| Far too many women have stood in the mirror | | | | The diet that many women follow is not healthy for |
| cursing their genetics, most specifically their mothers, | | | | their own bodies let alone a growing fetus. Even |
| for their chubby thighs, their ample hips or flabby | | | | women who are overweight at the start of their |
| tummies. Studies have shown that these women | | | | pregnancy need to make sure that they are getting |
| may not have been too far off after all. Some of the | | | | the right number of calories in their diet as well as all |
| findings of these studies include: | | | | of the right nutrients, with both the macronutrients |
| - A high-calorie diet consumed during pregnancy or | | | | (carbohydrates, protein and fat) and micronutrients |
| breastfeeding may lead to childhood obesity and the | | | | (vitamins and minerals) being important for their best |
| associated health risks (Science News: May 13, 2005). | | | | health. The average adult may only need.8 grams of |
| - A high-fat diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding | | | | protein per kilogram of body weight to stay healthy, |
| can lead to the early onset of puberty, which can | | | | but a pregnant woman's needs are higher. Protein |
| also contribute to childhood obesity (Science News: | | | | needs during pregnancy are a minimum of 60 grams, |
| June 17, 2008). | | | | more for a woman who is carrying twins, and is |
| - A poor diet may program a growing embryo to | | | | important from the very start, even before the |
| develop cardiovascular disease later in life (Science | | | | pregnancy is discovered (Source: Medio Consult |
| News: May 12, 2005). | | | | Nutrition Service). |
| There are many things that are suggested to get | | | | Diane is pregnant and overweight. At first, she was |
| the pregnancy and growing baby on the right and | | | | overjoyed because like so many others before her, |
| healthiest track. These tips include making sure that | | | | she felt that it did not matter if she gained more |
| the overall nutrition of the mother, her protein intake | | | | weight or if she lived on little greasy burgers and |
| and the level of fat in the diet are at the right levels | | | | other bad foods. What she found out after her first |
| so that the baby's growth is optimal. However, | | | | prenatal diet scared her to death though, and she |
| additional studies show that it might be the time just | | | | immediately started trying to follow a smarter eating |
| before conception that is even more important to | | | | plan. |
| the health of the child both while in the womb and | | | | While studies have shown that the damage may |
| for his lifetime after birth. For instance, while it is | | | | have already been done, she is going to do what she |
| known that diabetic mothers often have a harder | | | | can to minimize any further health damage that she is |
| time during pregnancy and birth, the effects may be | | | | doing not only to her own body but to the growing |
| direr than previously believed. | | | | child inside of her. She knows that she needs to be |
| Gestational diabetes, long thought to be merely a | | | | careful not only to keep from gaining extreme |
| temporary condition of pregnancy, is now thought to | | | | amounts of weight but to make sure that she is |
| be a precursor to diabetes that may appear five or | | | | getting all of the nutrients that she and the baby |
| ten years after the pregnancy has ended. Women | | | | needs. She works with a nutritionist so that she is |
| who develop gestational diabetes are more likely to | | | | getting the right foods without falling victim to the |
| have larger babies and serious health conditions. | | | | fads, the trendy diets and the scams that are so |
| These babies are also more likely to develop diabetes | | | | prevalent. |
| themselves. | | | | While most people should be getting the majority of |
| It has also been advised that women who are not | | | | their nutrition from a healthy and balanced diet, there |
| getting enough vitamins in their diet before becoming | | | | is a chance that they are not getting enough of one |
| pregnant may expose their babies to deficiencies and | | | | food or food group, leaving them open for a |
| health risks. For instance, women who do not have | | | | nutritional deficiency that can increase their risk of |
| enough vitamin B12 or folic acid had babies that were | | | | offspring who will face ill health later in life. Poor diet |
| fatter, were more likely to become insulin resistant | | | | may also make it impossible to keep a pregnancy on |
| and were also more likely to have high blood | | | | track and may increase the risk of miscarriage and |
| pressure by the time they had reached middle age | | | | maternal ill health. |
| (Source: Science News: July 22, 2009). | | | | Using a protein supplement can be beneficial and |
| It is known that if there is not enough protein or the | | | | should be discussed with the woman's doctor before |
| wrong kind of protein in the diet, the body will | | | | she begins a pregnancy, especially if there are any |
| continually seek out food sources until the right levels | | | | concerns that the woman's diet is deficient in any |
| are reached, regardless of the additional calories | | | | area. |
| (Source: Massey University 2009). However, studies | | | | In addition, pregnant women who are plagued by |
| have shown that low protein intake during early | | | | morning sickness may have less nausea if they do |
| conception (while the egg is still dividing) leads to | | | | not allow their stomachs to be completely empty for |
| abnormal growth, cardiovascular disease, high blood | | | | long periods of time. The longest time that you go |
| pressure and nervous behavior in the young. In the | | | | without eating is typically overnight, which is why |
| study, conducted with mice, the offspring of those | | | | most women are sick when they first wake up. To |
| who had low protein intake grew bigger, extracting | | | | combat this, having a small snack, preferably one that |
| as much nutrients as they could as compensation | | | | is high in protein, before getting out of bed can be |
| (Source: Science News: July 22, 2009). | | | | very helpful. |