7 Supplements You Must Need For Healthy Pregnancy
Pregnancy must be making you crave and eat more food than you usually do. But eating more doesn’t mean you’re providing your body with complete nutrition. You body needs more nutrition than a normal healthy female as you have a life growing inside you. Does it mean you need to stuff yourself with an extra plate of veggies? The answer is no. Different types of health supplements are available these days which are specifically developed to cater to the nutritional requirements of expecting mothers. These supplements are available in the form of pills, capsules or powder and contain essential vitamins, mineral or herbal extracts that ensure a healthy pregnancy. These supplements not only nourish you but also help in the development of your baby’s organs, motor skills and immunity.
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1. Prenatal Vitamins
During pregnancy, your baby is dependent on you for nutrition. That’s when prenatal vitamins come handy. Prenatal vitamins are not your usual multivitamin pills. They are a concoction of organic food-based vitamins ( all types of Vitamin Bs, Vitamin K2, Vitamin D3, Vitamin A, Vitamin E). Make sure you are buying high-grade prenatal vitamins that have food-based vitamins and not the synthetic ones which are difficult to metabolize. Prenatal vitamins ensure you are maintaining a good health while supplying your little one with the required amount of nourishment.
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2. Omega 3 supplements
Last few weeks of pregnancy are very vital for brain development of the foetus. Hand-eye coordination and other motor skills evolve during this time. Hence, special attention should be paid to your diet. Fuel your diet with DHA and Omega 3 supplements. Fish oil capsules are rich source of DHA and Omega 3 and ensure healthy development of motor skills in your little one. Make sure you purchase fish oil capsules of well-known brands to avoid duplicate products.
3. Probiotics
Probiotics are essential for both the mother and unborn child. It help your body by encouraging better absorption of nutrients. The good bacteria helps in maintaining a healthy gut and provides increased immunity. The probiotics you consume are also passed on to the foetus. The healthy bacteria help in strengthening the immunity of the unborn child. Grab your dose of probiotics by consuming yoghurt. You can also find probiotic supplements in any pharmacy.
4. Prebiotics
Prebiotics are supplements for the probiotics. They nourish the good bacteria and help them grow and survive in your gut. Prebiotics brings out the best of the probiotic supplements you’re taking. They can be found in foods that contain a specific kind of carbohydrate called oligosaccharides. Such foods include onions, bananas, chicory, garlic, soyabeans, oats and asparagus. Make them part of your diet to have your daily dose of prebiotics!
5. Minerals
Just like you need vitamins, you also need a dose of essential minerals to maintain a healthy body and baby. Minerals like iron, calcium and magnesium are very important as they maintain healthy bones, blood count, insulin and blood-sugar levels. Calcium and Magnesium also help during childbirth; Calcium helps with muscle contraction while Magnesium helps with muscle relaxation. You can opt for OTC calcium, magnesium and iron supplements. Make sure you’re drinking ample water if you’re taking calcium supplements. If you’re taking iron supplements, make sure you take Vitamin C supplements as it ensures better absorption of iron.
6. Herbal supplements
Pregnancy brings lot of unwanted symptoms like nausea, morning sickness, cravings, vomiting and body pains. Try ginger or peppermint leaf extracts to get relief from such symptoms. You can make them part of food preparations, make tea out of them or purchase their extracts in pill form from any pharmacy. Raspberry leaves are also known to be very effective to alleviate unwanted pregnancy symptoms.
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7. Glutathione
Glutathione is an essential antioxidant that ensures the blood is detoxified before it reaches placenta. It ensures no pollutants or harmful chemicals reach the foetus. Glutathione is very important for healthy growth of baby. It is present in most prenatal vitamins but if your vitamin doesn’t have this antioxidant, you may consume it separately.
With a busy lifestyle, it is tough for would-be-mothers to be conscious about nutrition intake. Consumption of supplements ensures your body is never running short of the essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. When you’re pregnant, you’re not just supporting your body but also another life inside your body. This demands something extra in your diet which are fulfilled by supplements. If you have any kind of food allergy make sure you read the composition/ingredient list of the supplements thoroughly.
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