Twinkle in the Eye: Guest post: Healthy Habits for Pregnant Women

Thursday, 16 August 2012

Guest post: Healthy Habits for Pregnant Women

Your body is built for motherhood, but it will only be able to withstand the impact if you take good care of yourself. Your developing baby will benefit from your healthy habits. Babies whose mothers live a healthy and active lifestyle enjoy a decreased risk of birth defects and are less likely to suffer other health problems later in life.

Image: Twinkle in the Eye

Before making too many lifestyle changes to benefit your pregnancy, speak to your doctor. Your doctor will be your most important resource when it comes to planning your diet and exercise routine during your term, and in planning for post-delivery options like umbilical cord blood banking. Your questions and concerns should be voiced during appointments throughout your term. To help you make pregnancy easier and safer, here are some tips on healthy habits for pregnant women.

Eat Spices

Spices not only add variety to otherwise bland and monotonous foods, they also have numerous health benefits. Turmeric supports serotonin and dopamine levels, which are closely tied to mood and sleep. It is also an anti-inflammatory and mild analgesic. Red pepper is able to boost metabolism, relieve pain, improve circulation, stop bleeding and clear the sinuses. Having a little cinnamon after sugary snacks can keep your blood sugar stable, preventing hypoglycemia and weight gain.

Decrease Refined Sugars

Eating sugars other than those found naturally in foods is associated with an alarming number of health problems. First and foremost, chronic consumption can result in insulin resistance. This is when your insulin becomes less effective at regulating blood sugar. From here, you can develop metabolic syndrome or diabetes, as well as their various complications. Sugar is also an immune suppressor and hormone disruptor, making it a particularly risky habit during pregnancy.

Have a House Plant

Many women find that they are much more sensitive to allergens when they become pregnant. Because the air quality inside your home can be worse than outside, the time you spend there can put a significant strain on your system and make you feel drained and weak. Besides having your heating and cooling ducts cleaned and having the filters changed, there's a vast assortment of house plants you can choose from. Different plants remove different sets of toxins and allergens from the air. Some will even remove mold spores, absorbing them into their systems and using them as food. Just make sure they're well out of the reach of small children and pets, as they can be irritating to the skin, digestive system and mucus membranes.

Quality Sleep

Once you have progressed in your pregnancy, you might notice that you suffer sleep difficulties. While this is fairly common, it's not healthy if it lasts too long. Sleep is the restorative process for your mind and body. If you don't sleep well or long enough, your energy drops, frustrations mount and stress just piles up. This results in high cortisol levels which, if not addressed, can cause things like weight gain, reproductive dysfunction and depression. If you can't get to sleep or have a hard time staying asleep, there are several ways to manage it. A body pillow can help with positional discomfort. A hot bath will get the mind ready for sleep. You could also try reading before bed, which is proven to improve sleep quality.

With these health tips, you will have an easier, healthier pregnancy. By taking care of yourself and your environment, you will have a healthy, happy baby in your womb and in your home once they are born.

Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things mummy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people. To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.

Labels: Guest Posts, Pregnancy