The benefits of being healthy
Inadequate nutrition in the first trimester can impair your baby’s development. Inadequate nutrition in the third trimester can hinder your baby’s growth. Inadequate nutrition throughout the entire pregnancy can compromise immune function, leaving you vulnerable to infections. Well-nourished mothers, though, are more likely to produce babies of a correct birth weight and their babies are generally more mentally alert and have a stronger resistance to disease.
Many people claim they don’t have time to be healthy, and with fad diets and conflicting information it can seem daunting and time-consuming to eat. It may seem a whole lot easier to take advantage of time-saving meal options, but this usually means highly processed choices.
The challenges of pregnancy: nausea, fatigue and food aversions, can make planning a wholesome meal totally undesirable. But you need to make sure that every meal you eat during your pregnancy will be the best choice for you and your baby.
A healthy diet has many rewards. You will feel great and add longevity to your life, all the while knowing you are doing the best for your baby. Fresh food also tastes so much better than processed foods and if you follow a highly nutritious diet you can happily enjoy the occasional (and naughty) treat. We are, after all, only human.
A healthy diet can:
• reduce a mother’s risk of developing anaemia, pre-eclampsia, hypertension and long-term diseases, including diabetes and osteoporosis
• contribute to a more comfortable pregnancy by avoiding or minimising symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, constipation, leg cramps, reflux and heartburn
• help prepare for labour and delivery – energy stores help you endure labour, while a healthy uterus can ‘push’ more effectively and well-nourished women are less likely to deliver early
• stabilise your emotional state – a balanced diet helps moderate mood swings and anxiety
• lend towards a quicker recovery – a healthy body seems to bounce back faster, with an easier return to pre-pregnancy body weight
• ensure nutritional breast milk for a happy, healthy baby
• provide you with more energy to enjoy your newborn – a quick recovery leaves you less fatigued and less likely to suffer postnatal depression.
A well-nourished woman is also more likely to experience a more comfortable pregnancy.
There are discomforts or symptoms common to being pregnant namely morning sickness, fatigue, digestive problems, constipation and stretch marks. And there are the more serious conditions of hypertension, anaemia, gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. The good news is that all of these conditions can be relieved, and even avoided, by good diet.
Food is medicine. It’s a natural remedy that encourages your body to cure and heal itself while building up resistance to infection and disease. Food remedies have been curing illness and ailments for centuries.
A nourishing diet is the best form of preventative medicine. This is especially relevant when pregnant as it is generally not recommended to take medication while expecting, not even a cold and flu tablet! So it is easy to conclude that a well-balanced diet is your best bet for a healthy and happy pregnancy.
Photo by Katie Smith on Unsplash