Pregnancy brings with it a new set of additional responsibilities. The mother has to be extra vigilant about monitoring and caring for her health. This ensures that sufficient nutrition is being provided to the growing infant, at the same time, ensuring no harm comes to you. Listed below are some simple ways to do the same.

1. Prenatal care: As soon as you realize you are pregnant, it is advisable to talk to a doctor or a midwife about proper prenatal care. This could include anything and everything from prenatal vitamins to food habits to exercise to sleeping habits to periodic scanning and a number of other things that your doctor will prescribe.

2. Diet: You need to ensure two things that is you are eating enough for two people and everything is healthy and not harmful for the little one that gets all its nutrition through you. The diet should be healthy, nutritious, wholesome and of course free of junk. Some pointers to a healthy diet include:

a. Include a good amount of fruits and vegetables every day; break it into five small portions.
b. Sufficient amount of carbohydrates should be the basis of each meal.
c. Whole grains are preferred to white grains, which also give good amount of fiber.
d. A good amount of proteins including fish, eggs, meat, nuts, pulses, milk, and other dairy products.
e. Ensure adequate amount of iron, calcium, and other minerals are included in the diet.
f. Avoid eating unpasteurized dairy products, uncooked or undercooked food and smoked seafood.
g. While most vitamin requirements should be met through the diet, in some people, prenatal vitamins which provide the increased demands for folic acid.

3. Weight gain: If your weight was normal for your age and height before pregnancy, expect to add about 12 to 15 kg during your pregnancy. Consult with your doctor on weight changes and nutritional aspects to monitor weight throughout pregnancy. This could change based on if it is twins, your weight before pregnancy, and body type.

4. Exercise: Exercising during pregnancy is being increasingly encouraged for the following reasons:

a. Improved energy levels
b. Controls back pain
c. Improved sleep pattern
d. Improves constipation
e. Improves muscles strength and endurance
There are specific exercises designed to benefit the pregnant women. Whether it is walking or swimming aimed at improving overall health or Kegel exercises aimed at improving vaginal and perineal muscles, your doctor should be able to draw up a routine.

5. Lifestyle changes: With pregnancy setting in, it is time to bid goodbye to smoking and drinking alcohol. Continued smoking after onset of pregnancy has many serious complications, including growth retardation, low birth weight. Alcohol can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery.

These are simple ways to monitor and care for your and of course, the baby's health throughout pregnancy.

5 Ways to Monitor and Care for Your Health During Pregnancy

While some couples conceive with ease, conceiving a child can be extremely difficult for others. In cases where a woman is not able to get pregnant despite having regular intercourse in tune with her biological cycle, infertility tests may be suggested to investigate the reason behind this. In most cases, these tests are suggested if a year has gone by without intercourse resulting in a pregnancy. Women may also be said to be infertile, if they cannot carry a foetus to full term. 

Infertility can affect both men and women and can be triggered by a number of different reasons. In some cases, it is treatable while in others, alternative ways of having a family may need to be discussed. Hence, it is very important to understand the different types and triggers for infertility and to undergo complete infertility investigations. Some of the common types of infertility investigations are as given below.

Blood tests: A blood test of both partners is used to assess the general health of the couple and to identify any health factors that may be impeding fertility.
Tests for women: 
Hysterosalpingogram: This is an X ray that can identify if a blockage or any other issue in the fallopian tubes are the cause for infertility.
Pelvic ultrasound: This is used to have a look at the anatomy of the female reproductive system and to check for fibroids.
Laparoscopy / hysteroscopy: This is used to get a clearer picture of the ovaries, uterus and other parts of the reproductive system.
Tracking cycle: Ovulation and the thickness of the uterus lining may also affect infertility, This can be diagnosed by tracking and assessing the menstrual cycle.
Tests for men
Semen analysis:This test is used to get an idea of sperm concentration, motility and the appearance of sperm in a man s semen. In some cases, the semen may not include any sperm cells. In such cases, a follow up investigation may be required to assess if sperm cells are being created in the testicles. This is known as testicular sperm aspiration or a testicular biopsy.
Sperm DNA: The DNA in sperm also plays an important role in fertility. This test is used to assess the sperm DNA integrity and to see how it may affect embryo development and chances of an on-going pregnancy.
Infertility treatment depends on the cause identified by the above tests and hence it is important for both partners to undergo complete testing.

Complete Infertility Investigation - Why is It Important?

Have you been trying hard to conceive, but in vain. Then here are 3 things you can do increase your chance of getting pregnant:

Keeping track of the ovulation period: Even though regular sex throughout the month is advised, it is certainly more fruitful to know your cycle. You can only get pregnant when the sperm meets the egg, and the egg is only released around the 14th day in your cycle. This egg lives only for a day or two, so you have a limited window when you can actually get pregnant. Typically this window is approximately of 6 days, so it's best to have sex in this period. But it's important not get obsessive and put too much pressure to have sex on these days as the stress can reduce sperm quality. So be mindful of it and still enjoy the activity rather than being obsessive. There are several free apps that you can download to help you track your cycle.
Have missionary sex at least once every 2-3 days: The key is to have regular unprotected sex for over a year. The success rate for this is 84%. It is advised that you have sex every two to three days in every month of the year, and it's not necessary to stick to only those days for having sex when the woman is ovulating. Further, a spiced up sex life can increase your chances of the girl getting pregnant. As for the position, the missionary position works best as it helps the sperm on travelling through the cervix, which in any other position proves to be difficult. You can make the path of the sperm even easier by placing a cushion under the woman as it tilts the uterus, allowing the sperm to travel through more easily.
Try de-stressing: Psychological preparedness is as important as physical preparedness to maximise your chances of getting pregnant. These days couples lead very hectic and stressful lifestyles in which trying to get pregnant can only add to their stress levels. Increased stress lowers egg passage in women. Besides, trying too hard to get pregnant and the stress that it creates is the reason behind 30% of all infertility problems. In such cases, destressing by exercising, yoga, meditation or acupuncture is a good idea.

3 Ways You Can Increase Your Chance of Getting Pregnant

Let's start with an interesting fact: all types of tea, be it green or black, comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The difference only lies in processing and oxidation. So how can one be better than the other you ask? Let's find out.

1. Fluoride content

When it comes to fluoride content both green and black teas score high, while milk tea sadly loses out. Green and black teas are good for your teeth and bones, although black tea has higher fluoride content (0.2-0.5mg as compared to 0.3-0.4mg in green tea). It is best to have your black tea with tap water as it increases the fluoride content up to 0.9mg.

2. Antioxidant content

Yet again green tea and black both have high antioxidant content that helps in preventing cancer, but green is the clear winner over. Milk tea loses again as the milk in it effects the absorption of these antioxidants by your body. Green tea is enriched with a particular type of catechin (flavonoid) called EGCG, which regulates gene activity in cancer cells, and may even prevent cancer growth.

3. Caffeine Content

Both black and green teas have different amounts of caffeine in them. Green tea has lesser caffeine content than black tea- 9-50mg/cup in comparison to 42-17mg/cup. So if you want to have an energetic morning then black tea is the one for you, but if you want to relax your blood vessels and just enjoy a soothing drink, choose green tea. Milk tea, unfortunately, does not have a calming or an energising effect.

Benefits for your heart:

Black tea is probably a healthier option if you want to derive cardiovascular benefits from your daily cuppa. While green tea has abundant EGCG which creates a lining along your blood vessels to reduce stress, black tea offers more benefits. Black tea can improve the function of your blood vessels if you suffer from coronary artery disease. Apart from that, both can lower the levels of harmful cholesterol. There's no evidence that supports that milk tea can be beneficial for your heart.

So, in the end, it's your call to choose black or green tea, whichever works best for you. Try avoiding milk tea as the milk steals away the essential health benefits of tea. Just remember to have no more than 10 cups of green tea a day, and no more than 4 cups of black.

Related Content: Try Auric skin radiance health drinks as an alternative for tea or coffee for glowing skin.

Milk Tea Vs Black Tea Vs Green Tea - Is Your Choice the Best?

Approximately 15-20% of couples worldwide have difficulties conceiving, and this can be due to many causes, including hormonal imbalances in one or both partners. Infertility has become a more serious problem in the past century, and its causes are mostly related to our way of life. Smoking, drinking and an unhealthy diet, together with high levels of stress, will definitely affect your ability to conceive, creating imbalance in your body. Homeopathic medicine is widely used as an alternative to conventional medicine, helping the body to treat itself and infertility homeopathic treatments are available for both men and women; there are many homeopathic medical journals that will attest to their efficiency.

Homeopathic medications for fruitlessness include an all-characteristic methodology. Discover the best vitamins, herbs and supplement mixes accessible to help you get pregnant actually.

Barrenness homeopathic medications are turning out to be more prevalent among couples who experience fruitlessness issues, since they are all-normal, work generally quick and are moderate in contrast with customary drug.

The most vital components of fruitlessness homeopathic medicines, which will work ponders much of the time of barrenness are the accompanying:

Ripeness Diet-
In spite of the fact that it may sound somewhat ungainly, it is really a solid eating routine arrangement, which is useful for ripeness, as well as numerous different advantages for your body. Most importantly, you ought to surrender smoking and drinking liquor, and attempt to lessen your caffeine admission. Eat whatever number natural products of the soil as could reasonably be expected; it is vital to just eat natural food, to stay away from herbicides or pesticides which cause harm to the body.

Homeopathic meds for infertility in females because of corrosive vaginal releases:
There are top-grade homeopathic drugs for infertility in females because of corrosive vaginal releases. These homeopathic pharmaceuticals for infertility in females are utilized where the vaginal releases are harsh, dangerous and slaughter the sperms. It is a homeopathic prescription for infertility in females when the vaginal release resembles the white of an egg, bitter, abundant and warm. In such cases, it supports simple origination. Next homeopathic pharmaceutical is shown for infertility in ladies who have harsh, bothering, rich, nectar shaded vaginal releases. The release likewise notices harsh.

Homeopathic medications for infertility in females due to excessively abundant or excessively drawn out periods:
Two superb homeopathic prescriptions for infertility in females from bountiful or delayed periods are there. One is fundamentally utilized when a female with infertility has excessively abundant and too dependable periods. The periods likewise show up before time. To endorse the other, the fundamental symptoms are early and abundant menses with infertility. Leucorrhea, paleness, shortcoming, tiredness and exhaustion may likewise endure with menorrhagia. Among these homeopathic solutions for infertility in females, one medicine is additionally recommended where a propensity for incessant premature births is available.

All the medicines have to be taken under the guidance of the experts. 


Homeopathy and Fertility

Why every 1 in 5 Women in India suffers from PCOS? (And what they need to know)

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a medical condition related to a woman’s endocrine system. Generally, this disorder is characterised by an imbalance of the sex hormones (oestrogen and progesterone), which leads to the development of multiple small cysts in the ovaries. Symptoms of PCOS include acne, irregular menstrual cycle and depression to name a few.
The causes of PCOS have not been accurately identified so far, but researchers suggest that the following factors might contribute to the onset of the condition.

1. Increased amount of insulin secretion- Women suffering from insulin resistance may get PCOS as their body is not able to effectively use this insulin, which results in increased insulin secretion by the pancreas. This, in turn, triggers more androgen (male sex hormone) production in the ovaries, making it difficult for the ovaries to ovulate.

2. Lower inflammation levels- The white blood cells present in your body form resistance against infections through a response termed as inflammation. Women with lower inflammation levels are likelier to get PCOS as the decreased levels stimulate polycystic ovaries, thereby producing more androgens.

3. Genetic factor-  If you have a family history of PCOS, it’s highly probable that you may also get it as the disease is linked with your genes.

How To  Live with PCOS

PCOS comes with numerous side effects like acne, obesity, infertility, excessive facial or body hair among others. There are certain lifestyle changes, which you may consider to manage PCOS and minimise its side effects.

1. Change your diet - Opt for a low carbohydrate, low sugar diet to keep your insulin levels in control, as insulin is responsible for increasing the severity of PCOS symptoms. 

2. Try to maintain an ideal body weight - Obesity is known for worsening insulin resistance, and you can prevent this by regularly keeping your weight in check. You can practice some easy at-home exercise to reduce weight besides having a balanced diet.

3. Get yourself checked regularly - Visit a doctor and get yourself checked regularly for potential health risks as PCOS is often associated with increased chances of diabetes, heart diseases, certain forms of cancer, hypertension, and high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

4. Join a support group - Joining a PCOS support group will help you cope with your emotional difficulties, while helping you to live a better life by cultivating an optimistic outlook.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Every 1 in 5 Women in India suffers from PCOS! Why? (And what they need to know)

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