Pregnancy is definitely a new and beautiful phase in a woman s life. During this time, the woman s body goes through multiple changes during the nine months and post-delivery, extra care is needed for the body to get back to its pre-pregnancy state. The following are some tips to care for your post-partum body immediately after delivery and through the first six weeks after childbirth.

Perineal soreness: The area between the vagina and the anus stretches a lot during labour and can be sore for quite a while. In some women, this area may even be cut to enable easy passing of the baby (episiotomy). This would be more painful and can be managed with topical creams, ice packs, Kegel exercises and warm baths.
Uterine shrinkage: The uterus enlarges to accommodate the developing baby shrinks back to its original stage after delivery. This causes severe cramps, especially during the first six weeks and if required, pain medications can be taken for the cramps.
Breast fullness: The breasts fill with milk after birth to enable feeding, and the woman feels engorged. This is relieved with feeding, but if the baby is not on mother s milk, warm soaks on the breasts and a supportive bra can help. It will stop once the breasts stop making milk.
Constipation: This is common post pregnancy, and so foods rich in fibre should be consumed. Lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grains should be included in the diet. If required, stool softeners can be used.
Body swelling: In preparation for the delivery, the hands and feet swell due to fluid accumulation. This naturally subsides over the first week to 10 days. Lying on the left side and keeping the feet elevated can help.
Urination problem: Experiencing a burning sensation or pain while urinating and inability to start or stop a stream of urine are common urination problems, especially immediately after childbirth, which will subside in a couple of weeks. Drinking lots of water, Kegel exercises and warm baths are helpful measures that can be undertaken.
Fatigue: Taking care of the newborn can leave you drained. Get adjusted to the baby s routine and try to sleep with your baby. Get friends and family to help you take care of your child so that you don t feel the entire strain.
Emotional health: Changes in the hormone levels again affects your emotional health, so try and stay positive. Post-partum depression is very common in women, as they feel overwhelmed with caring for the newborn.
It is important to realise that while pregnancy is an important phase, it is a natural process. The body will adapt to these short-lived changes and allow you to bond with your baby by staying close to your child, responding to its needs, spending time together, and taking care of your newborn.

Post-Partum - How To Take Care of Your Body?

5 Reasons to drink from a copper vessel

Copper is found to have many intrinsic properties that are good for your health. It is highly beneficial to store water in a copper cup overnight and drink from it as soon as you wake up.

Some of the benefits of drinking from a copper cup are:

1) Aids digestive functions

Copper has inherent properties that help in the process of digestion. It stimulates the uniform contraction and relaxation of the stomach that eases digestion and helps the food move along the digestive tract. Moreover, it helps to kill bacteria and reduce inflammation in the stomach. Copper also contains properties that help cleanse and detoxify your stomach, aiding and regulating the function of the kidneys and liver.

2) Weight loss

Drinking water from a copper cup on a regular basis can help you shed weight. Copper helps in breaking down fat and also helps to eliminate it efficiently out of the body. Thus, it helps your body to keep whatever it requires and discards the rest.

3) Heals wounds

Copper is also known to possess antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to these properties, it serves to quickly heal both internal and external wounds, while strengthening your immune system.

4) Slows the aging process

The natural remedy for the fine lines on your face might be copper. Rich in anti-oxidants, it helps to fight free radicals, bringing about the formation of new cells. Regularly using copper cups can also give a radiant glow to your face.

5) Helps to prevent heart diseases and cancer

Copper is an effective remedy to prevent the risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. According to studies, copper has been found to regulate heart rate, blood pressure and also aids in drastically reducing a person's cholesterol level, leading to improved cardiovascular health. Certain studies have found that copper has anti-cancer effects but the exact mechanism for such a process is still unknown.

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5 Reasons You Should Drink from a Copper Vessel  #Weightloss

What complications are associated with diabetes?

Diabetes is a serious disorder which happens when your body has an unreasonably high level of blood sugar, which further leads to harmful effects. Diabetes has a wide variety of complications associated with it, and they start to build up slowly and gradually. Some of the common complications are:

Retinopathy

In simple words, diabetes leads to eye damage by making the eye exposed and prone to severe eye disorders like cataracts and glaucoma. If you have retinopathy, then you may also have face the consequence loss of vision or permanent blindness.

Skin conditions

During diabetes, your skin health is bound to degrade to a large extent. Your skin will become thin in texture and more prone to cuts and breakages due to internal skin cell damage. Thus, the skin gets more exposed to the bacterial and viral infections and its healing process also slows down as the cell division takes longer than usual.

Nephropathy

Nephropathy refers to kidney damage which is caused due to diabetes. The kidneys act as a filter system to the body and they filter out waste materials from the blood. Diabetes causes damage to the blood vessels of the kidneys which may further result in serious kidney disorders and may increase the risks of a sudden kidney failure.

Cardiovascular diseases

This means that if you are having excessive diabetes, then you are at a risk of having a major heart attack or a heart stroke. Additionally, increased blood sugar levels also lead to other heart-related diseases like chest pain, narrowing of arteries etc.

Neuropathy

It is a complication related to the nervous system of your body. The complication generally occurs in the legs as there is a numbness, burning or tingling sensation in the legs. This happens due to the extra sugar in the body, which damages the walls of the blood vessels. In the worst case scenario, you can lose sensation in the legs.

However, it is always desirable that you go and visit a doctor if the conditions persist for a longer time. Additionally, you can also depend upon some domestic care measures to bring your blood sugar levels under control.



What complications are associated with diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar level rises in your body either due to less insulin level in the body or reduced sensitivity of the body to insulin. The foods you eat have a major role in controlling your blood sugar levels. You need to pick your foods wisely to prevent your blood sugar levels from spiking.


The various foods that you should be eating if you have diabetes are:

1. Dark chocolate: chocolate contains good amounts of flavonoids that help in improving insulin sensitivity and limits food cravings. It also reduces your chances of heart attack.

2. Blueberries: blueberries are rich in fiber that helps you in managing your blood sugar levels. They also contain anthocyanins that assist in regulating your blood sugar levels.

3. Fish: fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation in the body, thus reducing your chances of heart problems. Fish is also a good source of protein that helps you in feeling fuller.

4. Olive oil: olive oil is rich in antioxidants that help in reducing your chances of heart diseases and diabetes.

5. Oranges: make sure you eat plenty of oranges as they are rich in vitamin c and they reduce the risk of diabetes. You may also opt for broccoli or strawberries.

The various foods you should avoid are:

1. White rice: white rice is a refined grain which, when consumed, tends to spike your blood sugar levels. You can instead opt for brown rice.

2. Bananas: banana may contain vitamins and minerals, but are also rich in carbohydrates. Instead, opt for fruits like berries that are not only rich in fiber and antioxidants, but also have a low glycemic index.

3. Sugary foods: the term sugary foods is used to describe foods such as pastries, cakes, and cookies. These foods are carbohydrate rich and do not contribute much in making the body healthy. Instead, replace them with natural foods such as chickpeas and peanuts.

4. Dried fruit: various dried fruits contain a high concentration of sugar, which happens due to the dehydration process by which they are formed. So replace them with fresh fruits such as guava and peaches to control your blood sugar levels.

Amongst all other dry fruits, almonds and walnuts can be had in moderation as they contain essential fatty acids and do not affect blood sugars.

Foods to Eat and Avoid When You Have Diabetes

There s a lot that nutritionists around the world don t agree on, but most of them advise you to have more vegetables than fruits and more water- based vegetables like bottle gourd in summers.

Let s take a look at why this is so.

Bottle gourd keeps you hydrated and cool in summers: Bottle guard has always been regarded as one of the healthiest vegetables, and for a reason. This versatile vegetable is full of about 92 % water and minerals and is the best that nature can offer to keep your body hydrated and cool. It s a good idea to have bottle gourd or  lauki  as a juice because cooking deactivates the minerals and vitamins found in it. The juice keeps your stomach cool and reduces body heat or  pitta . You can also eat boiled lauki with curd to get its cooling benefits. This vegetable helps replenish the water lost due to sweating during summers and is also a great remedy for any kind of heat-related ailment like nose bleeding, pimples or ulcers according to Ayurveda.
Helps control weight: It helps control weight as Bottle gourd is excellent for you if you are trying to lose weight. The vegetable is packed with fibre which helps in keeping you full for longer, thus reducing food cravings that make you pile on the kilos. It is also a low-calorie vegetable with no fat and thus helps you lose weight too. Bottle gourd is prescribed by Ayurvedic medicine to reduce flab as fibre is the key to weight -loss.
 Storehouse of essential vitamins and minerals: Bottle gourd contains essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, B, K, A, E, Iron, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. These play a critical role in metabolism and body functions.
Treats urinary tract infections: Freshly made bottle guard juice mixed with lime juice is one of the best natural remedies for treating pesky UTIs.
Cure for stomach problems: Bottle gourd helps in curing constipation and also treats diarrhea. This is due to the fact that the vegetable contains a lot of water and fibre which helps in cleaning your digestive track and allows easy bowel movement. One of the best home remedies for treating diarrhea is to drink bottle gourd juice with a pinch of salt. This helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance of your body, as well.
Bottle gourd helps in controlling diabetes: Bottle gourd juice is also beneficial for diabetic patients as it stabilizes blood sugar levels and maintains optimum blood pressure. The best time to have it is in morning before breakfast to reap this benefit. Also, take care to consume the juice immediately as it oxidizes quite fast.

Bottle Gourd (Lauki) - 6 Amazing Health Benefits You Never Thought Of!

Water is the life giving source of the planet and we would do well to remember to have our daily dose of at least seven to eight glasses of water a day. Besides it many health benefits, water is also a great partner to have in the weight loss process. As per many scientific studies, you can actually lose up to 2 kilograms of fat by taking your daily intake of water to ten glasses a day, at least. So, let us find out how we can actually lose weight by drinking more water.

1. Appetite: When you drink more water before a meal, you are actually taking care of something called mental hunger, which is the reflex of the brain around mealtimes and during boredom, inducing you to eat more. So, to avoid eating a heavy meal, you may want to have plenty of water before you sit down to eat. 

2. Calories: It has been scientifically proven that greater water intake can actually help in the weight loss process by creating an increase in what is known as resting energy expenditure. As we all know, there are various ways in which calories may be burnt throughout the day, including sitting standing and even sleeping. The resting state may induce more calorie expenditure with the help of increased water consumption.

3 . Long Term Weight Gain: The intake of more water helps in bringing down your weight by 0.13 kilograms at a time, which goes a long way in your weight loss journey. Further, the results are also more sustainable and long staying. You can add a cup of water after each glass and you can also replace your other beverages with water. 

4. Better Results in the Gym: Your workout sessions and that gym outing could actually benefit from more water intake. The way this works is that your joints and muscles are better lubricated which reduces the chances of stiffness due to intense and prolonged movements. This will actually help you in working out for longer periods without getting drained or tired too soon. So remember to drink plenty of water at least half an hour before you hit the gym or go running.

While water can be your best weight loss partner, it can also be a futile ingredient if you do not eliminate the things that lead to weight gain, or hold you back as far as optimum weight loss is concerned. So, you may want to ditch the sweetened and carbonated drinks and let go of fried and fatty food to let your body make room for lots of water instead!

Will Drinking More Water Help Me Lose Weight?

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