avoid standing for long periods.
Consult your health care provider if swelling seems excessive.

Food Aversions
What they are: Quite suddenly, you can't stand the sight or smell of a certain food. It may even be a food that you once loved and ate regularly.


What to do about them:

Don't be concerned, unless you can't stomach an entire food group.
If possible, leave the cooking to someone else and stay away from food preparation areas.
Try eating foods cold or at room temperature since the aroma will be minimized.
Consult a registered dietician for a healthy food plan if you find that you're not eating a variety of foods.

Guess who is coming to dinner?

What Should You Serve If Some Of Your Dinner Party Guests Are Diet-Conscious?

By Joanie Williams

You are planning an elegant dinner party, with delicious food and drinks. But you know that two or three of the guests you really want around your table are trying to shed a few pounds.

Can you invite them with a clear conscience – without feeling you are “sabotaging” their dieting efforts? At the same time, can you mix them with guests who are not concerned about their weight?

The answer is a resounding yes - as long as you take five simple steps.

The five steps are all designed to give your diet-conscious guests inviting-looking choices they can enjoy without risking their diet. All of them have the bonus advantage that they are inviting-looking for your non-dieting guests as well.

1. Have a jug of sparkling water available for pre-dinner drinks. Garnish it with a lemon or lime so it looks special, and be sure to serve it in lovely glasses. Your dieting friends will be happy to be drinking their sparkling water while others drink wine.

The trick is in the visuals. The sparkling jug garnished with lemon or lime will look like a “designer drink” so diet-conscious guests don’t feel deprived drinking it.

2. Let the eyes of your dieting guests fall immediately on a safe appetizer choice for them. Position a low fat appetizer front and center of any other appetizer choices.

A beautiful tray of crisp raw vegetables or a tempting shrimp ring fills this bill very nicely. If guests can reach for attractive looking low fat appetizers, they won’t feel so tempted to reach for the more calorie-laden choices.

Now you’ve gotten your guests safely to the table without them breaking their diet resolutions. Keep on offering choices that minimize any sense of deprivation.

3. Choose a main dish that relies on savory herbs for its attraction. Don’t choose a dish that relies on a heavy sauce or gravy.

Steak is a dish that most people can eat happily without loading it with calorie-laden sauces. Roast or grilled chicken is another such choice. A piece of chicken flavored with rosemary or your herbs of choice smells good, looks good and tastes delicious.

Just don’t include a large bowl of stuffing on the side, that’s a highly tempting item most of us would have trouble refusing!

4. Include a pureed squash, sweet potato or turnip dish along with your vegetables and salad. Most green vegetables and salad are no problem for most dieters. Diet-conscious guests can also choose your pureed dishes instead of white potatoes or rice. These dishes fill the plate the same way that potatoes and rice do. And they have the same consistency as fluffy mashed potatoes. (The Atkins diet even recommends pureed cauliflower.) Diet-conscious guests can decline potatoes or rice knowing they will still have filling side dishes.

In other words, your diet-conscious guests don’t need to feel deprived because they still have the volume and texture of mashed potatoes in their vegetable purees.

5. Fresh fruit with chocolate bonbons is a great end to the meal. Your guests can eat the fruit without worrying about calories. And since they have been so diet-conscious throughout the evening, they can treat themselves to a piece or two of chocolate candy.

If you were to offer a chocolate cake they might not be able to resist a piece. But there is a huge difference between a small piece of chocolate candy and a serving of cake and icing. So let them choose just a taste of chocolate instead of tempting them with a large serving.

Now ask yourself – will your diet-conscious guests feel deprived if they are served this kind of menu?

- “Designer” garnished sparkling water to drink with appetizers
- Appetizers of fresh vegetable tray and/or shrimp cocktail with lemon garnish
- Savory herbed roast chicken or grilled steak
- Squash puree
- As many vegetable and salad dishes as you wish
- Fruit with chocolate bonbons

I think you know the answer. Of course your guests won’t feel deprived.

Far from feeling deprived, your diet-conscious guests will probably heartily enjoy your meal. And they will appreciate your thoughtful provision of diet-conscious but delicious choices that still allow them to stick to their diet resolutions.