Pregnancy brings in joy with the ever-increasing waistline, pains and aches. The body undergoes a tremendous change due to shifting of hormones. The skin changes, there are stretch marks and dark patches on the facial skin. Weight gain results in sleeping troubles, poor digestion, frequent urination, constipation etc. These are just a few symptoms of pregnancy. Since these changes take place gradually, one starts adjusting to them in anticipation of the joy it will bring after nine months. It is very important to maintain the pregnancy health and go through the process with a relaxed and happy state of mind.

Maintaining Pregnancy Health

With the onset of early signs of pregnancy, prepare yourself for the new changes in your life. Stay happy and comfortable. Consult your doctor for any problems and adjust your lifestyle to surmount the initial irritating body changes with more rest and relaxation. Follow a few tips for better pregnancy health.

Tender breasts: Wear a soft, comfortable maternity or nursing bra with extra support. Apply heavy moisturizing cream to cracked nipples after washing with water only.

Dizziness: Expanding uterus puts pressure on blood vessels, plus the nausea and vomiting can make one feel dizzy or light headed. To overcome this problem, maintain pregnancy health with frequent but small meals. Avoid standing or sitting in one position for long, lay down on your left side to relax, stand up slowly and do not let your body get over heated.

Hemorrhoids: They too are caused due to increasing pressure on the rectal veins and constipation. To prevent hemorrhoids drink lots of fluids, take fiber rich food and do not strain the bowel while evacuating.

Leg cramps: As the body weight increases and change in metabolization takes place, the pressure on legs and feet increases. Eat low-fat calcium rich food, go for short walks, stretch and flex leg and foot muscles, use heating pads to ease the leg cramps.

Swelling: A significant weight gain during pregnancy can result in swelling and puffiness. It could be a sign of high blood pressure or toxemia, consult the doctor immediately. To avoid swelling and to maintain a good pregnancy health, avoid salty foods and caffeine. Rest with your feet elevated and drink at least eight glasses of water to keep your body hydrated.

Teeth and gum problems: Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth regularly; avoid eating sweets and take high calcium diet. Oral bacteria due to gum disease can harm the fetus and result in either low-birth weight baby or premature delivery.

Similarly take all natural preventive measures to combat the various other changes in the body due to the pregnancy. Feel free to call your doctor in an event of vaginal discharge, bleeding, fever or chills, pain in abdomen or any abnormal discomfort. Good pregnancy health results in a happier you and healthier baby.



By: Apurva Shree

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Good health is like a boon for people. People strive a lot just to maintain good health. Tops foods for good health assist in it as it is full of all the required mineral and vitamins. Health and fitness both are the essential part of healthy life. Healthy diet leads to healthy body and mind. There is variety of tops foods for good health which can help you in gaining good health.

 

Now people have to do less hunt for getting their living as everything is available at a phone call. It has restricted the life of people and lessens the physical activities done by them which are required to keep fit body. More so, people have become habitual of eating spicy and variety of junk foods which are all very harmful for good health. This change in life style is the major factor responsible for increased health problems. However, becoming healthy and fit is not a big deal, for this you just need to take care for your diet. Foods such as whole gains bread, salads, and nutritive food provide not only energy as well as keep your body fit. Healthy food helps every part of your body in functioning normally.

 

Top healthy food that should be part of your daily diet are:



Walnuts, almonds and nuts

Fruits

Brown rice and whole grains

Avocado

Beans and soy

Vegetables

Berries



 

Nutrients keep your body functioning properly without any disease. If you are taking proper nutrients through tops food for good health then it will automatically keep your body, mind, hormonal changes and metabolic working well. Tops food for good health saves your body from getting damaged due to any disease. Fruits and vegetables are the source of obtaining good health. Fruits are full of nutrition and minerals which keeps your body vigorous. Instead of eating every time you should try to eat less but tops food for good health. Drink enough water especially during summer as it prevents health problems like dehydration.

 

There are countless benefits of eating healthy as it helps you remain free from any health danger and also assist you in leading a happy life.

 



By: Jim Andrews

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ng around for medical insurance can be a confusing business. You need to keep your wits about you and keep track of the benefits and costs of each policy and each type of policy. Too often we tend to look at the price first and the rest of the policy becomes a blur of fine print. And we’re off to check the next policy.

Slow down. There some important things you should do before you start chasing around to get a policy. Doing these few things will make the whole process simpler and clearer - and you’re much more likely to make a good decision.

You need to carefully consider your situation. Think about these questions and note your answers:

What’s the general state of your health?

How old are you?

Do you have any serious medical problems currently or in your medical history?

Do you have any history of recurring or on-going medical needs?

Do you use tobacco? How much?

Do you drink? How much?

Are you over- or under-weight for your height, body-type and age?

Is your job hazardous?

Do you participate in any activities or sports that could affect your health?

Now this may be unpleasant but if there’s any chance an insurance company could discover a history of drug or alcohol abuse or sexual behavior that might put you in a high risk group, you may want to be direct and upfront about it - especially if it’s in the past. Having a claim denied later because you had failed to disclose medical information to the insurance company would be far more upsetting - and very expensive. The same goes for any significant medical condition. Insurance companies are in it to make a profit - at least most of them are. Paying large claims isn’t their favorite activity, so they often do investigate.

If you’re seeking a family policy you’ll need to make the same analysis for everyone and consider carefully what kind of coverage you want.

Do you need dental, orthodontic, pregnancy, mental health, and/or drug coverage? Do you need long-term care coverage, either inpatient or in a nursing facility? Assisted living coverage? What about traveler’s or international coverage?

If there’s a possibility that you may require - or want - in-home care as opposed to a residential nursing or assisted living facility, be sure that coverage is included and be sure you understand exactly what you can expect to receive.

Think about deductibles and what you could afford pay to reduce your insurance costs. But be very careful here, because medical expenses tend to pile up quickly and reach nearly insane levels for complex treatments or inpatient stays. Many drugs in common use are ridiculously over-priced and depending on the specifics of your insurance you may not be able to use the least expensive sources.

If you will end up with multiple sources of coverage, be clear about how they fit together and what the rules are about overlapping or combined benefits.

Once you are clear on your current situation, your (and other family member’s) medical history, and your projected needs, you can begin looking in a organized way with a better sense of where you’re going and what will actually meet your needs. This may seem like a tedious process, but it will serve you well in finding appropriate and affordable health insurance and making sure your health care needs can be met by the medical insurance you choose.

Take some time to work through these questions. Write down your answers. Make a chart with your desired coverages and any special conditions the policy must meet. As you look at health insurance policies, note the rules, exclusions, information about pre-existing conditions, any limitations, the dollar amounts covered and especially any deductibles.

Don’t try to do too much at once. If you hurry, it’ll become confusing and tiring. You may hate it (I know I do), but you really do need to read all that fine print and understand it. That’s not a task to rush through. You might as well face up to it, because it’s a lot better to do it BEFORE you need medical services than after you get a bill for the uncovered portion that sends you into shock.

So is it an impossible job to find health insurance that works for you? Not at all. There’s a world of resources on the internet to help you find the policy you need. Just be sure to do your homework first.

By: Richard Keir

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A glazed doughnut or a wedge of apple pie might be what we choose for a mid-morning munch. Unfortunately, these snacks contain refined sugar that is not only bad for your teeth and gums, but also for your pregnancy. Sugar, sometimes disguised as sucrose, dextrose, or glucose, provides empty calories, adds weight, and can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. We Americans eat entirely too much sugar — almost 7 tablespoons per person per day. Depending on who’s doing the research, that could be anywhere from 64 to 150 pounds per year. These “empty” spoonfuls contribute no nutrition or fiber and crowd out nutritious fare from your diet.

In the presence of certain bacteria in the mouth, sugar leads to the production of toxic bacterial byproducts that are very acidic. These toxins, if allowed to sit on the enamel of your teeth, cause caries (cavities). If not removed properly from along the gum line and in between the teeth, they irritate the gums and will ultimately erode the supporting bone that anchors the teeth in the mouth. A mother-to-be is more susceptible to dental problems due to the excessive hormones circulating in her system. According to the Surgeon General’s report in 2000, “toxins or other products generated by periodontal (around the teeth) bacteria in the mother may reach the general circulation, cross the placenta, and harm the fetus.” Pregnant women with severe gum infections are seven times more prone to having a baby that is premature. Prevention and early diagnosis of dental decay and gingivitis (swollen, tender gums) are important for your health as well as your baby’s.

So, what can you do about assuring good nutrition and oral health during pregnancy? Here are three tips from my book, Pregnancy and Oral Health that will make a difference right away:

Healthy Snack Alternatives

Here is a list of healthy snack ideas to replace those quick, convenient, sugary ones that contribute to dental decay:

*Yogurt with fresh fruit

*Unprocessed cheese

*Brown Rice, whole grain bagels, whole wheat toast, or bran muffins with cream cheese, peanut butter, or fruit spread

*Homemade frozen popsicles, using one 6oz. can frozen concentrated juice mixed with a small container (6-8 oz) of plain yogurt. I used to give these to my son when he was teething. They were yummy for both of us!

*Baked apples or other baked or stewed fruit

*Fresh fruit (Choose from a range of colors to ensure variety of nutrients and vitamins)

*Fruit smoothies, homemade, using yogurt and banana as your base. Add other fruit and flavorings with ice to make a delicious drink

*Unsweetened whole grain cereals with yogurt and fresh fruit.

*Nuts and seeds.

*Celery with peanut butter (my personal favorite).

*Raw carrot sticks, cucumber slices, green pepper wedges — or any fresh vegetables, for that matter. Serve with a dip made from ground garbanzo beans (hummus), yogurt, sour cream, or cottage cheese with herbs.

When you do indulge in a sugary treat, it is better to do it all in one sitting rather than to sip on a soda or take tiny bites of sweet things all day long. (One soda has on the average of 12 teaspoons of sugar). Eating tiny bursts of sweets throughout your day is more injurious to your oral health since every time you introduce sugar into your mouth, the bacteria are nourished for about 20 minutes.

Brushing or swishing

Brush as quickly as possible after eating or drinking anything with a high content of sugar. If that is not possible, I recommend taking a swig of water, swishing it around your mouth and swallowing. By keeping these residues at a very low level, you reduce the nutrients that many plaque-forming bacteria depend on for their growth and survival.



By: Shiela Wolf, RDH “Mama Gums”

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It’s astonishing to hear all the talk about the importance of salt during pregnancy with no mention of the fact that not all sources of sodium, or salt, are the same. This is a key consideration for pregnancy health.

As far as the body is concerned, there’s no connection between the chemically cleansed sodium chloride table salt you buy at the supermarket, contained in virtually every processed food you buy, and the mineral rich organic sea salt available over the Internet or your local health food store. These minerals are needed more than ever for pregnancy health.

Standard table salt is highly refined, chemically cleansed, and unfriendly to the body. Unrefined sea salt is a naturally occurring complex of sodium chloride, which includes major minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and a host of around 80 essential trace minerals. These are instrumental for pregnancy health.

Although the benefits of consuming these trace minerals are too numerous to list here, the nutrients and minerals found in sea salt help your body preserve blood cells, a major advantage towards insuring pregnancy health.

On your next visit to the market, take a look at the nutritional content on a container of the table salt you typically buy. Now compare that with the label found on a package of unrefined, unprocessed sea salt. One can destroy your health, while the other heals you. Those trace minerals found in unprocessed sea salt are essential for life, and for pregnancy health.

These essential minerals are stripped during the processing used to create the table salt we typically consume in our diets. In fact, potassium iodide has to be added back in to prevent goiter, a thyroid gland problem caused by lack of iodine. The differences are noteworthy for any mother concerned with pregnancy health.

Keep in mind that not all packages labeled “sea salt” are created equal. Look beyond the words “sea salt” on the label for a mineral analysis. Also, look for details assuring it has not been heated nor had chemicals added. Real sea salt is rarely pure white in color. Different coloring, depending on where the salts are harvested from, bode well and are an indication of the salts mineral content. These trace minerals will serve as good insurance towards pregnancy health.

 

 



By: John Franco

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