Following childbirth, you may experience issues such as itchiness or soreness around your vaginal or rectal area. This can be incredibly uncomfortable and certainly something that you don’t want to have to deal with on top of the pressures of being a new mom. This article explains an option that may help you.
Tucks pads are used to treat burning sensations, itching, or other irritations caused by bowel movements or hemarroids. However, as well as that, they are commonly used to clean the outer vaginal area after a woman has given birth1. This is particularly the case if the woman has suffered from a perineal tear, as the pads can give instant relief of the itchiness caused by that2.
Tucks pads are medicated with witch hazel, which is what gives them their cooling effect3. You may well already be wearing a sanitary pad in the early days following childbirth, particularly if part of the process involved an epesiotomy. The advice is to wear one or two Tucks pads on top of your sanitary pad, rather than instead of it.
The active ingredient, witch hazel (Latin name, Hamamelis virginiana4), not only helps to reduce soreness, irritation, and itching, it also helps combat swelling5. Studies have shown this to be hugely beneficial to women suffering from perineal concerns after the birth of their baby6.
This is not to say that Tucks pads should be seen as a replacement for basic hygiene, of course. On the contrary, cleaning the area remains incredibly important (see later section of this article for more information).
Although Tucks pads are typically utilized for people suffering rectal issues such as hemarroids and pain during bowel movements, they also come highly recommended for new moms. They are most effective in treating soreness and itchiness caused by a perineal tear5, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be used by anyone who has just given birth.
As these products help by providing a cooling sensation to the vaginal area, you may consider using Tucks pads no matter what happened during your child’s birth. In rare cases, some people have experienced allergic reactions to the witch hazel in Tucks pads7.
However, this is uncommon and, while different people may have varying experiences, the product is generally considered to be safe for use on skin7. Nonetheless, you should inform your medical professional if you are using them, particularly if you are taking other medication, as there is always a small chance that different drugs can react with each other8.
This article is focused on Tucks pads, which can be used to relieve itchiness or irritation generated in the vaginal and perineal area following childbirth. However, there are other products that you may wish to explore. Depending on the requirements of your postpartum care, you may want to look into a variety of options9, such as:
As Tucks pads are medicated, they also help with the cleaning and healing process. Nonetheless, they should not be used instead of following your regular hygiene routine. Tucks pads are disposable and biodegradable, making them safe to be flushed down the toilet. Therefore, bathe or shower as you would typically, making sure to keep your vagina and perineum clean, then use a pad afterward.
It is recommended to wash the area affected with mild soap and warm, but not hot, water before applying a Tucks pad. This will keep your vagina sufficiently clean without causing further irritation by overly hot water or strong detergent. Please also note that Tucks pads are not designed to be used internally.
There is a range of products available to support you during the postpartum period. These range from sanitary pads to bottles that act as a bidet. Amongst this selection, Tucks pads can be used to help the itchiness, pain, and swelling brought on by childbirth. With witch hazel as the active ingredient, Tucks pads help soothe the vagina, perineum, and rectum. They are particularly recommended following an episiotomy or perineal tear. They are entirely safe to use for most people, although it’s always worth checking with your doctor if you’re not sure.
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Apple cider vinegar is essentially a mixture of apple juice, yeast, and probiotic bacteria. The yeast transforms the sugar in the apple juice into alcohol through the process of fermentation. The bacteria then convert the alcohol into acetic acid, which is what gives the noticeable taste and intense aroma of apple cider vinegar.1
There are different types2 of apple cider vinegar, including:
This is certified as being free of all artificial chemicals3, meaning that the product has not been chemically treated and that the original ingredients (i.e., the apples) were grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. As a result, many people see this as a more natural - and, therefore, potentially more beneficial - type of apple cider vinegar.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Raw apple cider vinegar has not undergone any form of processing4. For example, it has not been filtered or pasteurized. Raw apple cider vinegar also has no chemical flavorings added.
Filtered Apple Cider VinegarThis type of apple cider vinegar is when the product is filtered to remove the element commonly known as the ‘mother’5. This term refers to a cloud that is produced when the fermentation process is extended, which allows for more collection of acetic acid bacteria and yeast6. However, this aspect is removed from filtered apple cider vinegar, making the liquid clearer and more amber in color.
Unfiltered Apple Cider VinegarFor unfiltered apple cider vinegar, the ‘mother’ is not removed. This makes the product very cloudy. Due to this, it continues to ferment post-production, meaning that the taste can keep changing7. Another benefit of keeping the ‘mother’ is that it also includes enzymes that are helpful for breaking down food5.
Unpasteurized Apple Cider VinegarPasteurization is when a product is superheated to a very high temperature before being quickly cooled again8, which can help to keep it fresher for longer9. Unpasteurized apple cider vinegar has not undergone this process as the heating process can kill the probiotic bacteria, thereby reducing the health benefits of apple cider vinegar10.
Many health benefits11 have been reported related to consuming apple cider vinegar. Some of the main advantages are:
Apple cider vinegar contains the following beneficial minerals and nutrition: amino acids, antioxidants, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and manganese11. These all help your body’s natural functions. Furthermore, at only three calories per tablespoon, it is unlikely to lead to any weight gain.
Aids Weight Loss
As the bacteria in apple cider vinegar are probiotic, consuming it adds to the microbiota in your gut, thereby helping your digestive system1. Apple cider vinegar also contains natural laxatives, which can help reduce constipation and keep your digestive system moving12. Linked to weight loss, the potential for apple cider vinegar to manage type 2 diabetes has been explored13.
Lowers Blood PressureBecause apple cider vinegar is beneficial in losing weight and reducing obesity, this also helps lower blood pressure14. This can help in combating a variety of medical concerns.
Decreases Cancer RiskContinued consumption of apple cider vinegar has been shown to reduce the likelihood of cancer cells forming15. This means that tumors either go into regression or do not form at all. Of course, this shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to medical treatment. However, it is positive to consider that apple cider vinegar can be used alongside conventional medicine.
As with anything, there are always potential risks or side effects. In the case of apple cider vinegar, the following risks are more common with overconsumption16:
Although apple cider vinegar can help contribute to feelings of satiety, meaning that you don’t feel the need to consume as much food, studies have also shown that some people struggle with indigestion and nausea when they consume it in larger quantities17.
Bone DamageThis is an uncommon side effect of apple cider vinegar but worth noting nonetheless. It has been shown that prolonged use of this product can considerably reduce potassium levels and lead to brittle bone disease, even in people who are typically thought of as being too young to develop such a condition18.
Delayed Stomach EmptyingScientific studies have proven that, despite the aforementioned laxative properties of apple cider vinegar, consuming it regularly actually keeps the contents in the stomach for longer19. This can cause heartburn, nausea, and bloating, and make dealing with type 1 diabetes more challenging.
Erosion of EnamelAcidic foods and drinks cause erosion of tooth enamel, which can have lasting effects20. For example, in some cases, consuming high quantities of apple cider vinegar to encourage weight loss has led to incredibly high levels of tooth damage21.
All of the same benefits and risks of apple cider vinegar apply to pregnant women to the same extent as non-pregnant people. Pasteurized apple cider vinegar can be seen as safe for moderate consumption during pregnancy.
However, you should note that unpasteurized apple cider vinegar may have more significant risks if you are pregnant22. Therefore, you should speak to your doctor if you plan to consume unpasteurized apple cider vinegar while pregnant. If it is the probiotic benefits you are seeking, other supplements are available that don’t have the same risks as apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar is reported to be beneficial for a range of reasons, including weight loss, fighting against cancer, and lowering blood pressure. On the other hand, there are notable risks, particularly with overconsumption. Some of the main side effects are tooth decay, bone damage, delay in stomach emptying, and indigestion.
Pasteurized apple cider vinegar can be consumed safely during pregnancy, as long as you consume moderate amounts. Conversely, there may be more risks if you consume unpasteurized apple cider vinegar while pregnant. Therefore, seek professional medical advice before doing so.
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This is a topic that some people see as being taboo and so are reluctant to discuss. However, with notable health impacts associated with this condition, it is important to find answers to your questions. Therefore, we have gathered some of the most commonly asked questions about postpartum constipation and produced research-based solutions to them.
It is generally considered that the causes of postpartum constipation are multifaceted and interrelated1. Some of the prominent causes2 include:
There is no way to pinpoint a particular cause as each woman’s case will be different. Nonetheless, a combination of the above factors is likely to lead to postpartum constipation. Evidence is inconclusive regarding whether any obstetric factors may cause postpartum constipation, although postpartum incontinence may be associated with forceps delivery, maternal obesity, and anal injury during childbirth3.
Approximately one in four women will experience constipation either during pregnancy or within the first three months postpartum4. Furthermore, when explicitly considering only the postpartum period, this figure rises to just over 25%5. Therefore, if you are one of the many women suffering from postpartum constipation, please do not feel like you are alone as at least a quarter of all new mothers will be going through the same thing as you.
This condition is most common during the first few days following childbirth. However, it can often last for three to six months. In some extreme cases, women have been reported to have suffered from postpartum constipation for as long as twelve months6. As the potential timeframe is so variable, it is recommended that you consult a medical professional should your symptoms last longer than a week or so.
If you have not had a bowel movement for four days following childbirth, you should consult your doctor straightaway7. That way, you can make sure that you get the advice and treatment appropriate for you.
However, in general, this is not a condition for which to be overly concerned. Symptoms are usually short-lived and can be treated simply (see next section). In more severe cases, your doctor may need to change any medication you are currently taking or prescribe you something specifically to help7.
Considering the risk factors discussed above, there are some straightforward strategies that you can use to reduce the likelihood of postpartum constipation or to relieve symptoms if you are already suffering from it. Firstly, making sure that you take in enough fiber and fluids is critical8. This will help your body to maintain normal bowel function.
Remaining active, mainly through walking9, can also help as it will restore your abdominal muscles to their pre-pregnancy positions. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe you a laxative medication to help your body regain its natural rhythm8. Some research also considers the use of Chinese herbal medicines for the treatment of postpartum constipation10.
An in-depth research project considering past literature failed to find a link either way between giving birth via Caesarean section and the likelihood of postpartum constipation3. However, other studies have suggested that while having a C-section doesn’t impact the chance of experiencing the condition, it does generate other possible causes11. For example, the anesthetic used during the procedure may cause your intestines to be slower to react, meaning that your first bowel movement following childbirth may take longer before it occurs.
Furthermore, blood loss during a C-section could reduce your iron quantity, which may also make constipation more likely. If this is the case for you, eating iron-rich foods is your best bet, as iron supplements have been shown to be a potential cause of constipation12, which would only make your problem worse.
Postpartum constipation is reasonably common, affecting over one in four women. Symptoms typically last for a few days, but the condition can go on much longer in some cases. If you have not had a bowel movement for four days following childbirth, or if your symptoms are persisting, you should seek professional medical advice.
Causes of postpartum constipation are manifold but tend to be linked to lack of fiber, insufficient water, remaining to lie down due to hospitalization, particular medications, and little exercise.
With this in mind, simple treatment involves drinking lots of fluids, maintaining a high-fiber diet, and continuing regular - though not intense - exercise (for example, walking and pelvic floor exercises). In addition, if you have given birth via C-section, your first bowel movement may take longer due to the lasting effect of the anesthetic used, and you may need to eat food rich in iron (such as red meat).
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Some women have raised concerns about having children because of the fear of postpartum depression, particularly if their own mothers suffered from the condition. It is a condition that affects approximately 15% of women following childbirth1, meaning that concerns are certainly valid. However, is there a genetic element to postpartum depression or not? This article shall consider the evidence regarding this question.
Postpartum depression is when a mother experiences depressive symptoms after giving birth, typically within the first six weeks. Symptoms of postpartum depression may include things such as sleeplessness2. Many new mothers disregard this because they expect not to be able to sleep as well with an infant; however, although this is indeed likely, if the mother cannot sleep even when the baby is, that is a sign of depression.
Other symptoms2 include an inability to focus on daily tasks, worrying all the time, loss of appetite, etc. If you believe that you may be experiencing these symptoms, regardless of whether or not you or they have recently had a baby, seek medical advice as soon as possible.
During pregnancy, levels of various hormones change. When the pregnancy has finished, these hormones return to their previous levels much quicker than when they changed over nine months of gestation. This can cause depression. Some of the most notable hormonal changes3 while pregnant include:
Ordinarily, hormonal balance is likely to be achieved again roughly six to eight weeks after giving birth3, though this isn’t the case for everyone. In some cases, more cortisol (which people call the stress hormone due to its connection with heightened anxiety and stress4) can lead to depressive episodes.
Generally speaking, there is mixed evidence regarding the genetic nature of depression. Some studies show that hereditary characteristics may cause people to put themselves into environments or situations of greater risk of depression4. Other research suggests that particular forms of anxiety may be hereditary, but not depression5.
However, there has been a discovery of a particular gene that is linked to depression6. The implication from scientific researchers is that approximately 40% of people with depression have developed the condition because of a genetic link, while the remaining 60% have their illness caused by environmental factors6. In fact, if someone has a parent or sibling with major depressive disorder, they are two to three times more likely than the average person to develop the condition themselves7.
Therefore, depression can be considered as being hereditary, but by no means for all cases. Nonetheless, this still doesn't determine whether or not this is the case specifically for postpartum depression, which will be evaluated in the next section.
It has been argued that considering the wide range of factors that may contribute to postpartum depression, it is surprising that the number of women who suffer from it is as low as it is. One school of thought for explaining this is that genetic variables actually cause some women to be less likely to suffer from this terrible condition8.
Even though there has been a genetic link identified related to major depressive disorder, the same is not true for postpartum depression. A major survey of the literature associated with this topic tried to draw evidence together to find a conclusion. However, the findings of that research study were that there was insufficient documentation to support the idea of there being a specific gene responsible for postpartum depression9.
Albeit there may not be a discovery of a specific gene linked with the prevalence of postpartum depression, there are genetic factors that may make a particular woman more likely to suffer therefrom. For example, 5HTTLPR is the name of a biological polymorphism that has been shown to link with postpartum depression9.
The majority of medical risk factors associated with postpartum depression revolve around past mental health history10. If the woman has suffered from depression or anxiety in the past, particularly during the pregnancy, the likelihood of postpartum depression is higher.
Although the root cause of postpartum depression is not fully understood, the majority of scientists and academics consider that the condition stems from hormonal changes during pregnancy and childbirth. However, there may be a genetic connection.
Symptoms of depression include sleeplessness, excessive worry, inability to make decisions, irritability, difficulty focusing, and loss of appetite, among other issues. Scientists have found a gene that they believe to be responsible for major depressive disorder, thereby concluding that there are genetic factors behind suffering from depression. However, the same cannot be said for postpartum depression. Although there may be some genetic evidence supporting a potential link to postpartum depression, it is much more likely to be caused by environmental factors or previous mental ill-health.
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Much research has been undertaken regarding the extent to which probiotics affect levels of appetite. Probiotics can be defined as “live, nonpathogenic microorganisms administered to improve microbial balance”1; therefore, they are tiny living things that help to bring our bodies to equilibrium. They are mainly used in the gastrointestinal tract, suggesting that there could be links to hunger. This article summarizes some of the main themes arising from such studies, aiming ultimately to answer whether or not probiotics make you hungry.
Researchers certainly agree that microbiota in the gut is critical in regulating the metabolism of humans and other animals2. Furthermore, it has been seen that probiotics positively impact gut microbiota and produce metabolites2. Probiotics modulate the composition of microbes within the intestinal tract; therefore, they can cause appetite modulators to be released in the same way that nutrients do, telling the body that it is satiated3.
However, some academics have found that the effects of probiotics on appetite are minimal in people who are overweight or obese4. This raises a potential question regarding the advantages of probiotics.
Putting appetite to one side for the moment, numerous studies have suggested various health improvements associated with the use of probiotics. The diseases that can be reduced or even eliminated include, but are not limited to, the following5:
Therefore, it is clearly demonstrated that probiotics are beneficial for health, but that doesn’t answer the title question. To investigate this further, we need to consider the issue of obesity.
It is suggested that probiotics can be used to simulate the microbiota found in the guts of people with a body mass index that is considered to be healthy6. As such microbiota would send messages to the brain to say that it wasn’t hungry - thereby giving the physiological state of satiation - it could be considered that probiotics can reduce levels of obesity.
However, as previously mentioned, not all scholars agree with this. For example, some have shown that while probiotics can positively impact reducing appetite, lifestyle choices far outweigh these benefits, essentially rendering them negligible6.
That being said, it is undoubtedly evident that the gut flora of obese individuals is less diverse than that of non-obese people7. Therefore, using probiotics to promote the diversity of microbiota within the intestines, particularly members of the Bacteroidetes, could help to reduce rates of obesity. Furthermore, such manipulation of gut microbiota has been proven to be successful within animals in the agricultural sector for decades7; thus, manipulation of this nature should be able to be extrapolated to use within humans.
Empirical studies illustrate the effectiveness of probiotics in helping with weight loss. For example, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, wholly randomized study had two groups of subjects, all of whom were classed as being obese: one group took a pill twice a day containing the probiotic Lactobaccilus rhamnosus; the other group took a placebo pill twice a day7.
Significant weight loss was found, after a period of 12 weeks, in the group taking the probiotic, but not in the control group. Moreover, those taking the probiotic for a further 12 weeks were shown to be able to maintain their lower body weight7. Therefore, this particular probiotic (which is commonly used in many probiotic products) can help with weight loss for people who are overweight or obese.
As microbes in the digestive system can manipulate the eating behavior of their host in order to heighten their own fitness9, it is definitely possible that they can control cravings. Indeed, it is shown that they can generate cravings in people so that they - the microbes - are given the nutrients they require and that they can cause dysphoria in their host until the host eats the food that the microbes want9. Dysphoria is a mental imbalance that is linked to mental health conditions such as depression10.
Gut flora can influence pathways related to reward and satiety, as well as being able to ‘hijack’ the vagus nerve, which is the neurological link between the stomach and the brain9. They can also alter various receptors in the body, including those related to taste9. All of this demonstrates the effects that microbiota within the gastrointestinal tract have on people’s eating habits.
Therefore, in consideration of the above factors, if one alters one’s mibrobial diversity through the use of probiotics, it is theoretically possible to change how these microbes impact one’s feelings towards food. Ultimately, this means that probiotics may indeed be able to help control cravings, so long as the appropriate microbes are added to the person’s system.
It has already been mentioned that microbial activity in the gut can lead to dyspnea if the microbes are not getting the food and nutrients that they require9. However, that is not the end of the story of the links to mental health and wellbeing, as probiotics can potentially be used as a cure for certain mental ill-health conditions.
For example, patients with major depressive disorder commonly experience a loss of appetite and, therefore, significant weight loss11. Through empirical research, it has been illustrated that, by taking the right probiotics for a sufficient amount of time (i.e., eight weeks), people with major depressive disorder experience mood alterations in a positive direction and begin to put on weight as their appetite improves11.
Other studies have shown the positive impacts of probiotics on mental health. One scientific research project, for instance, investigated “the effects of probiotics on mental health and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis”; this was undertaken under double-blind, totally randomized conditions12.
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is the body’s system responsible for responding to stresses of any kind13; thus, if probiotics were found to enhance this system and thereby reduce stress on the subjects, it would prove how such intervention can benefit mental health.
This was actually what the findings suggested, as accepted mental health parameters (general health questionnaire; depression, anxiety, and stress scale) showed significant improvements in groups using the probiotics13.
Probiotics are used to alter the microbiota within somebody’s intestinal tract. The microbiota can, at least to some extent, control cravings and appetite within their host. Therefore, the use of probiotics can change both the amount of food that someone wants to consume, and which types of food they choose to eat. As well as that, they can be used for the reduction or elimination of various illnesses.
While such diseases are primarily those associated with digestive organs, conditions such as obesity and depression have been shown to have been successfully treated through the use of the right probiotics.
Thus, in answer to the title question (“Do probiotics make you hungry?”), the answer is as follows. Yes, probiotics can make you hungry, but they don’t always. It depends on which microbiota are already present in your gut and which probiotics you are taking. You should consider which probiotics you are taking and what you are hoping to achieve.
Furthermore, you should always seek medical advice if you are planning on taking probiotics over the long-term as it will affect you, in one way or another. Do you want them to make you hungry so that you can gain weight? Or do you want the opposite of that? Alternatively, is it that you have stomach pain or are suffering from depression or anxiety? Whatever the reason, there is likely to be a probiotic that can help with combatting - although probably not totally cure - what you are suffering from.
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Probiotics are helpful, live microorganisms that are important for your gut and provide many benefits to your overall health.
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Suffering from any health conditions may make you more apprehensive about becoming pregnant. This is certainly true of women with thyroid problems, many of whom have reported anxiety about potential pregnancy1. Thyroid disease is the second most common endocrine condition affecting women of reproductive age2, making it particularly worthy of consideration.
Ultimately, having thyroid issues doesn’t necessarily mean that you cannot have a successful pregnancy; nonetheless, there are potential risks to be considered. This article summarizes some of the main aspects related to thyroid problems and pregnancy.
Hypothyroidism means that the thyroid gland doesn’t produce sufficient quantities of certain hormones. This can cause interference with the ovulation process for women, meaning that eggs may not always be released from the ovaries. If this is the case, the woman will not be able to get pregnant.
In addition, some of the underlying causes of hypothyroidism may affect fertility. Such causes include pituitary disorders or autoimmune issues. Therefore, even if the hypothyroidism itself doesn’t reduce fertility, there may still be a link.
The normal development of your baby’s brain and nervous system is largely dependent on thyroid hormones. Within the first three months of pregnancy, the baby needs a supply of thyroid hormones from the mother, delivered via the placenta. After that, an unborn baby’s thyroid starts to work by itself at around 12 weeks of gestation, although it doesn’t produce enough hormones until about 20 weeks.
Estrogen and human chorionic gonadotropin are two hormones that are related to pregnancy. When pregnant, these hormones can generate higher levels of thyroid hormone in the mother’s blood. This can sometimes mask potential thyroid issues, making any genuine concerns challenging to spot. Also, the mother’s thyroid often grows slightly during pregnancy, whether they have previously had thyroid problems or not.
Some symptoms that may be traditionally associated with thyroid concerns are standard in many pregnancies. This includes things like fatigue, a faster heart rate, and difficulty regulating temperature. However, there are other signs that may be more likely to signify a thyroid-related issue. These include shaky hands, irregular heartbeat, and unexplained weight loss.
If untreated, thyroid problems during pregnancy can potentially lead to:
If your baby is born with thyroid problems linked to those of the mother, they may have a very fast heart rate, which could lead to fatal heart failure. Also, the soft area in their skull may close prematurely, which could cause neurological issues. Furthermore, they are likely to be more irritable than other newborns and not put weight on well.
The most important thing to do is to continue to monitor your hormone levels through liaison with your doctor. Close monitoring of thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy can help to reduce the risk of miscarriage3. Appropriate management has proven to show improved outcomes, thereby illustrating the high significance of diagnosis and treatment when required2.
Due to the fact that pregnancy can cause major changes in a woman's thyroid function, and because thyroid disease in the mother can lead to complications during pregnancy and in the health of the unborn child, special considerations need to be made by medical professionals5. Advice to doctors is that fine-needle aspiration cytology needs to be performed on dominant thyroid nodules that are found during pregnancy and that radioactive isotopes must be avoided5.
As an individual, however, that advice may be quite meaningless. For a woman concerned about thyroid issues when trying to conceive or while pregnant, the following are the most critical considerations6:
Avoid soy as this alters hormone production. You should also try to steer clear of processed foods as much as possible. Gluten intake should also be reduced. Things that are really good to eat if you are concerned about thyroid problems include seaweed, milk, nuts, yogurt, chicken, fish, berries, and eggs.
SmokingIt is widely accepted that smoking is bad for your health. However, in relation to the thyroid specifically, toxins released by burning cigarettes or cigars can cause the thyroid to become overly sensitive. This, in turn, can lead to thyroid-related illnesses.
StressStress is concerned to be a prevalent cause of thyroid disorders. It may be easier said than done, but try to reduce the occurrence of stressful situations. Stress can be minimized through mindfulness and meditation or even just ensuring that you have time to unwind and relax.
Medication
As previously mentioned, if you know that you have a thyroid problem, you are likely to be already undergoing treatment, possibly including medication. You need to make sure that your doctor has clearly explained how your treatment and medication work. If you develop a thyroid issue during pregnancy, seek immediate medical advice.
Knowing how best to manage thyroid problems can be difficult at any time, let alone when you are trying to conceive or are carrying a baby. Additionally, around one to four in every 1,000 pregnant women develop thyroid problems during the course of their pregnancies4. Therefore, your previous condition may be exacerbated, or you may acquire it anew when becoming pregnant.
It is possible to conceive if you have a thyroid condition, although it may be more difficult as your ovaries may not release eggs as regularly as those of a ‘healthy’ woman. An unborn baby then relies on their mother’s thyroid hormone production for approximately half of the pregnancy, meaning that your thyroid problems need to be monitored closely throughout.
Furthermore, thyroid issues may cause premature birth or miscarriage, as well as other concerns such as preeclampsia and heart failure. All of this goes to show the significance of appropriate treatment, which typically improves such conditions.
If you know you have a thyroid problem or are concerned about developing one during pregnancy, you should make sure you maintain a balanced diet that is free from processed food and, particularly, soy. You should also avoid smoking and try to limit your stress levels, perhaps by using mindfulness.
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Sharing similarities with the Atkins diet, the keto diet involves the consumption of minimal carbohydrates1. It has a relatively high fat content in order to replace the missing carbs1. This puts your body into a metabolic state known as ketosis.
When fat provides the most energy for your cells - which occurs when there is less glucose, the body’s preferred fuel, available - the ketone concentration in the blood increases2.
Fatty acids are released from the body’s fat stores and transformed, in the liver, to ketones3. Therefore, the person’s fat content decreases, and so they lose weight.
Blood sugar and insulin levels can also be dramatically reduced by following the keto diet4. This can generate notable health benefits, though it also comes with some potential risks.
The main types1 of the keto diet are as follows:
There have been many reported health benefits6 of the keto diet, including:
The foods usually eaten as part of the keto diet fill you up, contribute toward reducing hunger-stimulating hormones and increase metabolism7. Therefore, weight loss can be achieved. Studies have shown that people following the keto diet lost 2 pounds more, on average than people following low-fat diets for a period of 12 months8.
Although research in this area is currently limited, there is some evidence to suggest that the keto diet can help to reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. Furthermore, it can potentially be used as a treatment for cancer because it will cause more oxidative stress in cancerous cells, causing them to die9.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can cause hormonal changes in women that affect their ovaries and reproductive system and increase their volume of male hormones10. High carbohydrate diets have been found to exacerbate issues for people suffering from PCOS; therefore, it is logical that the keto diet may be of some benefit. But, again, scientific research is limited, though some studies indicate that many markers of PCOS can be improved by following the keto diet11.
For some people, acne is caused and made worse by eating a high quantity of carbohydrates because of how this causes their blood sugar levels to change dramatically. Research has shown, therefore, that following the keto diet can reduce acne in such people12.
This benefit comes with the caveat that healthier fats need to be eaten as part of the keto diet (e.g., eating avocados rather than bacon rind). If that advice is followed, the body can end up having less so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol and an increase in ‘good’ cholesterol, thereby improving the health of their heart and circulatory system13.
The ketones generated through following the keto diet can strengthen and protect cells in the brain and nervous system14. This means that brain function is less likely to be negatively affected over time, suggesting that the keto diet can help reduce the likelihood of developing conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Keeping to the keto diet has been shown to positively affect people - especially children - suffering from epilepsy in that their frequency and severity of seizures have both reduced15. However, as with other benefits discussed here, more research is required to fully understand the mechanisms behind this success.
Despite all of the health benefits, there are some potential risks16 regarding the keto diet. These include:
A drastic reduction in your carbohydrate intake may cause shock to your body that can result in temporary flu-like symptoms17. These include headaches, dizziness, constipation, nausea, and fatigue18. Although these symptoms usually diminish after a couple of weeks, it remains essential to keep hydrated and eat foods rich in electrolytes like potassium and sodium.
As your body adapts to ketosis, the mineral composition of your bones could be affected, making your bones weaker19. However, as with the benefits mentioned above of the keto diet, there is currently insufficient empirical evidence to confirm the severity or likelihood of this side effect.
It can be challenging to maintain a sufficiently high intake of fiber when on the keto diet, which can cause complications for the digestive system. For example, one study illustrated that 65% of those undertaking the keto diet reported constipation as a side effect thereof20.
The likelihood of developing a chronic condition or of suffering a premature death due to the keto diet would seem to depend on what your diet actually consists of. For example, it has been demonstrated that people following the keto diet with a high animal content may be more likely to develop heart disease or cancer. In contrast, those on the keto diet with a large proportion of vegetable matter have improved health outcomes and a lower chance than the average person of succumbing to a chronic disease21.
Eating a high amount of animal foods (e.g., meat and eggs) can cause your blood and urine to become more acidic, making the chance of developing kidney stones increase22.
Essentially, the answer to this is no. It is not advised to follow the keto diet if you are pregnant because the premise behind how it works (i.e., training your body to use ketones as fuel instead of glucose) is not appropriate for growing foetuses23. Glucose is essential for the healthy development of unborn babies.
Furthermore, academic studies have shown that pregnant women following the ketogenic diet can lead to abnormalities in the organic growth of their babies24. This could cause organ dysfunction and potentially even organ failure once the baby is born.
The ketogenic (‘keto’) diet helps people lose weight and can potentially demonstrate many other health benefits, such as reducing acne, maintaining heart health, and maximizing brain function. However, it also has risks, including weakening bones, increased susceptibility to kidney stones, and ‘keto flu’.
For pregnant women, the risks massively outweigh the benefits. There are additional risks when pregnant, such as causing the baby’s organs to develop improperly.
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Many people have asked about whether or not it is possible to suffer from postpartum depression following a miscarriage. Furthermore, academic research has investigated this area. This article gathers evidence to provide an overview of the current thinking concerning postpartum depression associated with miscarrying.
Postpartum depression refers to when a mother experiences depressive symptoms following giving birth and affects up to 15% of new mothers1. Symptoms2 of postpartum depression may include, but are not limited to, the following:
If you or someone you know is experiencing these symptoms, regardless of whether or not you or they have recently had a baby, medical advice must be sought.
Hormonal shifts are typical after giving birth due to a woman’s body changing its hormone levels during pregnancy. Common hormonal changes3 while pregnant include:
Following the pregnancy, the woman’s body attempts to return to its normal hormonal levels much quicker than the nine to ten months that the pregnancy lasted for, which can cause imbalance. Typically, hormonal balance is likely to be achieved approximately six to eight weeks after giving birth3, though this isn’t the case for everyone. In some cases, higher production of cortisol (often referred to as the stress hormone because of its links with heightened anxiety and stress4) can trigger depressive episodes.
It is believed that “some women may experience similar, although less dramatic, hormonal shifts”5 following a miscarriage as those that many women face after childbirth. Around 10% of women who miscarry meet the criteria for having major depression5. Although this may be a different situation, it can still be traced to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy.
Indeed, emotional distress is not only possible, it is very likely following experiencing such a traumatic event as early pregnancy loss6. The physical and psychological trauma of miscarriage cannot be underestimated. Therefore, depressive episodes are common following miscarriage and can be linked to the same internal chemical changes as cause postpartum depression.
People sometimes downplay what they are experiencing and say that they’re just a bit down or something like that. This is because they doubt that they genuinely have a mental ill health concern and often ignore the symptoms that they’re facing.
If you are undergoing symptoms such as excessive worry, inability to focus, or sleeplessness, you may be suffering from depression. This is certainly nothing to be ashamed of and should undoubtedly be discussed openly. In the USA alone, 40 million adults each year (around 18.1% of the population) experience depression or anxiety; however, only 36.9% receive treatment7. Without treatment, symptoms are likely only to get worse.
If you are unsure, seek medical advice. A wide range of scales is used to assess the level of depression or anxiety that a person is experiencing8. For these, patients typically rate different statements by considering the extent to which they apply to them personally. The medical professional then assess the ratings that the patient has given, using the findings thereof to ascertain how depressed or anxious the person is. This is a scientifically accepted means of understanding whether or not someone is depressed.
There are different options for treating depression, which may vary in appropriateness depending on individual circumstances. For most people, counseling, medication, or a combination of the two can be successful. Studies have found that many people prefer counseling as they have previously found antidepressant drugs to be addictive, particularly with female patients9.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common approach to treating patients with depression through counseling10. This is usually a comparatively short process, with sessions running for eight to twelve weeks10. The CBT therapist discusses concerns with the patient during the sessions and sets them specific goals to achieve before the next session. This collaborative therapeutic relationship has been found to be the leading cause of the success of CBT11.
The alternative approach to counseling is medication using antidepressant drugs. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, have been the first line of treating depression in adults for some time12. These work by raising serotonin levels (a hormone that stabilizes one’s mood and causes happiness) in the brain in people who aren’t naturally producing enough13. However, some research has suggested that prolonged use of these can cause addiction14 and even increase suicidal behavior12.
The root cause of postpartum depression is not fully understood and isn’t necessarily the same for everyone. That said, it is generally believed to be stimulated by hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and childbirth. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to suffer from postpartum depression following a miscarriage.
Indeed, mental ill-health is likely after an early pregnancy loss due to how upsetting and traumatic such an experience is. Furthermore, the internal, chemical cause of this could be the same as that of typical postpartum depression.
Depressive symptoms include but are not limited to sleeplessness, excessive worry, inability to make decisions, irritability, difficulty focusing, and loss of appetite. These symptoms remain faithful to all kinds of depression, including that following giving birth or suffering a miscarriage.
Depression is ordinarily treated through counseling - such as CBT - or the use of antidepressant medication, commonly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Antidepressants have a positive success rate but also come with side effects. On the other hand, while CBT has proven to benefit many people, it doesn’t work for everyone.
Ultimately, each circumstance should be taken as an individual case. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ regarding any kind of depression, its causes, or how best to treat it. Therefore, professional medical guidance must be sought if you, or someone you know, could be suffering from depression, whether that has been brought about by childbirth, miscarriage, or anything else.
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Long-term supplementation with probiotics has been shown to alleviate both anxiety and depression.
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Probiotics contain bacteria that need to be alive when you ingest them in order to colonize your gut. Some probiotic supplements can be refrigerated to prolong their lifespan, giving your supply of probiotics a longer shelf life. Other probiotics require refrigeration, potentially dying within a few hours of reaching room temperature.
At Mother Nutrient, we pack our probiotics count with up to 25% more probiotics to mitigate this issue. We always test our probiotics at the end of their shelf life to make sure they contain at least what the count shows or more.
Keeping your probiotics at the right temperature is simple enough at home, but what about when you are on the move?
Probiotic supplements are cultures of live bacteria. They consist of bacteria that can survive inside your gut and provide a number of important immune system functions within your body, protecting your gut from harmful bacteria and helping you digest food and absorb its nutrients.
Protecting your gut from harmful bacteria and supporting your immune system is vital to staying healthy when traveling. When you travel, your system is exposed to many unfamiliar bacteria and other germs, and so you are more susceptible to becoming sick if you don’t take care of your gut. Travel can also often be tiring or lead to a lack of sleep, running down your immune system and leaving it less able to fight off invading germs.
You might be wondering whether taking probiotics that require refrigeration with you when traveling is worth the hassle, especially if there are other options available. Many types of probiotic bacteria can survive being freeze-dried, giving supplements a much longer shelf life without refrigeration. Freeze-dried probiotics are just as effective as live variants, so they can make life simpler when traveling.1 However, not all probiotics can be freeze-dried without killing the bacteria, so start by searching for freeze-dried supplements for the probiotics you already take.
Some probiotics are less sensitive to temperature than others, so you could always try switching to a different probiotic that is more survivable. If you take this approach, it is a good idea to make the switch at least a few weeks in advance of traveling. A change in probiotic regimen can have side effects or cause digestive upset, and you don’t want these to take you by surprise when you are a few days into your travels.
Look for probiotics being sold as travel products. These are usually formatted to survive hotter climates and do not require refrigeration.
A well-insulated container such as a cooler box can maintain a consistent internal temperature for several hours or more. Depending on the length of your journey, this could be long enough to preserve your probiotics. Don’t put ice packs in the container to keep it cold. Freezing your probiotics can kill the bacteria, and they also produce a lot of moisture as condensation. If your probiotics are not fully sealed, this could damage them too.2
Once your supplement bottle has been opened, it will likely allow a small amount of moisture inside in a humid environment. Keep the package inside a sealed plastic container and avoid taking it outside unnecessarily and exposing it to the moisture in the air. Most supplement packaging advises against storing probiotics in a bathroom cabinet due to the humidity, and the same rule should apply when you travel. It might be a bad idea to keep your supplements with your toiletries, as accidentally taking them with you when you shower might damage them.
Probiotics supplements come in a sealed bottle or package designed to protect from heat, humidity, and UV rays. Moving them to a new container for convenience or to keep them cool is likely to shorten their shelf life.
Probiotics can help protect you from harmful bacteria, but so can avoiding unnecessary risks. The most common way people get sick when traveling is from contaminated water.3 Besides sticking to bottled drinks, remember that there are other ways that contaminated water could make it into your system, such as the ice in your drink, the water your salad was washed with, and the water you shower in. You can’t fully avoid all of these, which is why it is a good idea to take probiotics when traveling.
Travelling can make maintaining your probiotic regimen more difficult. However, traveling also makes it more important as traveling exposes us to all kinds of unfamiliar germs and bacteria, making it a critical time to stay on top of your gut health.
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At Mother Nutrient we offer a variety of probiotics, depending on the need, we offer strains for infants and children, as well as for breastfeeding mothers.
We are happy to offer two probiotic products that don't need to be refrigerated; our Women's Probiotic with 40 Billion CFUs and our Women's PRE+PRObiotics that include prebiotic fiber as well.
Collagen is a group of proteins that act as a vital structural component of the body, used for everything from maintaining skin and hair health to improving joint and ligament flexibility. We don’t get much collagen from our food as it is primarily found in the parts of plants and animals that we don’t eat, and it is hard for our body to break down and absorb. As a result, people take collagen supplements or add collagen additives to their diet to increase their collagen intake.
However, there is a common misconception that adding more collagen to your diet can cause weight gain. This is not the case, and in fact, it may indirectly help you lose weight.
Increasing the amount of collagen in your body improves your ability to develop lean muscle tissue.1 Simply consuming collagen won’t help you build muscle, but it can improve the results you get from working out. Developing more muscle tissue helps you lose fat, as muscle tissue requires more calories to maintain than fat. As a result, your body can burn off more calories you consume and convert body fat to calories. Building muscle can lead to weight gain in some cases, as muscle tissue weighs more than fat. However, this is not an unhealthy form of weight gain.
Collagen is a form of protein. Consuming proteins makes you feel fuller after eating and satiated for longer after a meal. As a result, collagen supplements can help prevent overeating by reducing your appetite between meals.
Collagen is an important component of the cartilage and ligaments in our joints. Collagen supplements can improve your mobility and reduce joint pain by helping to repair these tissues.2 Although improving joint mobility does not directly aid weight loss, stiffness in the joints or pain can be a major obstacle to exercise for many people. Tackling these issues can enable you to enjoy more exercise, making it easier to manage your weight and overall health.
Collagen is also an important compound for maintaining the strength and density of your bones. As people age, their natural collagen production decreases, leading to less dense bones that weigh less. Taking collagen supplements can restore your bone density, leading to an increase in your weight due to denser, and therefore heavier, bones.
The main side effect of taking collagen is reducing appetite or increased sense of fullness after meals, which can vary from person to person.
People with food allergies should pay attention to the source that collagen was extracted from, however. It is often extracted from foods that are common allergens, such as fish, shellfish, and eggs. Collagen supplements made using collagen extracted from these sources can cause an allergic reaction if you have allergies to these foods.
You can also increase your intake of collagen and collagen production boosters by adding these foods to your diet:
Chicken contains plenty of collagen. The stringy connective tissues that you see when you cut up raw chicken are made primarily of collagen. Chicken is often used as a source of collagen for supplements due to its high content.
Eggs do not contain collagen. However, the egg whites do contain large amounts of an amino acid called proline. This is one of the building blocks your body uses to produce collagen. Increasing your intake of proline can boost your body’s natural production of collagen.3
Any source of vitamin C, for example, citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruit, can also help your body produce collagen. This is because vitamin C plays an important role in your body’s production of pro-collagen. Pro-collagen is a precursor to collagen that the body produces and later modifies to become collagen.
Garlic is rich in sulfur. The body uses sulfur to produce new collagen and help prevent the breakdown of collagen in the body. Overeating garlic can cause an upset stomach or heartburn, but making it part of your regular diet can help maintain your body’s collagen, among other health benefits.
Beans contain many amino acids used in collagen production and copper, which is also used by the body to produce collagen.
Bone broth is widely believed to be a great source of collagen. This is not the case, however. Boiling animal bones is an effective method of extracting many nutrients from them; however, research has shown that this process does not reliably extract a significant amount of collagen from the bones.4 That doesn’t make bone broth any less healthy and nutritious, but it is not a source of collagen.
It is important to note that while many foods contain collagen, this does not necessarily mean they will increase collagen levels in your body. This is because the body cannot use collagen directly from your food. First, it must be broken down into amino acids that the body can use to build its own collagen. Collagen is a difficult compound to break down, and so most of it passes through the digestive system without being absorbed by the body.
Since the body does not easily digest it, most collagen supplements do not contain collagen. Instead, they contain collagen hydrolysate or gelatin. These consist of the peptides that the body uses to make collagen and are much easier for the body to absorb than collagen.
As we age, the body produces less collagen. As a result, it is less able to replace collagen that is damaged. You can help reduce the production of products as well as reduce damage to collagen by avoiding these behaviors:
Too much sugar in your bloodstream interferes with your body’s ability to repair collagen.5 Watch your consumption of added sugar products and refined carbs, which quickly break down into sugar. Both of these can cause increased levels of sugar in the blood.
Ultraviolet radiation reduces collagen production. This is most noticeable on your skin, causing wrinkles and a loss of elasticity, but some UV rays can penetrate the skin and affect the underlying tissues, causing more widespread damage to collagen production, among other issues.
Smoking has many harmful effects, including reduced collagen production throughout the body. This leads to reduced wound healing and prematurely aging skin.
Taking collagen helps your body stay healthy in many ways and is responsible for far more than just skincare. Collagen supplements can help you reduce your body fat percentage when combined with regular exercise; however, they can result in slight numerical weight gain. This is healthy as it is caused by an increase in lean muscle tissue and bone density.
Over time our body accumulates various toxins from the foods and drinks we consume and pollutants in the air we breathe. The body has natural processes to remove these toxins; however, some foods can help to accelerate the process of flushing out your system. Cranberry juice is often seen as one of these cleansing foods, but why?
Cranberry juice contains a range of vital nutrients, including several that act as powerful antioxidants, giving it the reputation of being a cleansing food:
Cranberry also contains the following antioxidants, although these are mostly found in the skin, which is usually not included in juice, so cranberry juice has less of these minerals:
As a result, you can gain even more of the health benefits of eating cranberries by using whole cranberries to make smoothies and other healthy treats.
Cranberry juice inhibits the overgrowth of harmful bacteria in your body that can contribute to digestive and gastrointestinal issues such as stomach ulcers and urinary tract infections. These bacteria often also release toxins that accumulate in your bloodstream and tissues around the body.
In particular, drinking cranberry juice is known as an effective preventative measure to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections. This is because of its high proanthocyanidin content, which prevents bacteria from attaching to the lining of your bladder and urinary tract. This is not an effective method of treating active infections, however, only reducing the risk of getting them in the first place.1
Among other things, your lymphatic system is used to carry nutrients such as fats and fatty acids around the body to where they are needed. It also plays an important role in removing toxins and waste from the body. Excess fats can congest the lymphatic system, which prevents it from performing these vital functions and creates a build-up of toxins that can leak into the bloodstream. Cranberry juice acts as an emulsifier of fat, helping to break down excess fat, making it easier for the lymphatic system to transport it, and helping to prevent congestion.2
Cranberry juice contains a lot of antioxidants, which help your body cleanse toxins in a number of ways. They can help eliminate free radicals from the liver, reducing the damage they can cause to liver cells. The antioxidant properties of cranberry juice improve your liver’s ability to remove toxins from your bloodstream.
Free radicals are waste substances produced by various cells in the body as by-products of chemical processes. The body cannot easily break them down, damaging healthy cells when they interact with them. They are associated with a number of chronic conditions, including:
Anthocyanins may help reduce the hardening of the arteries, and cranberry juice may also help reduce the risk of heart disease by improving cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure.3
The proanthocyanidins contained in cranberries help prevent bacteria from binding to your teeth and gums. This can help prevent the growth of bacteria in your mouth and may help reduce your risk of developing gum disease.4
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and is also used in many other processes throughout the body. Cranberry juice is an excellent source of vitamin C, providing 39% of your recommended daily intake in a single serving. Besides acting as an antioxidant, vitamin C:
Vitamin is another powerful antioxidant that cranberry juice offers in a plentiful supply. One serving of cranberry juice contains 20% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin E. Vitamin E helps maintain your skin, blood vessels, and heart.
Increasing the amount of fiber in your diet can have a number of health benefits, reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improving insulin sensitivity, and aiding with weight loss. It also helps waste pass through your digestive system and reduces the risk of a range of conditions including:
Some brands of cranberry juice can contain large amounts of added sugar. This can cause blood sugar spikes, an upset stomach, or diarrhea. Cranberry juice with no added sugar will only contain about 4 grams of sugar per ounce. Cranberry juice can be very tart when unsweetened, however, which is why cranberry juice products often contain other fruit juices to act as natural sweeteners.
Cranberry juice may also interfere with some blood-thinning medications when consumed in large quantities. If you take blood-thinning medications, check with your doctor to find out how much cranberry juice it is safe for you to drink.
Additionally, consuming large amounts of cranberry juice can increase the levels of oxalate in your urine. Some people are genetically predisposed to be more likely to suffer from kidney stones formed from calcium oxalate. Increased oxalate levels in your urine can increase the likelihood of this type of kidney stone-forming if you are already at risk. However, for most people, cranberry juice is not believed to increase the risk of kidney stones meaningfully.
Cranberry juice is a very healthy drink that provides a wide range of useful nutrients. These nutrients support many functions throughout the body that work to cleanse your system of toxins, waste, and bacteria. As a result, its reputation as a cleansing superfood is well deserved; however, further studies are needed to confirm or debunk other claims.
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Probiotics are a vital component of your immune system, and prebiotics provides the fuel probiotics need to keep you healthy. But why do we need them, and should you take prebiotics and probiotics at the same time?
Probiotics are the ‘good’ bacteria that live in your digestive system. They help your body break down and digest the nutrients in your food, and assist in regulating your immune system, and reducing the development and spread of harmful bacteria. Probiotic foods and supplements contain various types of these good bacteria. They are often used to maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria or restore probiotics after an illness or course of antibiotics.
Different strains of bacteria have different health benefits, and bacteria must have scientifically proven health benefits to be classified as probiotics.1 many foods contain live bacteria associated with health benefits, such as sauerkraut and kimchi. However, unless those bacteria are shown to have health benefits and are present in a large enough quantity to have that beneficial effect, they cannot be called a probiotic. As a result, although many probiotic bacteria are found in food, they are not in sufficient quantities to offer the same health benefit as a probiotic supplement.
Although many bacteria and foods are claimed to be probiotic, research into the gut microbiome is ongoing, and in many cases, the positive effects have yet to be conclusively proven.
Probiotic supplements contain live bacteria and have a limited shelf life due to bacteria dying over time. Because of this, probiotic supplements provide the number of bacteria they contain at the date of manufacture and the amount they will contain by their expiry date. The expiry date indicates the point at which there are no longer enough living bacteria to gain any health benefit from consuming the probiotic. Live bacteria cultures in probiotics are usually referred to on the label as colony-forming units (CFUs).
There are some types of fiber that our bodies can’t digest, but they act as food for the probiotics in your digestive system. Prebiotics are types of fiber that selectively promote the growth and activity of specific types of beneficial bacteria in your gut. Taking prebiotics can help those bacteria grow and thrive, boosting your immune system.
Each prebiotic aids the growth and efficacy of some beneficial bacteria, but not all, making prebiotic selection a crucial step in getting the intended health benefit.
Taking probiotics has several major health benefits. Research suggests that taking probiotics can be effective for treating health issues including:
They have these effects because they boost the number and activity of bacteria in your gut that help breaks down food compounds, releasing more of their nutrients for your body to absorb. A lack of these bacteria can lead to nutritional deficiencies, as your body will be unable to take many vital nutrients from your food without them.
The presence of probiotics can also help limit the growth of harmful bacteria that can damage the cells lining your gut. These damaged cells are less able to absorb nutrients from food and less able to prevent toxins from passing through the gut lining and into your bloodstream, causing potential illness and inflammation.
Additionally, gut bacteria play an important role in your immune system’s ability to send signals back to the brain. These signals are needed to regulate hormone and neurotransmitter production. Disruption to these signals can make your immune system slower to respond to problems such as damaged cells and toxins. As a result, these problems have more time to take root and spread before your immune system can respond effectively, leading to more widespread damage, infection, and inflammation.
Specific probiotic bacteria can help with certain health conditions.
If you have a health condition that could be treated with probiotics, consult your doctor about the right probiotics for your situation. For example, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii can reduce the risk of diarrhea caused by taking antibiotics. E. coli Nissle 1917 may help treat ulcerative colitis, and probiotics that contain Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccharomyces boulardii have been observed to improve symptoms in some people with constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and some causes of diarrhea. 2
The main benefit of taking prebiotics is the fuel they provide to promote the growth of healthy bacteria.
However, prebiotics themselves also provide some benefits to your health:
Most SCFAs only act as food for helpful bacteria, not the harmful kinds. In fact, they actually inhibit the growth of pathogens such as viruses and bad bacteria. This is because they lower the pH levels (increase the acidity) of your gut. Acidity is harmful to bad bacteria, but it is a beneficial environment for probiotics.3
Prebiotics are insoluble fibers that are not broken down as they move through your digestive system until they reach the bacteria in your lower intestine. As a result, they help to carry waste products through your digestive system, supporting healthy bowel movements and helping your body remove waste from your body more efficiently.
Increasing the fiber in your diet can help you maintain a healthy weight by contributing to the feeling of being full, reducing your appetite. Foods that are high in fiber take longer to chew, causing your body to produce more saliva and gastric acid. These distend the stomach resulting in a feeling of fullness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is safe for most people to take prebiotics and probiotics.4 However, probiotic supplements are not regulated as drugs, which means they are not subject to strict safety evaluations. They also contain live bacteria. Cheap probiotics produced in unsafe conditions may be contaminated with bacteria other than the intended strain or may even contain entirely different bacteria to the one on the label.
There are usually only mild side effects for safely produced probiotics, and these often clear up after a week or two of adopting a new probiotic regimen. These commonly include:
The only potentially dangerous side effect is an allergic reaction. If you are allergic to the bacteria being ingested, you could experience painful stomach cramps or break out in hives.
Additionally, suppose you are experiencing bacterial overgrowth for safely produced probiotics here, such as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. In that case, you should consult your doctor on whether you should take prebiotics and which to take.
Although most foods containing these live bacteria or fibers do not contain enough to confer a significant health benefit, if you are trying to restore a healthy gut balance or recover from an illness, eating these foods will help maintain a healthy immune system’s function in the gut microbiome.
Foods that contain helpful live bacteria include:
Foods that contain prebiotic fibers include:
Some foods, commonly including bread, cereal, yogurt, and baby food, have prebiotics added to them artificially during the manufacturing process. These may not be labeled as prebiotic, but you can spot them by looking for common prebiotic additives. Look for foods that are labeled as being fortified with:
Taking prebiotics and probiotics at the same time is called microbiome therapy. Microbiome therapy can increase the effectiveness of taking probiotics by accelerating the growth of helpful bacteria.
Supplements that contain both probiotics and prebiotics are called synbiotics. While you can take separate prebiotic and probiotic supplements, taking one synbiotic instead may be more beneficial.5
There are many different types of fiber that act as prebiotics, and they are not all as easy to break down for every type of probiotic. When you buy a synbiotic, the prebiotic it contains has been selected according to the included probiotic. Additionally, taking separate prebiotic and probiotic supplements might make the negative side effects more likely. Taking the supplements incorrectly could cause over-fermentation in your gut resulting in gas or stomach cramps.
Synbiotics can be formulated to reduce this by having more control over the rate at which the bacteria break down prebiotics. They also contain the exact proportion of prebiotic that the bacteria need to thrive.
Besides ensuring that helpful bacteria arrive in the gut with a supply of an optimal fuel source, including a prebiotic in the supplement means that more probiotic bacteria will survive the journey through your digestive tract. The highly acidic environment in your stomach can kill many bacteria cells before reaching their destination, but a prebiotic to help them repair and multiply can ensure a significant population makes it through.
Whether you take synbiotics or a separate prebiotic supplement, it is normal for prebiotics to contribute to digestive discomfort such as bloating and gas. As the probiotic bacteria multiply in your gut, they produce by-products, and with a prebiotic accelerating the process, this can cause a build-up of gas.
Like some beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes help your body break down compounds in food so that their nutrients can be absorbed in the digestive tract. For example, the first digestive enzyme food encounters after we eat it is amylase, which is contained in saliva.
For a range of reasons, your body’s production of digestive enzymes can be compromised. This can be caused by:
Some key digestive enzymes are secreted through the lining of your intestines. Damage to these cells can reduce this function, causing a lack of digestive enzymes in the affected area. As a result, gut bacteria imbalances can have the secondary effect of low enzyme production due to harmful bacteria damaging the cells lining the gut.
Because of this, taking digestive enzyme supplements along with a probiotic or synbiotic can help restore your gut and immune system to healthy working order following an illness or as part of improving your overall health. Research also suggests that some digestive enzyme supplements can help manage the symptoms of gastrointestinal problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.6
Most people don't need to take digestive enzyme supplements on a long-term basis. A healthy body should be able to produce them itself.
Some people need to take digestive enzymes on a long-term basis because their bodies cannot produce certain enzymes naturally. This may be needed for people who have conditions including:
Unlike probiotics and synbiotics, it may be harmful to take digestive enzyme supplements over an extended period if you do not need to. This is because your system will stop producing enzymes that are already in abundance in your body. As a result, your body could stop trying to make enough of the digestive enzyme on its own, and it can take longer to return to normal enzyme production.
The best time to take your supplements depends on the type of bacteria you are dealing with, which is why supplements will usually instruct you on the right time to take them. This usually determines whether you should take them before or after meals. Some probiotic supplements recommend that you take them on an empty stomach, while others recommend taking them shortly before or after eating.
According to recent research, what you eat might matter more than whether you eat before or after taking supplements. Probiotics have to survive their journey through the digestive tract before they can colonize your gut, and some foods can help them do that.
For example, various probiotic bacteria depend on glucose to survive in an acidic environment like your stomach. Glucose is produced when your body breaks down sugar and carbs, so eating these before taking a probiotic might help more of the bacteria make it to your gut.
Probiotic supplements can be found in a wide range of forms, including:
Probiotics in capsules and tablets tend to survive the journey through the digestive tract more easily, as they are not immediately exposed to the acidic content of your stomach in the same way that liquids and powders are. Some probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, are more resistant to stomach acid because they originate from the human intestinal tract, making the form of probiotic delivery less important.
For the majority of people, taking prebiotics along with probiotics, ideally as a synbiotic, is the most effective way to support the healthy bacteria in your gut and maintain a strong immune system. Not All probiotics and prebiotics do the same things, however, and using probiotics to address deficiencies in your gut bacteria is much more effective than simply adding more of a probiotic that you already have in plentiful supply.
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Many nutrients offer better health benefits when combined with other nutrients; however, others can be conflicting and reduce their effects or create unwanted side effects. Omega-3 and collagen are both vital nutrients for maintaining healthy skin, among other health benefits, but do they work together or against one another?
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in your body and can be found in your bones, muscles, tendons, and skin. It is usually found in the body as long strings that anchor structures and cells together and play an important role in maintaining the strength and elasticity of our skin. It does this by providing a structure around which new skin cells can grow and acting as a pathway for transporting nutrients to repair cells or remove and replace dead cells.
At least 16 different types of collagen have been identified, with different types performing different functions in various parts of the body. Some of these types of collagen have been found in plants, animals, and fish, which are used in supplements and other collagen products and treatments.
Collagen is produced naturally by the body, however various conditions can interfere with collagen production, and our bodies will produce less of it as we grow older.1
To replenish lost collagen, some take certain plants and fish, or simply take a supplement. Many skin creams advertise collagen as an anti-aging ingredient. However, its use in this form is debatable. As these creams are not considered drugs, their claims of increasing collagen levels do not need to have been proven by clinical trials. Collagen molecules are too large to pass through the skin barrier and into the body, so these creams are unlikely to increase your collagen levels.
Although collagen is found in many plants and foods, it is difficult for our body to break down and process in its natural forms. Additionally, it is generally found in the parts of food that we don’t eat, such as animal skin, gristle, and bone. As a result, collagen supplements are usually a more effective way to increase your overall collagen levels.
Besides supplements, collagen can also be applied as a dressing to wounds. Collagen dressings can help heal injuries by attracting and stimulating the growth of skin cells on the affected area. They are often used as part of healing burn sites, necrosis, and skin grafts.
Side Effects Of Collagen Supplements
Collagen supplements can cause mild digestive side effects for some people, such as a sense of fullness or loss of appetite. However, it is often extracted from foods that are common allergens, such as fish, shellfish, and eggs. Collagen supplements made using collagen extracted from these sources can cause an allergic reaction if you have allergies to these foods. Make sure to check the source of the collagen in a supplement before you buy.2
Collagen is also used in injection treatments to rejuvenate skin by improving its elasticity, removing wrinkles, and helping scars fade. These typically use collagen from humans or cows, and you will be given a skin test to check for allergies before treatment.
Omega 3 is a group of fatty acids that the body uses for a range of important functions. There are three main types of omega-3:
ALA can be found in meat and plant-based foods, but EPA and DHA are mostly only found naturally in animals. They are primarily found in high concentrations of fish and are also found in some species of microalgae. Vegans, vegetarians, and other people who do not consume meat or animal products are often deficient in these forms of omega-3 and can take supplements of these forms of omega-3 extracted from microalgae.
Side Effects Of Omega-3
Omega 3 supplements can cause mild side effects, including:
Omega 3 supplements can also interfere with some blood clotting medications. Supplements often use fish oil as a primary source of omega 3, which may cause an allergic reaction in people with fish allergies.5
Taking collagen and omega-3 together provides your body with a wider range of valuable nutrients that you might not be getting from your regular diet. Taking both simultaneously can improve their health benefits, and they do not conflict with each other or create any major adverse effects. Both can cause mild gastrointestinal issues such as heartburn, however, so combining the two may increase the likelihood of experiencing these effects.
Collagen and omega-3 supplements both offer a range of health benefits with little to no side effects for most people. There are no reasons not to take both at the same time, and doing so will only improve the positive effects they can have on your body. If you are taking medications that may be affected by omega-3 supplements, or have an allergy to a common source of either nutrient, check with your doctor which supplements are safe for you to use.
Whether it is Omega-3 or Collagen supplements, Mother Nutrient is your one-stop shop.
Inquire today about any of our products that are designed to have a new mom, or a veteran parent in mind.
It is crucial to maintain a healthy diet when breastfeeding, as the food you eat contributes to the nutrients you provide to the baby. Furthermore, overeating the wrong foods can lead to elevated levels of harmful toxins in your bloodstream, which can also be transferred to the baby. So should you be avoiding mushrooms while breastfeeding?
The short answer is no. Mushrooms are a great source of vitamin D and other nutrients, an overall healthy food to eat while breastfeeding.
It can be a good idea to start eating mushrooms while breastfeeding because of their vitamin D content. It is vital to maintain a high vitamin D intake while breastfeeding because it helps regulate calcium in your body. When breastfeeding, your body can leech calcium from your bones to provide enough for the baby. If your body lacks vitamin D and calcium, your bones could become weak and brittle. Not providing enough of these to the baby through breast milk can also cause problems in their bone development.
Mushrooms are also a good source of beta-glucan. Beta-glucan has several functions in the body, mainly used for reducing cholesterol levels and supporting the immune system. However, there is also some evidence that it can also raise prolactin levels in the body. Prolactin is a hormone that stimulates greater breast milk production.1
You don’t need to go on a specific diet while breastfeeding, but it is essential to eat a healthy variety of foods to get a wide range of nutrients to support both you and the baby. Breastfeeding does toll your body an extra 500 calories or so a day.2 This increased appetite can lead to less healthy eating habits if you don’t prepare by stocking up on some healthy snacks:
Avocado
Avocados are a source of B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and potassium. They are also full of healthy fats, providing a sense of fullness along with nutrient-rich calories to sate your appetite.
Asparagus
Asparagus may increase the levels of prolactin in the body by behaving similarly to estrogen. This effect is not fully understood, but it has been found to stimulate the mammary gland in animal studies.
Nuts
Besides B vitamins and vitamin K, most nuts also contain large amounts of iron, calcium, and zinc. They are also a great source of fatty acids and protein. Nuts are also widely believed to increase milk production. However, there has been very little research into foods that may increase milk production, and this particular claim has not been proven.
Just as eating a healthy diet will support your health while breastfeeding, overeating the wrong foods could negatively impact you or the baby. Watch your intake of these foods:
Caffeine
The caffeine that you consume can end up in your breast milk. This is difficult for a baby’s developing digestive system to break down, and as a result, large amounts of caffeine can build up in their system.4 This can cause them to have trouble sleeping or become more irritable. It is recommended not to drink more than 2 or 3 cups of coffee per day and avoid energy drinks altogether, as they are full of added sugar and unhealthy chemicals.
Alcohol
Alcohol also ends up in breast milk. Having the occasional drink is fine, but avoid breastfeeding for at least 2 hours after drinking alcohol, which is about how long it takes for one unit of alcohol to leave your system.5 Larger quantities of alcohol take longer to clear your system. High alcohol consumption can decrease milk production and negatively impact your baby’s development if they ingest alcohol from your breast milk.
Processed Foods
Processed foods are high in calories, added sugar, and unhealthy fats but low on nutritional value. As a result, they will satisfy your appetite without providing you with the nutrients you need to support yourself and the baby. Additionally, several animal studies have shown that a mother’s diet while nursing strongly influences their child’s dietary preferences as they grow up. Research suggests that a similar bias exists in humans, though more research is needed. If this is the case, eating a healthy diet while breastfeeding could lead to your child having a more nutritious diet later in life, and eating a lot of junk food could have the opposite effect.
Strongly Flavored Foods
Some foods are not harmful to you or your baby, at least in moderation, but they might cause other breastfeeding problems. Strong flavors like onion, garlic, and spices, could cause the baby to refuse food or become irritable after feeding. These foods can affect breast milk taste, which some babies are more sensitive to than others. If you tend to perspire when eating spicy foods, that can also affect the baby’s willingness to nurse.
While there are a few foods to avoid eating too much when breastfeeding, mushrooms are not one of them. They are full of vitamin D and other nutrients that will support your health and the baby’s health. There is no need to overthink your diet when breastfeeding; however, just try to follow a regular healthy diet and don’t give in to the temptation of junk food too often.
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Meal replacement shakes can serve as a quick and convenient snack or alternative for a meal that contains many of the nutrients we need in our daily diet, usually with lower calorie content than most meals. This makes them a helpful food option for people who are trying to lose weight, but should you use them while you are breastfeeding?
To understand whether it is safe to consume weight loss shakes while pregnant, we need to know why they can help us lose weight. The main characteristic of meal replacement shakes that makes them a useful weight-loss tool is that they contain a few calories per portion.
By removing the need to plan or cook meals, or control portion sizes, they can make it easier for many people to lose weight by maintaining a lower calorie diet. Additionally, their convenience can make it easier to avoid unhealthy diet choices such as fast food, skipping the time needed to prepare a balanced low-calorie meal.
The nutrient content of weight loss shakes can vary significantly from brand to brand, but many are high in protein. High protein foods create a greater sense of fullness after eating, reducing the impulse to overeat or crave high-calorie foods.1
They also support healthy weight loss by conferring several other health benefits, including 234
Eating home-cooked meals prepared with whole foods can provide all of the nutrients you need in low-calorie forms. However, this can be a more expensive way to eat as well as more time-consuming. When this is not an option, meal replacement shakes are designed to contain many of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs. Although relying on weight loss shakes as a regular meal can leave gaps in your nutrient intake, they often still offer much more nutritional value than other convenient foods that you could opt for when cooking a meal with whole foods is not an option.
One of the primary concerns with using meal replacement shakes is their low-calorie content. When you are breastfeeding, increased caloric intake is needed both for your health and nursing. Producing breast milk requires an additional 500 to 700 calories per day.
It is fine to use weight loss shakes as a quick snack or the occasional light meal. However, consistently using them as meal replacements will not give you enough calories to support a healthy diet. Additionally, regularly replacing meals with weight loss shakes could lead to deficiencies in key nutrients due to the small amount of food you eat.
Many weight loss shakes are high in protein, and they can be a good way to add more protein to your diet when you are breastfeeding. Protein is an essential nutrient that your body needs to produce breast milk. Breastfeeding women should consume around 65 to 75 grams of protein a day, equivalent to about four chicken breasts, which have approximately 18 grams of protein each.
Some meal replacement shakes prioritize weight loss over providing a healthy nutritional balance. While they may reduce your calorie intake to help you lose weight, they might also contain unhealthy ingredients such as:
Added sugar is one of the most common unhealthy ingredients in weight loss shakes. Healthy meal replacement shakes do not need to contain more than a few grams of sugar.
Reducing your caloric intake with meal replacement shakes can help start your body burn fat and losing weight. However, they enable this weight loss without a change in lifestyle or diet. As a result, unless you have changed your lifestyle and the way you eat, their effects only last for as long as you continue to replace meals with weight loss shakes.
Getting into a routine of regular exercise and healthy eating habits is the most effective way to maintain weight loss. Weight loss shakes can help support a healthy regimen by offering an alternative to fast food and other snacks, but they cannot replace it.
There are healthier ways to lose weight when breastfeeding than reducing your intake of calories, such as exercise. Not only does physical exertion burn off calories, but it also builds muscle tissue. Even when resting, muscle tissue burns more calories than fat. This means that regular physical exercise will improve the effects of anything else you do to lose weight. It also helps the stretched muscle tissues around your abdomen to shorten and return to their original position.
There are no negative effects of exercise on the quality or quantity of breast milk, although strenuous exercise should be avoided while you are still recovering from childbirth. Sweating causes you to lose fluids, however, so make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid a reduction in milk production. Additionally, some studies have suggested that high-intensity exercise can increase the amount of lactic acid in your breast milk. This is not harmful; however, it could affect the taste and cause the baby to reject nursing.5
One challenge of losing weight after pregnancy is that you are often too busy or just too tired to cook a healthy meal. While the occasional unhealthy snack won’t hurt you, this makes it all too easy to reach for unhealthy snacks or a fast food app when you’re hungry. Cooking easy meals that you can grab and eat quickly later can help avoid giving in to these temptations. For example, freeze portions of soup that you can quickly reheat for a quick meal or put into a thermos to carry as a snack.
Weight loss shakes are intended to accelerate weight loss by making your body break down fat for calories. When the chemical agents in your body fat are released into the bloodstream, they will also release toxins such as mercury that may be stored in your body fat such as mercury. If you lose weight quickly, the rapid release of these toxins can cause a high concentration in both your bloodstream and your breast milk.
On average, breastfeeding women lose around 2 pounds per month while breastfeeding. It is recommended not to lose weight until at least 6 to 8 weeks after childbirth. It is also important to remember that most women will lose around 5 pounds or so once they have stopped breastfeeding. Do not worry if you are losing weight slowly, as this is healthier than losing it too quickly. People lose weight at different rates, and some women can take up to a year to return to the weight they had before the pregnancy. Remember that it took you nine months to gain that weight, so it will not go away overnight.
Although you can regain your pre-pregnancy weight after you stop breastfeeding, you might not be the same size. It is common for pregnancy to cause permanent changes in your body shape.
Whether you are getting them from weight loss shakes or other sources, these key nutrients are vital for maintaining your health and energy while breastfeeding:
Omega 3
Omega 3 can be found in:
Iron
Foods that contain a lot of iron include:
Complex Carbohydrates
The best Complex carbohydrates come from whole starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, winter squashes and root vegetables. Avoid the white bread, crackers and pasta as they provide calories with little nutritional value.
Calcium
Calcium-rich foods include:
Overall, weight loss shakes are far from a complete solution to losing weight after pregnancy, especially while breastfeeding. They should not be discounted as part of a healthy weight loss plan. Used as a snack or the occasional quick meal, weight loss shakes offer a more nutritious and practical alternative to other foods, especially when you are pressed for time or on the move.
Remember that healthy weight loss happens over time and involves more than just your diet. Caring for a new baby can be exhausting, but making sure you get regular exercise while breastfeeding is vital not just for weight loss but for your overall health.
Saffron extract can ease symptoms of anxiety and depression, which reduces the anxious eating or snacking and has resulted in weight loss for many new mothers.
Adding saffron to your diet may be able to help alleviate you in your weight loss journey!
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Sea moss is a type of algae packed full of vitamins and other nutrients and is known as one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It comes in many varieties, each with a different appearance and color. It usually grows in spiny formations that can be red, yellow, or green, depending on the species.
While it can be prepared as a food or drink in various forms, it is not known for its flavor, and most people prefer to take it as a supplement in the form of a capsule or concentrated powder. It is also used as a thickening agent in many foods, including ice cream and baby formula. Sea moss is full of nutrients that are beneficial to both pregnant and breastfeeding women. However, excessive concentrations of most minerals in your body can cause health problems for you and your baby, so high doses of any supplement should generally be avoided.
Among other nutrients, sea moss contains large amounts of minerals that nowaday very hard to find in food:
Iron
Iron is needed to produce healthy red blood cells for you and the baby. It is not uncommon for pregnant women to suffer from anemia, a shortage of red blood cells, resulting from producing about 50% more blood than usual.1
Zinc
A zinc deficiency can increase your risk for preterm birth or difficult labor.2
Potassium
Potassium regulates the balance of fluids and electrolytes throughout your body. It is vital for supporting your increased blood volume during pregnancy.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is an essential mineral for making strong bones and supports your health by supporting tissue repair, kidney function, and other essential body functions.
Calcium
Calcium is another important mineral for building healthy teeth and bones, as well as supporting your nervous system.
Iodine
Iodine regulates your thyroid, which is responsible for managing your metabolism and ensuring the healthy growth of the baby. Iodine can also help with breastmilk production, as most women with low breastmilk supply are deficient in iodine.
Selenium
Selenium is also used to regulate thyroid function and act as an antioxidant that supports your immune system.
Manganese
Manganese helps form bone and cartilage. You probably already get enough of it from your regular diet as it is fairly abundant. Sea moss supplements could lead to overconsumption of manganese.3
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is used for many functions in the body, but like manganese, it is easy to get in a regular diet, and too much of it can be harmful, harming bone strength.4
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important for bone and tooth development as well as supporting the immune system. A vitamin C deficiency can make your body less able to absorb iron from your diet.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium from your diet that is used by your body.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential building block of the brain and eye tissue, as well as being an essential nutrient for maintaining your own health during pregnancy.5
Like many natural supplements, sea moss is generally thought to be safe but has not been extensively researched, so it is best used in moderation when pregnant. Many sea vegetables, including sea moss, can absorb heavy metals such as mercury from the ocean. Overconsumption can lead to a toxic buildup of these metals in your bloodstream that will be passed on to the baby.
Taking too much sea moss also carries the risk of putting too much iodine into your system. Iodine is an essential nutrient for ensuring proper thyroid function. However, too much of it can cause hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid. The thyroid is responsible for managing your metabolism and growth. Thyroid disorders during pregnancy can create a number of serious risks for both you and the baby.6
As a nutrient-rich superfood, sea moss can provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy during pregnancy. However, it should not be overused as it contains heavy metals and other substances that can be harmful to you or the baby if they build up in your system.
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Ashwagandha has a range of potential medicinal uses. However, it is not recommended to consume large amounts of it when you are pregnant. It does offer several health benefits for both men and women, and although its side effects are not well-researched, it is believed to be safe to consume for most people.
Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub that is part of the nightshade family. It is sometimes referred to as Indian ginseng, although it is not connected to ginseng in any way. The roots of the plant can be dried and ground used for making tea and tinctures. Ashwagandha extract supplements are often labeled as Withania somnifera.
It is believed to have a number of health benefits and is also classified as an adaptogen. Adaptogens are compounds that help your body regulate its stress responses.
Ashwagandha has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years and is claimed to help with a range of health issues, including:
There is limited research into all of the effects of ashwagandha, but scientific research has confirmed some of its medicinal properties in humans. Some positive effects have been shown in animal testing but have not yet been tested in human trials. For example, testing on rats has suggested that ashwagandha extract could be used to reduce epileptic seizures. However, there has not yet been any testing to confirm this effect in humans.1
Ashwagandha contains withanolides, which are a group of natural steroids that may inhibit tumor growth and slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms.2
Effects On Blood Sugar And Diabetes
Several studies have also shown it to lower blood sugar levels, especially in people with diabetes. Additionally, one study has suggested that it may increase insulin secretion and improve insulin sensitivity in muscle cells.3
Although it is not fully understood why, consuming concentrated ashwagandha extract has been proven in clinical trials to significantly reduce cortisol levels, which is the hormone responsible for stress. Participants in the trial showed a noticeable reduction in their stress assessment scores across the board, in addition to the reduced cortisol levels.
Cortisol is also a key hormone involved in the immune system’s inflammatory response. As a result, taking ashwagandha supplements to reduce cortisol levels can help manage a range of inflammatory conditions.4
Some people can have an allergic reaction to ashwagandha, however for most people, eating ashwagandha or taking ashwagandha supplements does not cause any side effects. There can be mild side effects for some people, however. These can include:
This can make ashwagandha unsuitable for people with blood pressure or thyroid conditions. It can also interact with some medications, such as:
Additionally, ashwagandha can interfere with some medical tests. If you have an ongoing health condition, consult your doctor before adding an ashwagandha supplement to your daily regimen.
Consuming more than the recommended dosage of ashwagandha can cause more unpleasant side effects, including an upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea.
As a supplement rather than a drug, ashwagandha extracts are not approved or regulated by the FDA and have not been through the rigorous safety testing that drugs are subject to. Because of this, it may have other side effects that have not yet been documented.
It is best to avoid consuming large amounts of ashwagandha during pregnancy. The extract is sometimes used in traditional medicine to help pregnant women get restful sleep and restore their energy, however its other effects could endanger the pregnancy because one of the mechanisms in which it works, is by decreasing the stress hormone cortisol (up to 29%), and a woman's body needs higher levels of cortisol to sustain pregnancy.. Ashwagandha can cause the early onset of menstruation and could increase the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women.
After a pregnancy, ashwagandha supplements can be beneficial, however. Besides increasing energy levels and reducing stress levels, and may also stimulate the mammary glands to increase milk production.
Most ashwagandha powders recommend a daily intake of between 1/4 to 2 tablespoons per day, depending on the concentration. Starting with a smaller dose and working your way up can help manage any side effects that may occur when first introduced to your diet.
Ashwagandha has a mildly bitter taste that is easily masked by other flavors. It is traditionally consumed in a mixture of ghee, honey, cardamom powder, or mixed with warm milk and honey before sleeping. However, it can be easily added to many foods such as smoothies, soups, and desserts and can be added to both sweet and savory dishes. It can also be taken as a supplement in the form of a pill.
Ashwagandha is a versatile extract that has many potential health uses. It has many proven benefits to your health, however, numerous claims about it have not yet been proven, and some of those claims could be harmful. The use of the extract as a treatment for pregnancy symptoms is an example of this. Although ashwagandha does offer restorative effects, consuming enough of it to get those effects could risk the pregnancy.
Looking to get the best nutrition for your pregnancy or you are just looking to supplement your life now post-partum?
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