Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Morning Sickness : My Mom's Got Pregnant

My Mom's always looks pale every morning, she looks not so health and always go to bathroom. One day I ask my mom to feed me while I was playing my computer, but she seems to be not so encourage with that. "May be you should ask your sister to feed you, my boy", mom said and ask my sister (nanny) to feed me.

Well, after a couple days, I realize that my mom's got pregnant, and waiting for my little brother to delivery. I do hope that my Mom's give me little brother . Of course, I can play better with my him someday.

Morning Sickness

The following are safe, proven treatments for morning sickness. Still, few women gain complete relief from morning sickness treatment. Taking ginger or doxylamine is most likely to effectively curb nausea and vomiting.

  • Certain antihistamines like doxylamine or dimenhydrinate, taken as your doctor advises, may relieve morning sickness.2 If one of these antihistamines alone does not relieve your morning sickness, you can try taking it with vitamin B6.3
  • Ginger, taken regularly as a powder in a capsule, grated fresh into hot water for a tea, or in syrup or crystallized form, can significantly relieve morning sickness after a few days of treatment.3
  • Vitamin B6 and B12, taken regularly as your doctor advises, can reduce nausea and vomiting.
  • Acupressure, firmly placed on the P6 point (the inner side of your arm, in line with your middle finger and one-sixth of the way between your wrist and elbow), relieves nausea for some women.

Follow these guidelines for minimizing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

  • Keep food in your stomach but not too much. An empty stomach can make nausea worse. Eat several small meals every day instead of three large meals.
  • For morning nausea, eat a small snack (like crackers) before you get out of bed. Allow a few minutes for the snack to digest, then get out of bed slowly.
  • Stay hydrated. Drink a lot of fluids. Try a sports hydration drink, as well as water, broth, or juice.
  • Eat more protein, and cut your fatty food intake.
  • Avoid smells and foods that make you feel nauseated. Citrus juice, milk, coffee, and caffeinated tea commonly make nausea worse.
  • Avoid iron supplements, which can make nausea worse. These aren't necessary during the first trimester.
  • Get lots of rest. Stress and fatigue can make morning sickness worse.

Contact your doctor immediately if you vomit more than 3 times a day or are unable to take fluids, especially if you also have pain, fever, or both.

First Trimester of Pregnancy

No matter how well you prepare for your pregnancy, you may not be able to fully anticipate all of the different changes that are about to take place in your body. During the first trimester (the first three months after your last menstrual period), these changes will help your baby develop and prepare your body to nourish the baby.

Knowing what to expect can help you get ready for the months ahead and learn to distinguish between symptoms that are just uncomfortable and signs that there might be a real problem with your pregnancy.

What to Expect: Changes in Your Body

Pregnancy is different for every woman. Some women glow with good health and vitality during those first three months; others feel absolutely miserable. Here are some of the changes you might experience, what they mean, what you can do to relieve any uncomfortable symptoms, and which signs warrant a call to your doctor.

Bleeding. About 25% of pregnant women experience some bleeding during their first trimester. Early in the pregnancy, light spotting may be a sign that the fertilized embryo has implanted in the uterus. However, if you have significant bleeding, cramping, or sharp pain in your abdomen, call your doctor. These could be signs of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in which the embryo implants outside of the uterus).

Breast tenderness. Sore breasts are one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. They're triggered by hormonal changes, which are preparing your milk ducts to feed your baby, and will probably last through the first trimester. Going up a bra size (or more) and wearing a support bra can make you feel more comfortable; you can go back to the lacy bras after your baby is finished nursing.

Constipation. During pregnancy, the muscle contractions that normally move food through your intestines slow because of higher levels of the hormone progesterone. Add to that the extra iron you're getting from your prenatal vitamin, and the result is uncomfortable constipation and gas that can keep you feeling bloated throughout your pregnancy. Increase your fiber intake and drink extra fluids to keep things moving more smoothly. Physical activity can also help.

If your constipation is really bothering you, talk to your doctor about what mild laxative or stool softeners are safe to use during pregnancy.

Discharge. It's normal to see a thin, milky white discharge (called leukorrhea) early in your pregnancy. You can wear a panty liner if it makes you feel more comfortable, but don't use a tampon because it can introduce germs into the vagina. If the discharge is foul-smelling, green, or yellow, or if there's a lot of clear discharge, call your doctor.

Fatigue. Your body is working hard to support a growing fetus, which can wear you out more easily than usual. Take naps or rest when you need to throughout the day. Also make sure you're getting enough iron (too little can lead to anemia, which can cause excess fatigue).


Saturday, May 15, 2010

Vitamin Knowledge

Vitamins are essential nutrients that contribute to a healthy life. Although most people get all the vitamins they need from the foods they eat, millions of people worldwide take supplemental vitamins as part of their health regimen.

Why Buy Vitamins?

There are many good reasons to consider taking vitamin supplements, such as over-the-counter multivitamins. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), a doctor may recommend that you take them:

  • for certain health problems
  • if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet
  • if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Vitamin Facts

Your body uses vitamins for a variety of biological processes, including growth, digestion, and nerve function. There are 13 vitamins that the body absolutely needs: vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate). AAFP cites two categories of vitamins.

  • Water-soluble vitamins are easily absorbed by the body, which doesn't store large amounts. The kidneys remove those vitamins that are not needed.
  • Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed into the body with the use of bile acids, which are fluids used to absorb fat. The body stores these for use as needed.

Develop a Vitamin Strategy

It is important for consumers to have an overall strategy for how they will achieve adequate vitamin intakes. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advises that nutrient needs be met primarily through consuming foods, with supplementation suggested for certain sensitive populations.

These guidelines, published by the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provide science-based advice to promote health and to reduce risk for chronic diseases through diet and physical activity. They form the basis for federal food, nutrition education, and information programs.

Barbara Schneeman, Ph.D., Director of FDA's Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements, says, "The Guidelines emphasize that supplements may be useful when they fill a specific identified nutrient gap that cannot or is not otherwise being met by the individual's intake of food." She adds, "An important point made in the guidelines is that nutrient supplements are not a substitute for a healthful diet."

Special Nutrient Needs

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, many people consume more calories than they need without taking in recommended amounts of a number of nutrients. The Guidelines warn that there are numerous nutrients—including vitamins—for which low dietary intake may be a cause of concern. These nutrients are:

  • calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A (as carotenoids), C, and E (for adults)
  • calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E (for children and adolescents)
  • vitamin B-12, iron, folic acid, and vitamins E and D (for specific population groups).

Regarding the use of vitamin supplements, the Dietary guidelines include the following:

  • Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups. At the same time, choose foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.
  • Meet recommended nutrient intakes within energy needs by adopting a balanced eating pattern, such as one of those recommended in the USDA Food Guide or the National Institute of Health's Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan.
  • If you're over age 50, consume vitamin B-12 in its crystalline form, which is found in fortified foods or supplements.
  • If you're a woman of childbearing age who may become pregnant, eat foods high in heme-iron and/or consume iron-rich plant foods or iron-fortified foods with an iron-absorption enhancer, such as foods high in vitamin C.
  • If you're a woman of childbearing age who may become pregnant or is in the first trimester of pregnancy, consume adequate synthetic folic acid daily (from fortified foods or supplements) in addition to food forms of folate from a varied diet.
  • If you are an older adult, have dark skin, or are exposed to insufficient ultraviolet band radiation (such as sunlight), consume extra vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified foods and/or supplements.

How Vitamins are Regulated

Vitamin products are regulated by FDA as "Dietary Supplements." The law defines dietary supplements, in part, as products taken by mouth that contain a "dietary ingredient" intended to supplement the diet.

Listed in the "dietary ingredient" category are not only vitamins, but minerals, botanicals products, amino acids, and substances such as enzymes, microbial probiotics, and metabolites. Dietary supplements can also be extracts or concentrates, and may be found in many forms. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 requires that all such products be labeled as dietary supplements.

In June 2007, FDA established dietary supplement "current Good Manufacturing Practice" (cGMP) regulations requiring that manufacturers evaluate their products through testing identity, purity, strength, and composition.

Risks of Overdoing It

As is the case with all dietary supplements, the decision to use supplemental vitamins should not be taken lightly, says Vasilios Frankos, Ph.D., Director of FDA's Division of Dietary Supplement Programs.

"Vitamins are not dangerous unless you get too much of them," he says. "More is not necessarily better with supplements, especially if you take fat-soluble vitamins.” For some vitamins and minerals, the National Academy of Sciences has established upper limits of intake (ULs) that it recommends not be exceeded during any given day. (For more information, visit http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=6432#toc)

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