Pregnancy doesn’t mean ‘eating for two’ or embarking on a special diet, but this is a good time to think a little more about what you’re fueling your body with. Adequate nutrition during pregnancy is not only important for your baby’s growth and development but will also help to support your own health needs and keep you feeling and functioning at your best.
Newbie has been speaking with Rob Hobson @robhobsonnutritionist, Registered Nutritionist and co-author of The Detox Kitchen Bible, on his top tips to help keep you well-nourished and healthy during pregnancy. Over the course of the next few weeks we’ll be sharing Rob’s tips here on the Newbie blog.
During your pregnancy you’ll receive advice from experts in the field. The advice I can offer you is how to nourish yourself to support the health of both yourself and your baby. The tips I’ll share will reflect the basics of nutrition and flag up certain issues that you may encounter during your pregnancy. If you’re worried about any aspect of your pregnancy, then you must seek advice from the relevant healthcare professional.There’s nothing unusual about the type of diet you should follow during pregnancy so concentrate on getting the fundamentals right by adhering to the basic principles of eating well to insure you and your baby are getting all the nutrients required for good health. This week’s topic: How can I beat morning sickness?
Morning sickness can be utterly debilitating for some women impacting on appetite as well as overall wellness. Don’t force feed your appetite and start by choosing light starchy foods such as dry toast or crackers. Make sure you hydrate; if you’re having regular bouts of morning sickness then drinking water may not be that appetising so explore what works for you whether that’s a mint tea, sparkling water with herbs and fruits or something slightly sweeter. Ginger is renowned to help with nausea so try fresh ginger and lemon in hot water or ground ginger for something spicier (in my experience ground ginger has been more effective). The most important thing is that you hydrate with some form of fluids.
In more serious cases your GP may prescribe drugs to help with morning sickness. There is a little research to suggest that B6 supplements may help but you should always consult with your GP before exploring the use of any dietary supplements during pregnancy. Below I have included a Ginger Tea recipe to help relieve those feelings of nausea. Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or less to taste
- 1/4 cup grated ginger root
- 3 green tea bags
- 2 lemons juiced
- 3 tablespoons honey
- In a saucepan brill 4 cups of water to boil, add in brown sugar, and grated ginger root. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add 3 green tea bags.
- Steep tea to desired strength.
- Remove tea bags and discard.
- Add lemon juice and honey to taste and stir.
- Strain and serve hot or chilled.
Rob is one of the UK’s most well respected and highly trained nutritionists with over 15 years’ experience. His passion for nutrition extends to his talent for cooking, which led him to co-author the hugely successful book, “The Detox Kitchen Bible” (Bloomsbury, May 2015) that has now been released in both hardback and paperback editions around the world. Rob has worked within the NHS and Government agencies in many areas including child and maternal health as well as working with many leading food and nutrition companies and health retreats around the world. Rob also works closely with the media including TV, radio and regular columns in the health press. Find out more about him here.