What Take the Healthy Way can provide you with:
- A Trainer - who will teach
and provide you with info about prenatal classes such as a boot camp/mom to be cardio or one on workouts
- A Naturopath Doctor - which specializes in
fertility - we can refer you to this specialist
If you require additional information on courses, classes and midwives in your area, please email us, with your specific area.
What supplements can I take during pregnancy?
- Prenatal Vitamin
- Folic Acid
- Calcium
- Vitamins B, C, D, & E
For a mom to be and
for the baby it is very important to take prenatal supplements. Prenatal
vitamins are specially formulated multivitamins that make up for any
nutritional deficiencies in the mother's diet. While the supplements
contain numerous vitamins and minerals, folic acid, iron, and
calcium are especially important and beneficial. Folic
acid is very important and can reduce the risk of having a baby with a
serious birth defect of the brain and spinal cord, called the ‘neural
tube.’ A baby with spina bifida, which is the most common neural tube
defect, is born with a spine that is not closed. The exposed nerves are
damaged, leaving the child with varying degrees of paralysis,
incontinence, and sometimes mental retardation.
Neural tube defects develop in the
first 28 days after conception, before many women realize they are
pregnant. It is important to take 400 micrograms of folic acid each day
while you are trying to conceive, and should continue taking this dose
for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Studies have shown that taking a
larger dose (up to 4,000 micrograms) at least one month before and
during the first trimester may be beneficial to the mother and baby.
Make sure you keep your diet healthy
by eating green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, fresh squeezed
juices,yogurts and citrus fruits which all provide you with folic acid. Calcium
is also very important during pregnancy as it can prevent a new mother
from losing her own bone density, as the fetus uses the mineral for bone
growth. Also Iron helps both the
mother and baby's blood carry oxygen. Look for a prenatal vitamin that
consists of the above along with vitamins B, C,D and E.
What to avoid?
- SMOKING increases the risk of your baby having a low birth weight or being born
prematurely, avoid smoking and second hand smoke.
- ALCOHOL can and will seriously affect
your unborn baby. There is no safe limit of alcohol intake, so it
really is best to stop drinking throughout the nine months.
- CAFFEINE study results linked
drinking too much caffeine in beverages could lead to miscarriage and
low birth weight. The safe suggestion for caffeine intake in a day is
300mg a day.
and what to do?
- DRINK WATER to keep
yourself hydrated
- LIMIT SALT/SUGAR/PROCESSED FOOD INTAKE - Switch to wholewheat pastas, brown rice and cane
sugar. Eat breads that have grains and seeds and are made with dark
flours such as kamut, spelt, rice, wholewheat and multigrain
- INCREASE YOUR OMEGAS such as oils
that come from Flax (Linseed), Fish (not shellfish), Hemp oils. Eating
nuts and seeds are wonderful for baby too.
- LATHER UP! Coconut oil, Shea butter and
grapeseed oil are excellent to use on your breasts bellies and bottoms
to avoid stretch marks. Best when used after
showers/baths. Check out our Take The Healthy Way Boutique to see our great
selection!
- ENJOY SOME TEA TO RELAX There are many great herbal teas for
moms to be, nursing moms and women planning to conceive. Check out our Take The Healthy Way Boutique to see our great
selection!
PRENATAL MASSAGE*
In the early stages of
pregnancy, prenatal massage is very like a regular Swedish massage,
except that the massage therapist avoids sensitive areas of the body, as
well as acupressure points that are known to trigger labor, and will
check for excessive swelling or other danger signs.
In later stages of
pregnancy, the massage is given with the mother-to-be lying on her side,
with, pillows and cushions supporting the legs and belly for comfort.
There are tables, specially designed for prenatal massages, that
have hole cut in the middle of the table so the mother-to-be can lie
comfortably on her stomach.
Massage during
pregnancy is very therapeutic since it focuses on the special needs of
the mother-to-be as her body goes through the dramatic changes of the
child birth experience. Massage therapy enhances the function of
muscles and joints, improves circulation and general body tone, and
relieves mental and physical fatigue.
Benefits:
- Reduces swelling of feet and ankles
- Improves skin elasticity, reducing stretch marks
- Improves sleep and digestion
- Relaxes and soothes baby
- Reduces pelvic pain
- Eases back and foot pain caused by changes in posture
*Take The Healthy Way works with a group of experienced certified and
registered prenatal massage therapists. Please contact us
to receive your referral and additional information.
ACUPUNCTURE & FERTILITY
Acupuncture is an
alternative way of treating fertility problems. It is also often seen as
a complementary therapy to modern fertility treatments. Acupuncture
is effective for those couples who face a functional problem
Benefits:
- Effective with irregular ovulation, or blockage in the sperm ducts
- Regulates your body’s system, by aiding the blood flow to the
reproductive organs and stabilizing hormone levels
- Increases ovarian function in women
- Increases sperm production in men
- Relaxes the body through stressful fertility treatments
If you would like to be referred
to one of our acupuncturists, please send us an email.
How to increase fertility in men and women:
- Eat well
- Watch your weight
- Quit smoking
- Know your cycle
- Relax
- Limit your alochol intake
- Increase vitmain C, E D, Zinc and Selenium
- Drink red clover, red raspberry leaf & nettle teas.
- Take evening primrose (women) take from your first day of your period until ovulation, then stop.
- Wild Yam
can be used during the first half of the menstrual cycle, from
menstruation to ovulation to promote fertility. But should not be used
during the second half of the menstrual cycle (after ovulation til
menstruation begins) if your goal is to get pregnant. Wild yam has many
uses, one of its reputed (but unproven) uses is as a contraceptive when
used in specific doses through out the cycle
If
you are having difficulty becoming pregnant you and your partner may
want to look to herbs for fertility. Herbs have been used to promote
fertility for thousands of years and can be considered to be a form of
natural fertility medication. Herbs can be potent, so it is important
to speak with a registered naturopath before taking any herbal
supplements.
- Chasteberry: This
herb works to increase fertility by stimulating the pituitary gland.
This is the gland responsible for producing sex hormones like estrogen,
progesterone, and testosterone. Chasteberry should help fertility by
balancing the sex hormones.
- Dong Quai: Dong Quai
is a Chinese fertility herb, long-used to solve menstrual difficulties.
It also helps to balance estrogen levels in the body and improve chances
of implantation.
EXERCISING DURING PREGNANCY
Staying
active has lots of benefits both during your pregnancy and when it
comes to giving birth. Whether you were a regular gym bunny before you
got pregnant, or more of a couch potato, exercising safely with a bump
is very beneficial. Always check with your health
practioner before starting any programs.
Suggestions:
- A 45 minute
walk around your neighbourhood/mall/indoor track
- A Mother to Be Bootcamp/Cardio class
- 30 minutes of light weights
- 45 minutes on a treadmill or stationary bike
Benefits:
- Boost your energy
- Sleep better
- Reduce pregnancy discomfort
- Prepare for childbirth
- Reduce stress and lift your spirits
- Improve your self-image
- Get your body back faster after childbirth
Always seek the advice of your practioner before starting any program
