Say 'Ta-Ta' to Those Pesky Pregnancy Symptoms!

We’ve all been there. The nausea. The swelling. The headaches. As much as I LOVED being pregnant, there were many times I sat and wished I could fast forward a few months and be, well…not so pregnant.
- Ginger. Candied ginger. Fresh ginger. Ginger syrup (whole foods carries it). Ginger pops. Juiced ginger (goes great with carrot juice).
- No spicy, greasy foods. Probably not the first on your list, but fight the urge if it is.
- Leave crackers by your bed and eat a couple before getting up. An empty stomach is an unhappy stomach. Which brings me to my next point..
- Eat smaller, frequent meals…always have something in your belly, even if its just a cracker.
- Preggie pops (found in most maternity stores and online)
- A bit of yogurt and crackers right before bed
- Peppermint tea
- Sour things..lemons, lemonade, candies
- Lots of carbs and proteins. They are the energy-makers of food. Whole grains, chicken, fish, avocados, nuts, and beans.
- Fluids. Lots of them.
- Eat often..the less your sugar drops, the less energy lows you will have.
- Iron and a whole lot of it. Red meat. Egg yolks. Dark, leafy greens. Dried fruit. Beans, lentils, chickpeas. Liver. Artichokes.
- Exercise. I know, sounds counterintuitive, but take a walk, you will most likely find you have slightly more energy than when you started.
- Don’t forget to eat. Blood sugar drops are not pregnancy-friendly. Have a small snack at least every two hours.
- Water…water…water. Stop reading for a minute and go get a glass. I’ll wait…
- Water. It keeps thing moving, literally.
- Fiber. You should be getting between 25-35 mg of it. Try foods like peas, beans, veggies, dried fruit, roughage, and kiwis.
Headaches:
- Most often caused by not eating or drinking enough, so water and frequent snacking are key. Introduce water-heavy foods like watermelon and celery. Keep toast or crackers handy.
- Shoot for 1200 mg of calcium per day. Try greek yogurt, cheese, tofu and nuts.
Breathlessness:
- Iron-rich foods. Red meats, berries, spinach and other leafy greens.
- Vitamin C. Eat more oranges, bell peppers, guavas, kiwis, and strawberries.
- Potassium rich foods like bananas, mushrooms, avocados, leafy greens, and dried apricots.
- Magnesium power foods like bran, edamame, flax seeds, almonds and cashews.
- Calcium. A glass of milk or a yogurt would do you good.
Heartburn:
- Have more dairy, non-citrus juice, oatmeal, green veggies, beans, pasta, applesauce, ginger, tea.
- Avoid caffeine, chocolate, mint, spicy foods, vinegar, citrus, tomatoes, and mustard.
- More fluids. Again, sounds counterintuitive, but the more water you drink, the less you will bloat.
- Exercise to keep the fluids in your body from pooling more than they are. Get up every 30 minutes, walk around and stretch.
- Minimize salt intake. Sodium makes us retain even more water.
- Fiber to keep things moving. Lots of fruits and veggies.
- Water for same reason.
- Exercise to keep the gut moving. The more motion there is, the less you will suffer.
- Minimize salt intake. Sodium makes us retain even more water.
