Holistic Help for Pregnancy Symptoms

Nausea & Vomiting: Many people face some nausea during the first trimester and some experience these symptoms throughout their pregnancy. Some natural remedies that can be used for nausea and vomiting include:

• A diet high in protein to help manage blood sugar

• Eat foods rich in B6 like fish, eggs and (non-citrus) fruits

• Increase fibre intake to ensure proper elimination of wastes/toxins

• Regulate blood sugar- Avoid high GI foods that can spike the blood sugar. Have snack before bed to help prevent low blood sugar upon waking up. When eating try to include a source of carbs, protein and fat in each meal to keep blood sugar neutral.

• Sip on ginger root tea or peppermint tea

Constipation: being pregnant slows down the digestive system, so it takes longer for bowel movements to form and to pass. Constipation occurs when bowel movements become hard or infrequent or when transit times (the time it takes for food to be digested and excreted) become long. Natural remedies for constipation:

• Drink water: 8-10 glasses each day

• Focus on fruits, vegetables, grains and beans that are high in fibre

• Drink 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed added to a glass of water before bed, drink the same thing in the morning followed by another glass of water to loosen things up or add the ground flaxseed to a smoothie.

• Having a warm epsom salts bath for 20 minutes can help the body absorb magnesium which can help your muscles, including the muscles of your digestive system, relax and release.

Leg Cramps: these are usually due to an imbalance of calcium and magnesium, preventing the muscles from relaxing after they contract. Some remedies for muscle cramps:

• Eat lots of foods containing calcium and magnesium, such as leafy greens, almonds, pumpkin seeds, figs, apples and sunflower seeds.

• Take a good quality multivitamin or calcium/magnesium supplement

• Apply magnesium gel to legs, or as stated above have a warm bath with epsom salts.

• Drink enough water (8-10 glasses) to keep you and your muscles hydrated

Heartburn: During pregnancy, as the baby grows the stomach is displaced, this can result in the sensation of pain and burning in the chest after eating. Some things that can help reduce or address this feeling are:

• Avoid spicy, acidic or fried foods, caffeine, carbonated beverages and dairy

• Eat small meals regularly as opposed to bigger meals less often

• Sleep slightly propped up

• Chew on a few raw almonds

Stretch Marks: the body is amazing and during pregnancy it demonstrates this in many ways, one of which is that the abdomen stretches remarkably to accommodate the growing baby inside but if the skin stretches beyond its capacity, stretch marks develop. Here are some tips to prevent stretch marks:

• Massage the skin daily, especially focusing on the areas of the body that will stretch the most- breasts, belly and thighs, with a nourishing oil (raw shea butter or coconut oil) starting in the first trimester.

• Eating foods rich in zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, collagen and Omega 3s

• Make sure you are always well hydrated with water

• Dry skin brushing to increase circulation

If you have questions about how to manage pregnancy symptoms or if you would like to book a consultation with me to talk about other, personalized, ways to help you on your path to parenthood you can book a complimentary session with me through the same e-mail or through my website.

#Pregnancy