Pregnancy brings with it a set of challenges, and for a diabetic woman, these only increase further. Earlier, the risks of dealing with pregnancy and diabetes as a combination were too high. However, over the last few decades, things have changed. The age at which women are choosing to have a baby has gone up. On the other hand, the age of onset of diabetes has come down drastically.
These days, there are many diabetic women who go through pregnancy smoothly without major complications. Of course, there is extra care and precaution required, but it is not something that cannot be planned and managed well between the doctor and the mother-to-be.

The following are some rough guidelines for a pregnant diabetic woman.
Potential complications

It increases the risk of polycystic ovaries, thereby making it difficult to conceive.
Fluctuating sugar levels can be a reason for not being able to conceive, as the body does not see itself as healthy.
It increased the chances of miscarriage.
There are higher chances of birth defects in the developing baby due to very high sugar levels in the first trimester.
Preparation
If you are planning for a pregnancy, meet with your doctor to review your sugar levels. Chalk out a plan with your doctor, taking into account your diet and nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and medications.

Diet: Ensure you cautiously decide what and how to eat ahead of your pregnancy. Moving away from refined carbohydrates and processed foods towards wholesome food items like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables will make a difference.
Exercise: Build an exercise routine to suit your body and keep yourself active. It is very important to stay active so that diabetes is under control.
Lifestyle: Quit smoking and reduce alcohol use. This helps in managing stress also, which can help keep diabetes under check.
Medications: Check with your doctor on the medicines you are taking and if dose adjustments are required to get sugar levels under control, plan them out.
During pregnancy, constant monitoring and vigilance is required to ensure diabetes is under control.

Let your gynecologist know about your condition (stable/fluctuating), and if you are doubtful about them being able to handle your condition, do not hesitate to change.
Many consider switching to oral medications as the risk of transmission to the baby is less and the control over sugar levels is better.
Constant monitoring for daily blood sugars is essential.
A regular, healthy lifestyle in terms of eating and sleeping should help keep the sugars under check.
Constant monitoring of the baby is essential to ensure its normal growth with no developmental defects.
Read up and train yourself on how to deal with low or high sugar levels. Happy sugary pregnancy!

Diabetes During Pregnancy - Know The Best Ways To Control It!

Giving birth to a child is the most profound form of joy felt by a woman. After getting pregnant, one should discuss with her gynecologist what form of surgery they should go in for. Women have been delivering babies by normal childbirth without any complications since the old times. However, complications might arise if you don't take proper care of your body before the date of delivery. You should be careful and alert at all times so that there are no detrimental effects to you and your child.

Certain tips and guidelines should be followed so that you and your child are safe and secure during a normal delivery.

1. Diet: As soon as you know you are pregnant, you should take care of your diet. Avoid junk food and street food. Stick to a nutritious diet, which contains vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Iron and calcium rich food items should also be consumed for the healthy development of your fetus.

2. Active lifestyle: Try to exercise daily. Include light permissible yoga and also light walks during your pregnancy. You can also join a yoga fitness class for expecting mothers. This can make your body flexible and ready for a normal delivery.

3. Water: Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day to keep yourself hydrated during your pregnancy.

4. Stress: Pregnancy can be extremely stressful. This can take a toll on your body and also on your unborn child's health. Also too much stress can make labor a difficult experience, as the pelvic muscles might not expand for the baby to pass through.

5. Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption: Tobacco is very harmful and might lead to birth defects in your child. Alcohol also acts as a poison. Intake of these substances should be avoided completely.

6. Prenatal class: Joining a prenatal class can be very helpful because you get to learn about giving birth and the things, which your body will be required to do during labor. This can come handy during the delivery.

7. Breathing exercise: During labor it is possible that you can experience shortness of breath. Practicing breathing exercises will help you prepare for a normal delivery.

These tips should be known by every expectant mother so that the strenuous process of a normal delivery is eased out.

Tips to Have a Normal Delivery

Child nutrition from age 6 months to 5 years growth and development of a child depends on the nourishment received by the child right from birth. Healthy diet and proper eating habits are essential to be inculcated in a child as early as possible. A balanced diet given to the child at the earliest provides all nutrients required for adequate growth and development. Nutritional value of every food item introduced in the child s diet should be gauged prior and then given to the child.

Nutritional requirement of children varies in accordance to the age group. It is necessary that the parents should have knowledge about the age-specific requirements of the diet, which will benefit the child in their growing years.

Following is the ideal child nutrition ranging from the age group of 6 months to 5 years.

1. 6 months to 12 months

A. Right from the birth of a newborn child, it is necessary to begin breastfeeding for the baby. It should begin within an hour of the child s birth. It is the ideal way of providing proper nutrition to the child.

B. Breastfeeding is beneficial by providing nourishment and also by improving the immunity of the baby.

C. From birth to 6 months, only breastfeeding is advised. It is a critical source of nutrition for the child even during illness.

D. After the baby turns 6 months old, solid food can be introduced in the child s diet.

E. Breastfeeding can be continued and supplemented with other food items.

F. Usually, fruit juices are introduced first in the diet.

G. Feeding bottle should be avoided and the child should be fed with a spoon and cup. Proper hygiene and good handling of the food is required.

H. It is necessary to wipe the gums and developing teeth clean with a wet gauge to prevent any decay that can be caused by sticking of the food on the teeth surfaces fed to the child.

2. 1 year to 3 years

A. Children in this age group can tell when they feel full after feeding. It is necessary to listen to their demand for food and also avoid overfeeding children.

B. This age group requires children to eat all types of nutrients, so parents should focus on providing a variety of food items to replenish their child s nutritional requirements.

C. Children in this age group require fat-rich foods and should be given dairy products for calcium requirements.

D. Processed foods should not be given to children at this age. Calories intake should be monitored to the optimum level.

E. Since children at this age are involved in activities like walking, running around and playing it is essential to keep feeding them at regular intervals to maintain the energy levels of their bodies.

3. 3 years to 5 years.

A. Children belonging to this age group require to eat a well-balanced, nutrient rich diet.

B. Grains should be included on a routine basis. They provide the child with carbohydrates, fibres and minerals. All these nutrients provide energy to the child s body.

C. Inclusion of whole wheat grains provides fibres in adequate quantity.

D. Refined foods should be avoided, whole grain bread should be included in the diet.

E. Fruit intake should be increased, as they are an important source of various vitamins. Fresh fruit should always be preferred over juices for growing children.

F. Sugar intake should be kept to a minimum quantity since refined sugars do more harm to the child s health than any good.

G. Vegetables should form a considerably greater part of the child s daily diet, with the inclusion of a variety of vegetables.

H. Protein sources of food include meat, poultry, pulses, beans and nuts. Along with protein, these food items also provide iron, zinc and minerals to the body.

Apart from the above specified food items, daily intake of milk is necessary for children of growing age. It provides the body with sufficient calcium to facilitate bone growth in growing children. Also, nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews are advised to be given to the children daily.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult a specialist & get answers to your questions!

Nutrition Tips For Children From Age 6 Months To 5 Years!

5 lifestyle changes that directly improve your sex life

You can improve your sexual experience as well as any sexual problem that you may encounter by adopting healthy lifestyle habits. A healthy lifestyle is vital for experiencing sexual arousal, which requires your overall health and cardiovascular system to be in their best form.

These 5 lifestyle changes will help you to achieve your goal:

1. Quitting smoking
Smoking causes the development of a condition known as vasoconstriction (which is a contraction of the blood vessels that brings about a decrease in blood flow), not to mention damage to the veins and arteries. The small veins in the penis are typically more prone to this kind of damage. The only way you can prevent this kind of damage from happening is by kicking this habit. As a consequence, you experience an increase in your sex drive as well as an improvement in your sex life.


2. Exercising regularly
Exercising regularly enables your body's cardiovascular system to remain healthy and this is important for maintaining and sustaining an erection as well as increasing your sex drive. It is also believed that exercise can increase sex hormones and endorphins level in a woman's body, apart from helping her to improve her body image.


3. Having a healthy diet
For good sexual health, you need to have fruits and vegetables that are rich in anti-oxidants such as strawberries, oranges, spinach or broccoli and omega - 3 fatty acids rich food options such as walnuts, flaxseeds, salmon or tuna. Taking supplements can also help in boosting your libido.


4. Limiting your drinks
Drinking in moderate amounts can help in protecting you from heart disease and certain cancers. But if you have too much of alcohol, it can act as a depressant and lead to anxiety problems as well as a host of sexual problems including delayed ejaculation, erections, and vaginal dryness. Ideally, you should have one drink a day if you're a woman and two in the case of men.

5. Reducing stress
Cutting down your stress levels can see your sex life improving for the better. This is because it raises the levels of hormones that get in the way of your sex hormones, namely, cortisol or stress hormone, and adrenaline (a hormone produced by the adrenal gland).

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Symptoms of Psycho-Sexual Disorder You Need to Know

5 Lifestyle Changes That Directly Improve Your Sex Life

The primary difference between pickle and chutney lies in the fact that pickles are meant to be preserved for months together while chutneys are devoid of preservatives and are required to be consumed very soon. Both of these food items proffer a host of health benefits including an optimum supply of all the needful minerals and vitamins along with the antioxidants. Some of the ingredients present in the pickle and chutney help in controlling high blood pressure, diabetes, improves digestion and immunity.

Pickles and the process of preparing the pickles
The process of making pickles is known to have originated in India, and it was the most viable way of preserving food items so that it can be stored for future usage. The process started as a means of preserving those food items, which are not available all through the year. The conventional means of preparing pickles in oriental style incorporates the usage of ingredients like oil, salt, chilli powder along with other condiments. The ingredients are mixed as per the set proportions, and there are many health benefits of eating pickles on a regular basis.

As per the reports of NSDA, pickles contain moisture, energy, fat, protein, carbohydrates, fibres, vitamins and sugar. The long list of vitamins includes Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and folate. Indian pickles abound in phosphorus, iron, magnesium, sodium and potassium. The health benefits of pickles include the supply of necessary antioxidants, probiotics which are the gut-friendly antibiotics, helps in digestion, improve haemoglobin levels in anaemic people. There are some pickles which aid in controlling blood pressure levels and have hepatoprotective properties.

Chutney and their health benefits
Chutneys are a ubiquitous component of Indian cuisine, and some of the most common flavours added to the chutneys include ginger, garlic, onion salt, sugar and tamarind among others. Homemade chutneys prepared in almost all Indian households can be preserved for about a week in the refrigerator. Chutneys are filled with vitamins along with other nutrients, and less usage of oil makes it fat-free. They are rich in antioxidants, and sometimes fresh leaves are added to ensure inclusion of chlorophyll.

Just like pickles, chutneys also offer a wide range of advantages for one s health. It provides the body with the needful amount of antioxidants which are the micronutrients that aid in protecting the body from the free radicals. These free radicals are a type of unstable chemicals being generated at the time of cellular metabolism and react with the cells and cause damage to the DNA. The DNA then becomes unstable and gives way to the production of more free radicals which can be controlled by the consumption of antioxidants. The chutneys also supply the body with all the vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients which are necessary for sustaining healthy living.

To conclude, both pickles, as well as chutneys, are a significant part of the Indian food habits. Both of these items have a great taste and offer a wide variety of health aids which testifies to their consumption on a regular basis.

Pickle vs Chutney - Which Is Healthier?

Metrorrhagia is a medical condition in which uterine bleeding occurs regularly or irregularly outside the normal menstrual cycle. Generally Metrorrhagia occurs due to hormone disorders or any other such irregularities. It could also be an indicator of some serious health issues such as endometriosis, cancer of reproductive organs or uterine fibroids. Read on more to find all about them.

Causes
Metrorrhagia can occur due to a number of reproductive disorders as well as certain diseases. Syphilis, infection, malignancy, pregnancy and many more are listed as the reasons behind Metrorrhagia. Metrorrhagia can be a serious issue as it can be painful, irritating and a major inconvenience.

Risk factors
Metrorrhagia is a medical condition which might be due to certain disorders or medical conditions the patient might be suffering from. They are mentioned as follows:

    Hormone related: Irregular uterine bleeding can occur due to hypothyroidism, adrenal deficiency and low progesterone. Metrorrhagia in such situations can be resolved if suitable treatment is administered in the right time and for that, correct diagnosis is absolutely important.
    Reproductive related: Endometrial hyperplasia and endometriosis and such other reproductive disorders or diseases could be a cause for Metrorrhagia. In such cases, early diagnosis is absolutely recommended for a speedy and complete recovery.
    Benign Tumors: Certain benign tumors like ovarian cysts and fibroids can also cause irregular uterine bleeding. Though benign, a physician should be consulted immediately for a speedy recovery as Metrorrhagia in itself can prove to be critical.
    Malignant Tumors: Ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer can also be a reason for the cause of Metrorrhagia. In such a condition early diagnosis and treatment is highly essential for a full recovery.

Treatment
If the patient is suffering from Metrorrhagia, then they are advised to consult a physician as Metrorrhagia could be a sign of something more serious. Depending on the diagnosis the doctor can prescribe medications or if necessary, certain surgical procedures. Some of the medications and surgeries which can be prescribed by your physician include oral contraceptive pills, progesterone pills or injections, endometrial ablation and hysterectomy among others.

All about Metrorrhagia

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