Healthy diet and regular exercises are two important factors for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle can maintain and improve your health there by making you more energetic and active, reducing risks for diseases. If you are a pregnant woman or planning for a pregnancy, it is important that you should maintain a healthy diet.
What can a healthy diet do?
- A healthy diet can make mom and the baby stay healthy.
- A balanced diet with good nutrition is needed for the growth of the fetus.
- A pregnancy can cause adverse effect if you don’t maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- A healthy diet of a pregnant mom is important for child’s healthy future.
- Malnutrition can cause lifelong diseases in baby or mom.
- Healthy diet should also be continued while you are breastfeeding too.
What should you eat when pregnant?
- The quantity of food that you should eat depends on your health conditions.
- It is recommended to eat limited food rich in nutrients.
- Include vitamins, minerals and nutrition in your food.
- It is good to have an advice of dietitian.
- A healthy breakfast is necessary for pregnant women.
For a healthy diet, you should include the following in your diet:
- Fruits and Vegetables – Include fresh fruits and leafy vegetables that is rich in minerals and fiber.
- Fish/ Seafood, Nuts etc – Include food with iron content because the deficiency of iron in pregnant woman will affect the baby’s growth.
- Have calcium rich food such as milk, yogurt, cheese etc. Dairy foods are good sources for calcium.
- Fiber-rich food, grain such as whole wheat, Pasta, bread etc.
- Starchy food which are low in fat like potatoes, cereals etc.
- Drink plenty of water. 6-8 glasses a day is recommended.
A healthy and balanced diet in pregnancy protects both mother and baby from many health risks. Intake of adequate foods is also necessary. Don’t eat too much of food because being overweight can also cause problems during delivery.
- Avoid excess fat
- Take less sugar and less salt
- Avoid using raw eggs and unpasteurized milk.
- Avoid the use of alcohol
- Avoid fast foods
- Avoid allergic foods
- Maintain your weight
