A guide to eating healthy during pregnancy in order to avoid health related problems for a pregnant women and their baby.

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One of the most pressing issues for pregnant women today is diet and nutrition. With the
availability of preprocessed foods and fast-food restaurants, it’s easy to unconsciously do harm to
oneself by making poor food choices. For more information and tips click here:
http://www.diet-for-pregnant-women.com/
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Pregnancy is not only most creative and fulfilling phase of womanhood but it teaches you to be
more responsible and caring towards yourself particularly with respect to pregnancy diet and
nutrition. In the pregnancy period, your baby, whom you are creating with your flesh and blood, is
still very much part of your body and for that you need more nutrition intake. During pregnancy,
nutritional needs are increased, both to support the rapid growing fetus and to supplement the
needs of your changing body structure.
Plan your pregnancy diet in such a way that you are the only supply line for your unborn baby's
nutrition needs. Your eating habits will decide your baby's health and well-being. Poor eating or
rather unhealthy food habits can adversely affect your pregnancy diet and nutrition and result in
conditions like anemia, pre-eclampsia, mood swings, fatigue, leg cramps, constipation, etc.
Pregnancy: Celebrate It With Healthy Pregnancy Diet
During pregnancy, every bite counts. Whatever an expectant mother eats or hates to eat, affects
her child. According to a recent research, besides physical development, intelligence of a child
and his/her mental faculty depends a lot on the diet and nutrition of the mother during pregnancy.
In the first trimester of pregnancy, one does not need extra calories per se in pregnancy diet.
However, one needs to have lots of high protein, calcium, vitamins such as Vitamins B12, B6,
vitamin D iron, zinc and folic acid (it has been proved after myriad researches that even a simple
tablet of folic acid prevents severe neurological- brain and spinal cord disorders). In addition,
minerals, essential fatty acids and substantial calories are all-important for the fetus' all-round
development and therefore should be essential components of pregnancy diet and nutrition plan.
As the pregnancy period progresses, one must start eating more of proteins in the pregnancy diet.
A pregnant woman needs approximately 300 calories more than normal during last 6 months of
pregnancy. In first three months of pregnancy, your weight gain should be 3-5 pounds in per
month but in last 6 months, you should not gain more than 3 pounds per month. Your pregnancy
diet and nutrition chart should be designed in accordance with these acceptable weight gain goals.
Foods To Include In Pregnancy Diet
You should include fresh, light, wholesome, high fiber foods in your pregnancy diet in form of
porridge (minerals and natural fiber); dairy (calcium); red vegetables like carrot and tomatoes
(carotene); red and orange fruits like apples and oranges (vitamin B complex). Walnuts, almonds
and raisins (vitamin and minerals); leafy vegetables like cabbage, spinach, broccoli (calcium and

2. iron); brown rice, jaggery, lotus stem (iron); sprouts, lentil and pulses (protein), curd, buttermilk,
paneer and of course plenty of milk (calcium) are important ingredients of pregnancy diet.
During the pregnancy period, eat five small meals a day instead of three heavy meals. Also,
reduce your intake of fat, sugar and salt. Do not indulge in overeating during pregnancy because if
you eat too much you will feel uncomfortable.
One basic mantra of staying healthy is to drink lots of water (will prevent dehydration and wash out
the toxins of body) as soon as you wake up in the morning and after your afternoon nap It helps
clean your digestive system too. You might be scared you would vomit if you drink more water,
when you have nausea, which is normal in pregnancy, but the fact is, water helps to flush out the
toxins from your body.
During pregnancy, strictly avoid junk food because they just give you empty calories (and extra
pounds) without the nutritional benefits of healthier foods also avoid caffeine and alcohol fats, oily
food, additives and unpasteurized food.
Besides healthy eating and maintaining a healthy pregnancy diet and nutrition plan in consultation
with your doctor, you should do yoga and other light exercises under expert medical advice. Last
but not the least, try to remain stress free, meditate and in this period of your pregnancy increase
your connectivity with the Almighty. This will definitely shower you and your baby with positive
energy.
So, be cool, relax, and celebrate your pregnancy and be a responsible and caring mom-to-be with
balanced pregnancy diet and nutrition.
Pregnancy diet is the most important factor to take care when you are pregnant. Pregnancy diet
and nutrition is important because not only it keeps you healthy and fit during pregnancy but it also
provides vital nutrition to your baby who is dependant on you during the pregnancy period. Visit
Pregnancy Planning for more information regarding pregnancy diet and other issues related to
pregnancy.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Asheesh_Mani
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3. One of the most pressing issues for pregnant women today is diet and nutrition. With the
availability of preprocessed foods and fast-food restaurants, it’s easy to unconsciously do harm to
oneself by making poor food choices. For more information and tips click here:
http://www.diet-for-pregnant-women.com/
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