Foods and few tips to follow in pregnancy according to Ayurveda

Ayurveda lays a great emphasis on proper nourishment and care of the foetus in the mother's womb because it has an enormous impact on the baby, for the whole life so the mother should always eat healthily and stay optimistic. During pregnancy, there are a lot of changes in the body due to the imbalance of hormones. In the first trimester, there will be an increase in the estrogen hormone which causes nausea, vomiting and aversion to certain foods. Morning sickness, in most cases lasts for three or four months. Sometimes may continue further with fewer symptoms. An early morning uneasiness followed by vomiting nearly five to six times a day is considered normal unless you're not feeling dizzy and unstable. keeping yourself hydrated is the main thing. The first trimester is all about having foods which are light, cooling and easily digestible. Also, eat frequently every two hours because the hunger pangs furthermore increase the queasiness leading to vomiting. So never keep your stomach empty. Brew in some ginger-infused water first thing in the morning. Grate or crush a small piece of fresh ginger into the water and boil it. Strain and drink a few sips. It helps to pacify gastric juices. You can also add a few drops of lemon juice to it. Smelling lemon pieces also helps to combat nausea. For breakfast, have something light. You can have Idli and dosa made out of rice and coconut( neer dosa) which is light to the stomach with ghee or gland. Both ghee and gulkand help to control the acidity levels and are cooling. Other options include dosa made out of moong dal(green gram) and whole grains cereals like oats or muesli with milk. Have warm milk about half a glass after you wake up and slowly increase the quantity for the rest of the day. In between, you can have some dry crackers or toast which helps to reduce nausea. Include more green leafy vegetables like spinach during your mealtime. Some even have an aversion towards eating rice, the solid food. Such people can have Rava or sooji(semolina) porridge more in the liquid form and khichdi made out of veggies like carrot, beetroot, beans and green peas in semisolid form. Take more liquids like homemade fruit juices and milk if not solids. Not everyone needs to be particular about their food intake. Every individual differs and their symptoms too. During the first trimester, the embryo will be just entering the phase of becoming a foetus by attaching itself to the umbilical cord so the first initial there months of pregnancy are very crucial. Foods to avoid in the first trimester: Ayurveda generally says to avoid foods which are heating in nature during pregnancy. Heating foods means which increase the inner body temperature and are not good for the development of the baby. In simple words, these foods may cause gastritis also leading to inflammation in the body, thus causing diarrhoea and large bouts of vomiting which in turn causes fatigue and gives rise to complications. Examples of such foods are fish like shellfish, crab and prawns. Fruits and vegetables like papaya and pineapple, drumstick leaves, the bamboo shoot are a few of them which produce a lot of heat in the body. Avoid fatty foods which are heavy to digest especially from out and roadside foods which are often contaminated. Why avoid? cuz they may have a few harmful contents which are not good for the growing foetus. Avoid raw and undercooked eggs. Fishes like mackerel, shark and tuna which has mercury are not good for the brain development of the baby. You can have meat and chicken in moderate quantities. let the dry fruits and nuts be in a few quantities. Don't take raw salads with sprouts in more amounts. Fresh and nicely cooked foods must be your choice. So the initial pregnancy period is all about having foods in moderation except a few and indulging in less physical work, engaging in soothing activities like listening to music, reading books, watching tv with funny and happy content and a little time for meditation. I wrote in detail about the first trimester because it is a phase where there will be more chances of complications. Coming to the second trimester. This is the phase where there will be some relief as most of the foods are tolerable. You can enjoy your favourite foods. Women gain a total of 12 kgs during the entire pregnancy which is healthy. So this is the time to get all the benefits out of the nutritious foods which you couldn't eat during the first few months. Increase the quantity of milk and ghee. Have about three to four glasses of milk. Buttermilk and yoghurt are also very useful for the more calcium demands as the days pass. Keep a watch on your sweet and salt intake during the end phase of the second trimester because there will be a risk of developing gestational diabetes and hypertension.

So cut down a bit of sugar and salt intake. Don't eat anything in excess proportion. Eat as much as required to maintain your satiety levels. Few tips to help you through pregnancy: Usually, most women face constipation in the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy. Drink eight to twelve glasses of water. Frequent urination is common due to the growing uterus. Urine should be pale and colourless. You can even take a tsp of ghee with water or milk before you retire to bed from your fourth month onwards. Add a tsp of ghee or clarified butter to anything you eat like chapatis or rice. Ghee helps to provide nourishment as well as aid in constipation. Prunes are also good to ease constipation. you can have two to three a day. Soak about four to five dry grapes overnight and have them first thing in the morning also drink their water. Still, if you have a problem passing stools have the Triphala tablet one or two in the night. It helps to pass the stools freely. Among the fruits have more of apples, pomegranate, muskmelon, mosambi and avocados. Eat oranges and watermelons in moderation as oranges spike the sugar levels and eating more watermelon may cause gastritis. Dates are good to increase the haemoglobin which naturally decreases in pregnancy. You can either soak it in water or smear ghee around it and have it.

Limit to around two to three a day and don't skip to drink a glass of milk later. Being drowsy is common at this time so have a good sound sleep whenever you feel like it. Also, take a warm water bath and apply coconut oil or ghee under your heels before sleeping as it helps to reduce the heat in the body. Refrain from alcohol and caffeine intake. Eat a variety of foods which are tasty and nourishing with lots of Indian digestive spices and keep yourself healthy throughout the pregnancy journey.