Health Tips for Pregnant Women

Pregnant women have particular health and nourishment needs. They are eating for two people, for themselves and for the new baby that is rising inside their womb. So they want to be sure they are eating healthy foods. It is important for pregnant women to watch what they eat and drink. For example, doctors advise the strict avoidance of all alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.

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It is also recommended to take a folic acid supplement. Folic acid is included in any good quality brand of prenatal vitamins, as are other important nutrients such as B vitamins, minerals like calcium, etc.

If you are trying to conceive, experiencing some symptoms of pregnancy, or are now pregnant, you will want to eat a balanced and healthy diet. Your body will experience many changes as the months go by. Be sure to get plenty of rest. Fatigue is a common complaint of pregnant women. Your body is going through a lot of stressful work to create a human life. You are doing something totally amazing. And you deserve a rest, don't you think? Of course you do. So take plenty of breaks, sit down, even take a nap every day if you can.

You and your baby will need more calories during the pregnancy stages. Some doctors estimate that you will consume round 300 additional calories each day. Just make sure the added calories come from healthy foods, not junk food. It is normal to have some cravings, because you need extra nutrients, but these cravings can be lessened by taking prenatal vitamins. You body wants and needs added nutrition, to help your baby grow, so eat plenty of health foods such as yogurt, fruit, bran muffins, veggies, etc.

Stay away from cigarettes and from people who smoke them. Second hand smoke can be bad for you and for your developing baby. Also avoid chemicals of all kinds. Don't use, inhale or be around any paint, harsh cleaning compounds, bug sprays and pesticides, weed killers, or any serious chemicals such as those.

Get some mild exercise every day. Going for a walk is the best form of exercise. This gets your blood flowing and increases oxygen levels in your body. Don't do any sit ups or crunches or tummy exercises. And avoid doing any heavy lifting.

Talk to your nurse or doctor on a regular basis. Pregnant women are going through a special time in their lives and they have special needs, special eating habits, special vitamins, etc. Take extra special good care of yourself so you will have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

Top 10 Things Never to Say to a Pregnant Woman

We’ve all heard them, said them, or overheard them. Open mouth, insert foot. Here are the top ten lists of things you should not say to a pregnant woman.

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10. “Were you trying to get pregnant again???” Ah, what a nice response when you announce your pregnancy. If you hear this, let it roll off of your back. People have all sorts of opinions on how many children to have, and how close to have them together. Smile, nod, and back away slowly.

9. “So are you feeling sick? You know, a friend of mine was sick her entire pregnancy.” Just for the record, this tends to scare pregnant women, especially first timers who are still in the first trimester – so try to keep this bit of info to yourself if you’re tempted to share this with a pregnant woman. And if you happen to hear this when you’re pregnant, don’t let it worry you one bit. Everyone knows someone who has suffered through morning sickness their entire pregnancy, but this does not happen very often at all.

8. “So, are you going to find out the sex, or do you want to be surprised?” Now, asking if someone is going to find out if they’re having a boy or a girl is a perfectly reasonable, polite question. The thing that isn’t so polite is the way some people say this, which sets it up to sound like it’s better to “just say no” during the ultrasound, and wait till the baby is born to find out. There are folks out there that think finding out gender somehow ruins the surprise, and they don’t hide their disapproval of your decision to take a peek during the sonogram. But you know what? It’s a surprise either way, whether you find out at the ultrasound or on delivery day.

7. “You know, you won’t take any pictures of the second baby the way you did of your first.” I don’t know why everyone feels the need to say this when you’re pregnant with your second, but don’t listen to it. Just because you will be busier with two children does not mean you’ll forget how to use a camera. Look at it this way – if you were good at keeping up with pictures of your first baby, you’ll be even more experienced at taking good pictures of your second baby.

6. “Did you know that gaining too much weight during your pregnancy increases you chances of being obese for the rest of your life?” Seriously, do not show your pregnant friend an article about how gaining too much weight during pregnancy will set her up to be overweight forever. And if someone does something crazy like that to you, just ignore them. People blurt out all sorts of things – so once again, let it roll off of your back.

5. “So let me ask you a question. Is morning sickness real, or do pregnant women make it up to get attention?” There are no words for this one. No words.

4. “Are you disappointed? Were you hoping for a boy?” It surprised me how much people assumed I would be bummed at having three girls. I know that the Hallmark cards often picture one boy and one girl, but two (or three, or four...) of the same gender is nothing to be disappointed about. And guess what? You’re allowed to have as many kids as you choose to. I like to remind people of that when they act like I’m missing out because we don't have a boy. (Also, I’m not missing out at all. Having three girls is awesome.)

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3. “Well, you’ve gained more weight than you should have.” A doctor said this to me, but this was during the pregnancy when I only gained 27lbs! He was also about 112 years old, and still acted like we lived back in the day when pregnant women were supposed to gain about fifteen pounds max. They were able to do this by smoking their entire pregnancy, of course. So don’t worry about your weight gain, because the main goal is a healthy baby and a healthy mom. The weight will come off (you may have to skip ice cream for a while…) so don’t sweat it.

2. “Oh, you must be due soon. I can tell because your ankles are really swollen.” No matter how uncomfortable a pregnant woman looks, you should still smile at her and tell her she doesn’t look pregnant from behind, that she’s beautiful, etc. She may know you’re lying, but she’ll appreciate the thought. (Additional note: When commenting on the appearance of a pregnant woman, do not ask her "how many babies" she is having. Trust me.)

1. “A friend of mine had such a hard time delivering her baby that the nurse had to jump on top of her stomach to force the baby out.” This is probably one of the worst things you can say to a pregnant woman, because it tends to scare the crap out of her. I had a couple of different women share various horror stories (that was one of them), when I was pregnant. You should worry about these stories about as much as you should worry about that campfire story with the guy and the hook. Everyone knows someone who had something crazy go wrong, but that’s no reason to get spun up and worry about your own delivery. You’ll do just fine.

If you happen to be pregnant, keep these things in mind and remember that people really do say some dumb things. Take the compliments to heart, and ignore the rest. Even if you don’t feel cute, I assure you that you are (of course I happen to love pregnant women, and think they’re adorable). If someone causes you to worry about morning sickness or labor, ignore it. Your pregnancy is just that – your pregnancy. It’s not going to be like anyone else’s.

So sit back, have some ice cream, and enjoy your pregnancy.

Tips on Living With HIV

Imagine that are diagnosed with the HIV virus, the first thing you have to do is to keep your emotions in check: calm down. This is not going to be the death of you yet! There are several millions of people afflicted with this deadly virus but still lead normal and healthy lives due to the abundance of medicines available in the market which may not necessarily cure the disease but will definitely contain the virus. The secret here is self- motivation and that can make you live your life completely.

Your relations and associates are the ones that you should be looking to for support at this juncture and they will definitely help calm you down. Consulting with a social worker or a counselor will keep away depression. There is a wealth of information available online that will get you closer to people suffering from this disease and you can share experiences with each other. Regular health check ups to determine the body’s immunity levels should also be done by a qualified doctor. And finally remember that; you should come to terms to the fact that you are infected.

It’s important that you understand how the HIV virus multiplies inside your body and its effect on the immune system. The Viral load test tells you how much of the virus you have at present in your body and the CD4 test tells you how strong your protective system is. It’s important that you know both of them

Always understand that HIV is NOT infectious. Casual contact like sharing utensils, embracing or shaking hands will not spread the disease and this is what your relations and friends need to understand. HIV spreads only through sex, allotment of infected needles and breastfeeding. Do not work your self up just because you are suffering with the disease rather focus on your health. Regular health check-ups is important as the body’s immunity system is gullible to an array of diseases.

Avoiding smoking and drinking will also help you handle HIV better. There are many medicines available in the market that can stem the HIV virus starting to increase in your body and your doctor would be the best guide to help you out in this.

Voluntary organizations can also provide you with a wealth of information that will get you closer to people suffering with this disease and this can also be a source of comfort to you. Latest advances in Medicine have actually increased the life span of an HIV patient by ten years or more since the inception of the virus. Some of these individuals, with the help of medicines are leading normal and healthy lives just like any ordinary human being.

SO, DON’T give up hope, worrying will never help you, rather learn to accept the situation. Remember that you have to tae care of your own health and no one can do that for you; do visit your doctor regularly. It’s your life so don’t despair, live it king-sized, you will in all probability outlive your expectation.