B-Complex

Things to Eat and Things not to Eat during Pregnancy

Diet plays an important role during pregnancy. To maintain a healthy pregnancy, one should know what he can eat and what not.

FOOD THAT YOU SHOULD NOT EAT
- Avoid eating very high empty calorie foods without being nutritious.
- Alcohol in any amount is bad during pregnancy.
- Stay away from smoking and from people who smoke.
- Sushi i.e. raw fish and shellfish are definitely not safe to eat during pregnancy. They can harbor hepatitis, bacteria and parasites, all dangerous to women and their fetuses.
- Raw meats or uncooked beef or poultry should not be taken during pregnancy.
- Avoid high mercury fish during pregnancy.
- Eating soft or blue veined cheeses during your pregnancy will increase your risk of contracting listeria which is a form of bacteria that can potentially be very harmful to your baby.
- Caffeine intake should be limited.
- Un-pasteurized juice can harbor bacteria that can affect you and your baby.
- Deli meats including hot dogs which may contain listeria, a kind of bacteria should be avoided.
- Refrigerated smoked seafood should be avoided.
- Animal liver contains very high levels of vitamin A. Women who consume too much may risk a higher incidence of birth defects in their babies.

FOOD THAT YOU CAN EAT DURING PREGNANCY
- Pregnant women should eat at least 7 servings of fruits and vegetables in their diet as they are rich source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- Eat plenty of high fiber foods like cereals, whole-grain bread, pastas.
- Eat or drink at least four serving of dairy or calcium products.
- Eat iron-rich foods.
- Pregnant women should eat at least 60 gm of protein everyday. Eggs, nuts, dried beans are also good sources of protein.
- Folic acid should be taken regularly. It is a vitamin B that helps prevent serious birth defects of a baby’s brain and spine.
- Pregnant women should drink water regularly. They should not dehydrate themselves.

PAPAYA DURING PREGNANCY DURING PREGNANCY

Benefits of eating papaya during pregnancy can reduce indigestion, inflammatory bowel syndrome or heartburn. It is also rich in vitamins.
But it should be remembered that only fully riped papaya should be eaten. Even slightly unripe papaya has a latex like substance in it. This latex substance acts like prostaglandin and oxytocin which are generally use to induce labor and cause miscarriages. Consuming papaya during the early weeks of pregnancy should be avoided unless you are absolutely sure that it is fully ripe.
Hence, papaya is generally avoided by most women as a precautionary measure.

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Iron & Folate Deficiency Anemia In Pregnancy – Causes, Types, Symptoms and Treatment

A pregnant woman, as well as her growing baby and developing placenta, need extra iron to support a rapidly increasing blood supply. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to body tissues via the red blood cells. Low amount of red blood cells in the body your body does not get oxygen from blood. It is the most general problem faced during pregnancy in women. It can cause severe complexities in the baby if it is not diagnosed and treated properly.
The fetus is dependent on the mother’s blood and anemia may be associated with poor fetal growth, preterm birth, and low birth weight. The volume of blood increases in pregnant women by almost 50% and this may result in a drop in the percentage of red blood cells which leads to anemia.

Symptoms of Anemia

- Tiredness.
- Dull.
- Dizzy.
- Rapid heartbeat.
- Paleness.
- Breathlessness.
- Headache
- Nausea
- Forgetfulness
- Abdominal pain
- Trouble in concentrating.
- Rapid pulse.

Causes of Iron Deficiency and Folate Deficiency

- Alcohol abuse.
- Poor diets.
- Impaired absorption because of intestinal dysfunction.
- Prolonged drug therapy.
- Loss of blood.
- Diet and digestion.

Types of Anemia in pregnant women

- Iron Deficiency Anemia : The baby starts using the iron that is stored in mother’s body for his/her own growth. If the mother has sufficient iron then she can meet the increased demand but if she has less iron that is necessary to produce red blood cells then she will develop anemia. It can also be caused because of poor diet, loss of blood in pregnancy and excessive use of antacids.
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency : Vitamin B12 to synthesize proteins and to form red blood cells. Including animal foods in the diet such as milk, cheese, yogurt meats, eggs, and poultry can prevent vitamin B12 deficiency. Strict vegans may receive supplemental vitamin B12 by injection during pregnancy.
- Folate Deficiency : It is a B-vitamin that works with iron to help with cell growth. Both folate and iron are essential for red cell production and during pregnancy there is an increased need to supply both the mother and the developing infant(s). Folic acid may help reduce the risk of having a baby with certain birth defects of the brain and spinal cord if taken before conception and in early pregnancy.

Risk From Anemia in Pregnant Women

- Twin or multiple pregnancy.
- Results in pre-term delivery, retarded physical growth of the baby and cause low birth weight.
- Tired and fatigued.
- It can cause serious defects in the brain and spinal cord of the baby.

Treatment of Anemia

- Iron deficiency anemia is treated with iron tablets.
- Pregnant women fail to ingest or absorb adequate amount of iron and may need to be treated with intra-muscular iron injections.
- Folic acid deficiency anemia is treated with folate tablets.
- Vitamin C intake should be increased to help in better absorption of iron.
- Good sources of iron include meat, green vegetables, dried fruit, pulses, such as chick peas and lentils, foods that are fortified with iron, such as some breakfast cereals and bread.

NOTE: Iron supplements may cause nausea and cause stools to become dark greenish or black in color. Constipation may also occur with iron supplements.

Health Benefits of Banana

Bananas are the fruit of a plant of the genus Musa (family Musaceae) , which are cultivated primarily for food, and secondarily for the production of fibers that are used, for example, in the textile industry. they are also cultivated for ornamental purposes.
Bananas have been the all time favorite and perennial fruit for hundreds of years now. It has many curative properties. This fruit is affordable by anyone and is available in plenty in India. All the varieties available are beneficial in their own way.

Health Benefits of Banana :
- Banana is an energy booster.
- Bananas are fruits that are high in fiber, making them an ideal remedy for constipation and an alternative to chemical laxatives.
- Bananas are a natural source of potassium which helps to keep the body fluids and electrolyte balance in body cells and helps in regulating blood pressure.
- Bananas are not only a good source of B vitamins they also contain vitamin C, A.
- Banana is a rich source of iron, thus it is helpful in cases of anemia.
- The skin of the banana is said to help remove warts(cover the warts with the inner skin of banana).
- Banana is also helpful in Stomach ulcer (banana has a natural antacid), Colitis, Digestive disorder, Diarrhea, Constipation (banana is high in fiber), Hemorrhoids.
- Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
- Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
- Bananas are useful in the treatment of arthritis and gout. A diet of bananas only for three or four days is advisable in these conditions.
- One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey as it calms the stomach.
- Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
- Cooked banana flower eaten with curd is considered an effective medicine for menstrual disorders like painful menstruation and excessive bleeding.
- Bananas are an ideal fruit to be eaten when a person is suffering from ulcers.
- Eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%.

Bananas and losing weight :
Bananas may be one of the best fruits to eat when attempting to lose weight. They are full of nutrients for increased energy and vitality. Bananas are also low in calories and fat, plus they have a high water content and potassium levels. A diet high in potassium foods and lower in sodium-loaded processed foods can help reduce water weight.
The daily diet is restricted to six bananas and four glasses of skimmed milk or buttermilk made from skimmed milk for a period of 10 to 15 days. Thereafter green vegetables may be introduced gradually, reducing the intake of bananas from six to four.

Storing Bananas :
Bananas need to be treated with care as they bruise easily. The ideal way to store bananas is to keep them at room temperature. In order to ripen bananas, you can either wrap them in a newspaper or keep them in a brown paper bag. If you store a banana in a fridge it will turn black. However it will still be edible.