The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy by Jonny Bowden

Author:Jonny Bowden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rockport Publishers
Published: 2009-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

CONSTIPATION

There are many reasons why a pregnant woman may suffer from constipation, but the two most obvious culprits are surging hormone levels and the ever-decreasing space available in your gut for your intestines to function in. High levels of the hormone progesterone cause the muscles of the intestine to function far less efficiently than normal, resulting in dry, hard stools and infrequent bowel movements.

Drinking plenty of water is one of the easiest ways to quiet this pregnancy complaint. Regular exercise and visits to the bathroom whenever the urge arises are two great lifestyle strategies to quiet constipation.

You can even eat your way through this complaint. Foods that are high in fiber can help soften stool and keep your bowels moving. There are two types of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in your gut that softens your stool. Insoluble fiber can’t be digested by your body, so it helps push everything through your intestines and out the other end. You will need both types of fiber to get your colon moving. Luckily, most of the healthy foods in this book (including nuts, vegetables, whole grains, and fruits like prunes) contain a mixture of both fibers, giving your colon the attention it needs.

HOME REMEDY

According to Grandma, blackstrap molasses is known to help alleviate constipation. Just dissolve 2 tablespoons in a glass of warm water and you’re good to, uh, go.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.