When you are pregnant your energy levels can drop to the floor and you just want to sit on the sofa and eat carbs. Try not to succumb! These tips will help you go from frazzled to vivacious.
Water – Nausea or sickness will no doubt leave you dehydrated, so it is important that you have 1.5-2 litres of fluid every day (excludes fruit juice from concentrate, caffeinated drinks, fizzy drinks). Also consider some rehydration sachets to replace lost electrolytes (speak to your pharmacist for a pregnancy-suitable one) and add slices of fresh lemon/lime to your water.
Iron – Have your iron levels checked as iron-deficiency anaemia is common in pregnancy due to increased blood volume. Ensure a good dietary intake of iron by having quality (organic/free-range if possible) red meat 2/week (excluding pork). Red meat provides you with the most easily-absorbed type of iron. In addition, you should also aim to have some
vegetable sources of iron most days – lentils, dark green leafy veg, peas, beans, broccoli etc. Have these with a food rich in vitamin C to help your bodyabsorb it – fresh orange juice, raw tomatoes, fresh peppers, mango or berries afterwards.
Blood sugar levels – It is really important that you pay attention to your
blood sugar levels at this stage as blood sugar imbalances cause fatigue. Eat 5
smaller meals in a day and have some protein each time – meat, fish, chicken,
raw nuts/seeds, pulses, hummus etc. Do not skip meals and avoid sugary and
refined carbs (white bread, white rice) as much as possible. Also go easy on high
sugar fruits such as grapes, ripe bananas and sweet melons. Only have freshly
squeezed juice and ideally no more than 1/day.
Rest – And finally, don’t forget to get as much rest as possible, making sure you get a good nights sleep too.
If you continue to have problems, get in touch with our personal nutritionist. Fatigue can
be a complex issue with a variety of interlinking causes so a more detailed
assessment of your health symptoms and diet may be required. Contact: steph@beez-kneez.co.uk
