Dr. Monita Dutta

What can I do to ease my digestive issues during pregnancy?
What happens when you carry a baby in your womb that weighs a couple of kilos? well, it presses upon your digestive tract and makes digestion an issue for you. However, the baby’s weight is not the only factor that matters here. The massive amount of hormonal changes that your body undergoes also adds greatly to the issue.

Digestive problems are not grave during pregnancy. Instead, they are fairly common everywhere. There are many simple steps that can aid you in easing your digestive process when you are pregnant.

1. Sit up straight:
Since the bulging baby is putting on immense weight on your stomach, you need to sit up straight when eating in order to ease the pressure. Moreover, avoid lying down for at least an hour after having your meal.
 
2. Wind up the meal size:
Along with winding up the meal size, make sure that you increase its frequency, or else your baby will have to starve.
 
Instead of having three large meals in a day, try dividing them down to five small meals in 24 hours. Small and frequent meals will keep you from bloating and prevent indigestion issues.
 
3. Exercise:
Although pregnancy calls for no vigorous activity, it also does not require becoming stationary all at once. When pregnant, you need to carry out 30 minutes of light workout daily, such as walking or riding a stationary cycle. Exercise stimulates adrenaline that in turn promotes bowel movements for a better digestion.
 
4. Limit caffeine intake:
Caffeine is not going to help with your digestive issues, especially if you are carrying a life in your womb. Hence, try to avoid it, particularly during the night hours.
 
5. Antacids:
Ask your doctor to prescribe you some antacids that you can consume on a daily basis. Antacids help a lot with indigestion issues.
 
6. Don’t bend over your waist:
When pregnant, your waist is the part of your body that is suffering the most pressure. Hence, you would want to bother that part of your body at the least. Avoid bending over your waist. If required, do it at your knees.
 
7. Eat healthy:
Stuffing your stomach with unnecessary carbohydrates will only make it worse for you. Hence, for a healthy baby as well as a healthy digestive system, resort more to healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables. Fibre in your diet will help you mobilize your gut for an easy digestion.

The diagnosis of menopause is made after periods have stopped for at least 1 year after the age of 40 due to reducing ovarian activity.The age span can vary between 45 to 55 and the median age is 52 years.Menopause occurring before the age of 40 is premature and one needs to consult a Gynaecologist.

The time span for several months to several years leading to menopause is called perimenopause.The periods during this time may become irregular and the patient may experience hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, mood swings etc; 30-60% of women may experience emotional symptoms at this time. The major symptoms include:

• Hot Flushes and Night seats
• Vaginal dryness
• Tiredness and sleep disturbances
• Mood swings and lack of concentration
• Loss of interest in having sex

Every woman experiences menopause differently. A few will have a combination of different mild symptoms while others will have more severe symptoms.Some women choose to go through menopause without any treatment whereas others prefer to have hormonal or non-hormonal medications to help control their symptoms.

However it is important to consult a Gynaecologist as irregular periods and other symptoms may be due to other pathologies and may need investigating.

A healthy lifestyle is very important during this time to maintain good bone health and general health.Regular aerobic exercises like swimming, jogging, brisk walking and in general maintaining an active lifestyle and maintaining an optimal body mass index is very important and helps in preventing osteoporosis, heart disease etc;

• Low-intensity exercises such as yoga may help to reduce hot flushes and boost general well-being.
• Reducing intake of tea/coffee/ caffeinated drinks will help reduce hot flushes and night sweats.
• Vaginal lubricants and moisturisers help in reducing vaginal dryness during intercourse.
• Also equally important is having a diet rich in Calcium, proteins and low in fat and refined carbohydrates like sweets and junk foods.
• Soya-based foods like soya beans, chickpeas, peas are rich is phytoestrogens nad may help in reducing perimenopausal/ menopausal symptoms.
• Getting an annual health check up done helps in identifying risks earlier and taking appropriate actions earlier on.
• Women should have regular PAP smears, BP check, Mammograms, Lipid profile done and other tests if clinically indicated.

Finally, it is best to consult a Gynaecologist if a woman is having any perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be instituted.

While some people see tears as a sign of weakness, for others crying is a crucial way of dealing with grief. Though as children we’re told not to cry and to ‘keep a hold’ of our emotions, letting go of a few tears can help alleviate grief and emotional distress.

Here are a few reasons crying could be a good idea when dealing with loss.

1. Crying can stimulate the release of endorphins: Crying cleanses the mind of negative emotions and allows you to express your emotions. Crying can be described as a reaction to pain and in order to control pain, the body releases endorphins. Endorphins are also known as happy hormones as they block the transmission of pain signals and create a sense of contentment. These chemicals can take a little time to have an effect and hence in most cases, you will notice an improvement in your mood after a good cry.
2. Crying elevates the mood: Crying can help reduce your body’s manganese levels. A higher than normal manganese level can heighten anxiety, irritability, tiredness and emotional disturbances. By lowering manganese levels, the brain is left with enough space for happier emotions and hence crying can help elevate a person’s mood.
3. Crying stimulates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system: The parasympathetic nervous system controls a number of functions including heart rate. Crying can stimulate this system and trigger a state of relaxation. For this reason, you may feel sleepy after crying. This gives your body time to relax and deal with the problem at hand with a calmer mind.
4. Crying helps deal with stress: A stressful experience or emotional situation can cause a build-up of stress hormones known as cortisol. As the levels of cortisol increase in the body, it goes into flight or fight mode as an automatic response to stress. Crying reduces the cortisol levels and helps relieve tension and stress almost immediately.
5. Crying is cathartic: Every day we are exposed to conflicts and stressful situations that can build up into resentments and leave a person feeling anxious and depressed. Sometimes, giving vent to emotions and crying can help release these pent-up feeling and heap cleanse the mind of these negative emotions. Crying also allows us to open ourselves up to the people around and can improve the levels of intimacy between them. In this way, it can help a person become part of a community. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor.