Dealing with Pregnancy Discomforts

Morning Sickness:

Avoiding whatever makes you nauseated is the best cure. For example, cooking smells like garlic or particular spices, and scents such as perfumes or aftershaves may be intolerable to some mothers-to-be. Eating plain cookies or crackers about 20 minutes before getting out of the bed in the morning may also help. To avoid nausea, try not to eat too much at one meal: eat five or six small meals during the day instead of three big meals. Avoid rich, spicy, acidic or fried foods and drink fluids between (not during) meals.

Fatigue and Sleeping Problems:

Some mothers-to-be suffer from fatigue that is unrelieved by extra rest or early nights, and others find it difficult to go to sleep at night or can’t get an uninterrupted night’s sleep. Hormones and extra worries may be responsible for tiredness and sleeping troubles. Finding a comfortable sleeping position later in pregnancy is difficult as well- sources say the best sleeping position during pregnancy is on your left side with a pillow between your knees. Rest whenever you get the chance. If worries are keeping you awake, discuss your concerns with your doctor, family and friends. Also to avoid insomnia, try a warm bath, which can ease muscle aches and pains and may send you straight off to sleep.

Constipation:

During pregnancy, both the pressure of your growing uterus on your rectum and the hormones progesterone, which relaxes muscles, may be responsible for slowing down the digestive system, iron supplements can also make matters worse because they can also slow.

Heartburn:

Heartburn is caused by acid from the digestive tract in the stomach bubbling up into the esophagus. Pregnant women suffer from this more than others, because the baby pushes against the stomach, and progesterone relaxes the valve at the upper end of the stomach, which allows the acid to escape. A lot of women have trouble with foods that are spicy, high in fat or contain onion or garlic, so if you find that certain foods like these irritate your stomach, avoid them. Your doctor may be able to prescribe an anti-acid that is safe during pregnancy.

Backache:

To avoid an aching back, wear low-heels. Maintain good posture and stand with your weight evenly distributed on both feet. Rest whenever you can, and keep your knees bent while lying down as this can limit back pain. Make sure your mattress is firm enough. Put a cushion behind you to support your lower back when sitting or driving. Don’t take the same position, whether sitting or standing, for long periods. Avoid lifting heavy objects and when you do, lift something from a low position, never bend from the waist: instead, squat down by bending your knees and keeping your back straight. If your back is already aching, a cold or hot compress on the painful area might bring relief.

Painful Hands and Wrists:

To ease tingling and pain, rest with your arms raised or wiggle your fingers vigorously. Bend your fingers often, and stretch and turn wrists occasionally to make them feel more comfortable. Also, be sure to maintain good posture, because when your head and shoulders droop, this puts pressure on the nerves in your arms and wrists, causing tingling and pain. This condition usually goes away after the baby is born.

LIFE LINE – Red Alert

BLOOD is a fluid tissue that circulates in the arteries, veins and capillaries of the body as a result of muscular contraction and relaxation of the heart. Each cell and tissue of the blood owes its life to the regular flow of blood. It is a special gift of nature which never gets exhausted even if donated regularly, since it is recouped and replenished soon afterwards. Perhaps this is the most convincing evidence in favor of blood donation.

Blood is a life-saving medicine with no alternative. Only 30 per cent of those who need blood get an adequate supply of it in our part of the world. The trend of blood donation is highly unsatisfactory in developing countries due to higher level of malnutrition, infectious diseases, blood disorders, poverty and poor health systems. It is therefore of utmost importance to promote the trend of voluntary blood donation in our society, particularly amongst the youth.

There is no alternative to human blood. It cannot be obtained from animals or through smuggling. Most of the people in world die because of the lack of blood. Thus it is a national and moral obligation to voluntarily donate blood every three to four months keeping in mind that our national need is approximately three to 3.5 million units of blood annually while only 1.2 to 1.5 million units are available.

If you are between the ages 18 and 65, weighing 50 kilos or more and have no fatal diseases or habits, you can donate blood. A healthy man has five to six liters of blood, a woman about 4.5 to five liters. Woman can also donate, even six to eight months after childbirth. People who have documented hepatitis B and C are permanent deferrals. However, those who have suffered from hepatitis A and E can donate blood 12 months after the liver infection has settled. People with Aids or HIV should never donate blood.

Cell Phone and Health

Cell Phones usage has risen to the level when it has become basic need of consumers. Most of the time cell phones are found to be next to the ears. Although cell phone usage is a source of better communication, yet it has many health hazards. Various studies indicate that the emissions from a cell phone can be extremely harmful, causing genetic damage, tumours, memory loss, and increased blood pressure and weakening of the immune system. This is alarming information, and one has to take into account all these factors. Though there is no evidence of cell phones causing cancer or any such illness, but the fear is not baseless either. The electromagnetic radiation from cell phones does have a potential link to cancer. The fact that this radiation is invisible, intangible, and enters and leaves our bodies without our knowledge makes it even more threatening.

Possible Hazards:

* Two minutes of exposure to emissions from mobile phones can disable a safety barrier in blood causing proteins and toxins to leak into the brain, could increase chances of developing Alzheimer's multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's. (Scientists at Sweden's Lund University)

* Scientists say exposure to the phones' low-level radiation causes red blood cells to leak haemoglobin and can lead to heart disease and kidney stones.

* Recent studies suggesting a link between cell-phone use and brain tumours, and the possibility that the microwaves could ignite petroleum fumes at gas stations.

* A cell phone unit, or communications tower, has so many of these radiation emanating gadgets. This can be a problem for its immediate environment.

SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS

Cancer / Tumours:

A series of experiment is conducted on rats suggesting that rats that have been exposed to microwaves similar to the sort generated by mobile phones but more powerful, showed breaks in their DNA which could indicate an adverse effect. Also, mice exposed to radiation for 18 months developed brain tumours. Though of course, these studies are not concrete proof.

Blood Pressure:
It was observed that people using cell phones were more prone to high blood pressure. So far, there isn't any solid evidence of such effects.
Pregnancy:
A study at the University of Montpellier in France was carried out on 6000 chick embryos and suggested that the heavily exposed chick eggs were five times less likely to survive than the control group. This study raised questions about possible effects on pregnant women but it has not yet been observed.
Headaches, Heating Effects, Fatigue:
A study brought out that longer the people used mobile phones, the more likely they were to report symptoms such as hot ears, burning skin, headaches and fatigue.
Memory:

A study looked into the effect of radiofrequency (RF) on the section of rats' brains that is linked with the memory. The results showed that RF could modify signals in the cells in a part of the brain that is responsible for learning and short term memory.

Posture (holding phone between raised shoulder and ear):

Some researchers claim that holding a mobile phone between the raised shoulder and the ear could have a damaging effect on muscles, bones, tendons and discs. Any bad posture can affect human muscles and bones.
Mobile Phones and Children:
Because of smaller heads, thinner skulls and higher tissue conductivity, children may absorb more energy from a given phone than adults.

Prevention Tips:
* Cell phones should be used for emergencies only.
* A small chip-like cell phone microwave radiation protection device is available, which has the ability to absorb electromagnetic energy waves from your mobile phone. It helps in reducing the potential harmful effects of these emissions to the human body.
* Using a mobile headset is a good for one’s health.
* Use a hands free mobile car kit while driving, without taking your hands off the steering wheel.