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Protein, Vitamin, and Mineral for Mother (part 2)

Saturday, January 9th, 2010

protein, vitamin, mineral for mother Calcium prevents the mother decalcifications (loss of mineral in bones and teeth). For good absorption of calcium is necessary simultaneous intake of protein, lactose (milk products) and vitamin D. The milk and dairy products, leafy green vegetables, legumes and nuts, whole grains are rich in calcium.

Phosphorus is necessary at twice the calcium. Foods that contain it are milk and other dairy products, meat products, fish and eggs.

Cereals and legumes are rich in phosphorus but often take the form of phytates, not absorbable. The binding of calcium and phosphorus (calcium phosphate) form the bones of the fetus and then baby teeth. It is necessary to increase iron intake in pregnant women due to increased blood volume and the synthesis of fetal and placental tissues. And for training in fetal reserves of this mineral, which will be used during lactation (milk is poor in iron).

Red meat, organ meats and egg yolk are rich in heme iron, which is easily absorbed. The spinach and legumes contain heme iron, which needs to be accompanied for absorption of vitamin C. It should be remembered that only absorbs about 10% of the iron we ingest through food consumption. The iodine content in thyroid hormones, is involved in fetal growth and brain development of children. It is found in seafood, and vegetables (depending on soil type, the use of certain fertilizers and food processing).

If necessary supplementation, iodized salt is generally used. Magnesium, for its part, is distributed mainly in bones and muscles. The current supply is deficient in this mineral because of refined foods. Major sources are green vegetables, nuts, legumes and whole grains.
Other nutrients are also important:

* Carbohydrates: provide energy in the form of glucose, needed to be used by the fetus and placenta tissue increased, especially in the third quarter. Hence the importance of preventing many hours elapse without eating (4 to 6 feedings throughout the day) in order to maintain stable blood glucose levels. Simple sugars (candy, cola-type soft drinks, chocolate, etc..) Increase the calories in the diet. Also, increase intake of complex carbohydrates: cereals and cereal products (bread, pasta …), vegetables, potatoes and rice. Corrects the typical fiber causes constipation pregnancy in many women.

Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and their derivatives. Fats: the pregnant woman suffers a weight gain as fat reserves that can be used in milk production during lactation. It is necessary to the daily intake of essential fatty acids from vegetable fats (sunflower, olive, corn, soy …), because they participate in the development of the embryonic brain membranes.

Now, the woman should eat in moderation whole milk products, butter, margarine, cream and mayonnaise, because they provide calories.
Eating with pregnancy

* Prepare food with simple cooking (steamed, grilled, boiled, oven …). Digested better.
* Eat slowly, chew well and avoid “snack” between meals.
* In case of vomiting, nausea …, are better tolerated than cold foods hot and boiled or steamed than fried.
* If the appetite, increase doses (5 to 7 per day), reducing the volume of each meal. Enrich the dishes to make them more nutritious.
* Breakfast is to be complete and varied: dairy products, fruit, protein (ham, ham, cheese) and starchy foods (bread or cereal).
* Monitor the consumption of fruit (contains sugars that can promote weight gain). Take no more (or less) of 3 to 4 pieces a day and increasing consumption of vegetables (rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and lower calorific value).
* Keep in cleaning the mouth and teeth: the hormonal changes acidifying the saliva, which promotes tooth decay.
* Avoid strictly alcohol consumption: reduces the utilization of nutrients (protein, iron, B vitamins, calcium …); provides empty calories and can cause malformations in the fetus.
* Walk or do some other exercise: to improve constipation and blood circulation.
* Drink plenty of fluids: water, fruit, juices and teas not encouraging. Eat vegetables and vegetable broths.

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Protein, Vitamin, and Mineral for Mother (part 1)

Friday, January 8th, 2010

protein, vitamin, and mineral for motherThe goal of proper nutrition during pregnancy is to provide the nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals) and the energy required for normal development of the fetus and placenta, in addition to meeting the needs of the mother.

A good diet will also prevent problems of premature deliveries and low birth weight, or infections.

During pregnancy it is normal for fattening women 9 to 12 kilos. During the first quarter, the increase will be 1.5. to 1.8 kilos., about 3.5 kilos extra on the second and the remainder in the third (about 0.4 kilos per week).

During pregnancy you need:

* Protein: meat, fish, eggs, milk and derivatives. Especially in the last two months. They provide the necessary amino acids to the developing fetus and placenta and the enlarged uterus and breasts. Do not forget the protein intake of vegetables, grains and nuts. Within a vegetarian diet, it is necessary to combine plants (legumes) and grains or cereals and nuts (rice with nuts) to obtain protein of high biological value.

* Vitamins: with a varied and balanced diet supplements are not needed, except perhaps of folic acid. Supplementation is recommended for women who have had previous pregnancies or who have recently taken oral contraceptives. The vitamin deficiency is linked to growth retardation, megaloblastic anemia (low red blood cell count in blood) and the development of spina bifida. Folic acid is found in leafy (spinach, chard, chicory), liver, cheeses and beer yeast. Taking too much vitamin A, D, E leads to an accumulation, which may cause malformations in the fetus, so that supplementation is only by prescription. Hence the importance of not self-medicate. Foods rich in these vitamins are: Vitamin A (important for fetal development): liver, cod liver oil, viscera, fruit and vegetables, yellow-orange, egg yolks, margarine and butter. Vitamin D: (involved in bone growth): oily fish (sardines, herring, salmon …), liver, eggs, cod liver oil, margarine, butter. Vitamin E (antioxidant against free radicals) margarine, whole grains, nuts.

* Minerals: special attention to calcium, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, and in the third quarter, the iron. The calcium and phosphorus increased during lactation by its presence in breast milk.

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Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Calcium and Milk Consumption forced

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

pregnancy and breastfeeding: calcium and milk consumption forcedDairy products, because they are rich in calcium, are highly recommended during pregnancy and lactation, two very demanding periods in calcium for the mother. Is it really justified to recommend a high calcium intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding? It would be worthwhile to revisit this issue.

The fetus takes in even the reserves of the mother of large amounts of calcium, it will use to promote the rapid growth of its small bone. It will be the same during breastfeeding. Several stressed the importance of eating a good quantity of milk during pregnancy, so to better “build” bone of the child, arguing that milk is the main food of the infant and better is starting to give him his life from the womb. Questionable reasoning.

Nearly 100% of women in the developing world give birth and nurse for periods much longer than in our Western countries, without apparent harm (not osteoporosis) and this, with a quarter of our recommendations for calcium (300 to 400 mg per day).

Dozens of research, you will find references at the end of the text, seem to show that bone mineral reserves of the mother normally regenerate during the months of lactation. Even as these mineral repeated requests during periods of pregnancy and lactation stimulate both the reconstruction that women would come out with a better frame.

Conversely, could it be that the overconsumption of dairy products come destabilize the body during pregnancy and lactation? Should we really recommend daily calcium intakes as high as 1200 mg? Women live yet beautiful pregnancy without complications, without consuming any dairy product, and with calcium intakes well below the 1200mg recommended on a daily basis. Two thirds of the adult recommendation of 1000 mg or 700 mg seems sufficient. (more…)

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Prepare pregnancy: supplementation with folic acid

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

folic acidIntroduction
Folic acid is a vitamin, vitamin B9 to be exact.
You can find other words to further define this vitamin: folate, or folacin.
We want to show in this text, the importance of folic acid in the preparation of your pregnancy, and thus its importance to the development of your unborn baby!

A key element in the development of your unborn baby
It takes about 3 months for the capital of folic acid is optimal, or of studies have shown that nearly half of women age to conceive a child, are in partial deficiency of this vitamin.
It plays a vital role in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, the developing neural tube of the future baby.
The neural tube will form its spine, skull and brain.
A deficiency of folic acid can cause neural malformations: spina bifida, and to a lesser extent, a malformation of the face: the harelip (the cleft lip and palate)
In fact, the occurrence of these defects for 1 pregnancy in 1000.


When, how and who is affected by supplementation with folic acid?

For this reason, the medical profession calls for folic acid from the preparation of pregnancy, at least 8 weeks before the first trial design, and during the 1 first month of pregnancy.
Indeed it appears that supplementation reduced the risk of malformation of almost 70%!

They found folic acid in the daily diet, especially vegetables in green leaves, bread, cereals, and vegetables and dried fruits.
(see below)..
But as a precaution, doctors prefer to prescribe additional tablets to take daily.
Assays:
- 0.4 mg per day for women does not pose a particular risk.
- 5 mg per day for women who are at increased risk.


What are the circumstances of increased risk:

- If you had a child with a neurological defect, spina bifida type.
- If you follow an anti-epileptic treatment, or treatment for diabetes.
- If you are overweight, or conversely, if your body mass index (BMI) is below 18 in early pregnancy.
- If you become pregnant while you are still growing season (for all girls!)

In all cases, is an important point of discussion with your doctor whenever you want to start your “project baby”!

Where does one find folic acid in food daily?

All leafy vegetables: watercress, chicory, dandelion, lettuce, mache, endive, leeks, cabbage, artichokes, spinach, parsley …
Seeds: walnuts, chestnuts, chickpeas, lentils, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts.
Eggs.
The refined cheeses like Brie, Les Bleus, the Goats …
Bread in any proportion, but as we consume more, it becomes interesting in terms of contribution … particularly bread.

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Thyroid and Pregnancy

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

thyroidIn pregnancy must take into account two factors, the thyroid of the mother and the child’s thyroid. Everyone has their own personality and requires its own attention.

Child’s Thyroid .-

Regarding the protection of the child’s thyroid during pregnancy as we have discussed in Chapter Prevention of thyroid disease, but we will make a reminder surface. In relation to the thyroid of children we must remember the “rule of three”

After three weeks of conception begins to form the outline of what should be the thyroid of children, women at this time often do not know yet who is pregnant, from the third month of conception, the fetal thyroid is already able to accumulate iodine, operate and produce their own hormones, three weeks after birth the newborn has used hormones that could come from his mother, he has exhausted their deposits and began to operate connected to the pituitary.

During pregnancy the embryo first and later fetus are highly protected. They have two possibilities of using thyroid hormones, those which he makes and those of his mother passing the placenta. If your mother has a severe hypothyroidism, the child uses the hormones that it produces, if the child has thyroid agenesis, ie a congenital lack of thyroid, also has no problem, use the hormones that supplies his mother. In both cases the child is born quite normal in their development.

The problem occurs when there is a lack of iodine to produce thyroid hormones. Under these circumstances it works well and the thyroid of the mother or the fetus, and then there are problems. Why am I so insistent with the theme of food rich in iodine and in case of doubt, which is always, use iodized salt. But that is what we discussed at length in the chapter on Prevention.

Mother’s Thyroid .- Modifications induced by pregnancy .-

Although she is a woman you absolutely normal for thyroid pregnancy is a major impact. But do not worry you are prepared for that and more. That gender equality is stupid, women are physiologically better equipped than men.

Pregnancy is accompanied by the influence of a number of factors specific to this condition which together are a major stimulus of the thyroid of the pregnant woman. (more…)

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Pregnancy: A Disease?

Monday, January 4th, 2010

pregnancyMotherhood is probably one of the most intense experiences of a woman’s life. Pregnancy is not a disease but a normal phase in the life of a mother … and a father!

By cons, there is no denying that the process of pregnancy involves major changes in the physiology of the female body. Many mothers who were active before becoming pregnant are wondering if they can continue to exercise, while others settled before fertilization, wonder if they can initiate a practice of regular physical activity.

To understand why exercise is not harmful to the mother, we must realize that for hundreds of thousands of years, the human body has adapted beautifully to the process of gestation, even when the mother was obliged to remain very active. For centuries, even pregnant women were as long as possible to keep working, whether in fields or inside and that work was often very painful.

Consequently, the female body is extremely effective in protecting the fetus: whether the strategic positioning of it in the body of the mother, for the physical protection afforded by the amniotic fluid or physiological mechanisms ensuring stability chemical internal environment of the body and maintaining its temperature. The physical effort and reasonable place in a healthy environment is not detrimental to the embryo or fetus. In fact, the physical effort is also good for pregnant women than any other human being.

Unfortunately, health professionals have traditionally tended to be extremely conservative in relation to pregnancy and physical activity. This situation is changing more and more for the advancement of knowledge in human physiology suggests that the benefits of exercise far outweigh the disadvantages for both mother and child, and that the traditional recommendations were too conservative. Furthermore, studies show that physical activity before and during pregnancy may predispose a pregnancy “easier.” For example, Rudra (2005) has shown that regular physical activity could reduce risk of preeclampsia. Other studies show a decreased incidence of meconium (material in the intestine and expelled the fetus after birth), fewer abnormal fetal heart rate, less entanglement of the umbilical cord and better indices of ‘APGAR (evaluating the general condition of the newborn) in women with physical activity during pregnancy. (more…)

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Adequate nutrition during pregnancy

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

pregnancyProper nutrition during pregnancy is essential to your health and your child, but can be turned into very bad for it if too fat and that weight gain is inadequate.

Pregnancy involves increased nutritional requirements, this means an increase in energy consumption (called increased basal metabolic rate) with the increase in nutritive elements, vitamins and minerals.
Anyway this is not excessive consumption of food, much less the increase in carbohydrate consumption although many mothers experience increased appetite or selectivity for certain foods.

The maternal weight
The ideal average weight gain in late pregnancy is (between week 38-42) 11 Kg
According to the committee on Maternal Nutrition National Research Council 1989, with a gain of 1 kg during the first trimester and 400 g per week from the second quarter.
This is due to begin forming new tissues, organs and unborn child develops.
It is important that during this period receive a correct diet in order to avoid complications and promote the normal course of your pregnancy and fetal growth.
A little weight gain, ie the bottom of 9 kg, can adversely affect pregnancy, in the sense of having a child as a result of low birth weight (less than 2.5 kg).

Studies show the existence of a relationship between fetal malnutrition and changes in weight and size of newborns who receive inadequate supply of nutrients during the gestation period, through a gap in the nutrition of the mother. It is imperative to motivate women to skinny gain weight during pregnancy than women of normal weight. This means that if you keep your weight within normal limits (9 and 12 kg) integrate the body of pregnant women with less incidence of preeclampsia, prematurity and low birth weight. (more…)

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Phosphorus

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

phosphorusWhat is phosphorus?

Phosphorus is a mineral found in 85% in the skeleton and teeth in combination with calcium. The remaining 15% are found in the serum and being distributed by all cells. This mineral is essential in bone development, muscle contraction, blood clotting and is also responsible for maintaining a normal heart rhythm.
What is the dosage?

The recommended minimum dose is 700 mg. daily during pregnancy.

Should I take a supplement?

With a healthy, balanced diet you get the amount of phosphorus required by the body, so you do not need any supplements. Also keep in mind that the intake of phosphorus should be similar to that associated with calcium and vitamin D, so your body can assimilate properly. Dairy products are an ideal food because they contain a natural balance between phosphorus and calcium.
What foods contain phosphorus?

There are several foods that contain a good amount of phosphorus. Dairy products are a good example along with fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines, beef and liver. Also found in rice, lentils, nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, garlic, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, onion, carrot, celery, tomato, cucumber, sweet potato, artichoke, leek, strawberries, apples and plums. (more…)

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Treatments for Menopause

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

menopauseThere is the physician who can prescribe treatment for menopause with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they are nevertheless evidence of strict recommendations to avoid for women at risk.

Only your doctor can prescribe the appropriate treatment based on hormones after having discussed all the risks and benefits.

Remarks on HRT:
1. When should I take hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Treatment of menopausal hormone replacement (or HRT) at menopause have demonstrated during the 2004 recommendations of new (renewed by a French study of Inserm dated November 19 and 04 of 2005).
However, according to a new survey from Inserm (2005) HRT are not all identical, we distinguished between HRT with estrogen alone or in combination HRT estrogen and micronized progesterone (identical in structure to natural progesterone) and these two treatments (hormones estrogen alone and micronized) would present no (or less likely) to cause breast cancer in patients that conventional HRT.

For conventional HRT (combination estrogen progestin synthesis) doctors recommend taking hormones at menopause only when the patient feels hot flashes, most of it should not cons-indications in the patient (see below) which should always be informed by the medical risk-benefit ratio of prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT), duration of treatment should not exceed 3 years. You can also think, with the consent of your doctor, a natural alternative herbal,>> more.

Such caution in prescribing of HRT followed up 40% of breast cancers in HRT treatment, 40% may seem a lot but if we are talking about 5 women out of 1,000 aged 55 who develop breast cancer with or without HRT, we can speak of 7 women 2 more with HRT, and it is very little, hence the difficulty of taking HRT or not in case of severe symptoms of menopause, but only Your doctor can really tell you about this risk-benefit ratio. (more…)

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Overview of Menopause

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

menopauseDefinition

Etymological, the term menopause means “cessation of rules.” Menopause or climacteric is a normal physiological process that marks the end of the fertile period. The cessation of ovarian function and secretion of female hormones – estrogen and progesterone – causes cessation of menses.

According to the Dictionary of Medicine Flammarion, “menopause is the time of the climacteric woman normally between 50 and 55, characterized by suppression of ovarian function and the total disappearance of menstruation. It is recognized that menopause installed where there were no rules for a year. After the surgical removal of ovaries (castration) in a woman yet settled, which follows the menopause is called artificial. ”

Menopause is preceded by a long transition period that begins at the age of 40 years and in which appear the first biological changes. This transition corresponds to the premenopausal and perimenopausal.

- The premenopausal means the period during which hormonal fluctations produce menstrual irregularities. It can vary from months to several years, it usually lasts 5 years.
- Perimenopause is the “period of one year immediately prior to menopause during which begins endocrinological signs characterizing biological and clinical approach of the menopause.” (Definition of Lucien Chaby extracted from his book on Menopause, Collection Dominos, Flammarion) (more…)

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