Pomegranate Health Drink for Pregnant Women {Pregnancy}

As I have mentioned earlier that I had severe nausea during my pregnancy so I could never eat properly. Consequently, I became very weak. Looking at my condition, my doctor husband suggested this extremely healthy, even if it sounds nauseating, juice.

Ingredients

• 1 medium size pomegranate
• Few black grapes
• Half beetroot

Method

Grind all of them in a juicer. Add pinch of black pepper and black salt and bit of sugar, if you like.

Nutritional Information

Pomegranate is a rich source of iron and folic acid (remember my post on Importance of Folic Acid) which are really important for baby.

Beetroot is a great source of iron, folic acid, anti-oxidants, calcium (again very important for pregnant women) and other nutrients including potassium, magnesium, sodium, Vitamin C among others. 

Contradiction : Important

Black Grapes 

I had somewhere read that this fruit should be avoided during pregnancy coz it produces heat in the body which is harmful for the mother and the baby. But, in my experience, I had this juice for whole 9 months of my pregnancy and even after delivery and it did not harm me at all, instead it improved my health. 

If it causes constipation to pregnant women, one can use it after peeling the skin of the grapes (which is quite a bit of a work). Black grapes are also used as medicines to treat many diseases like cardiovascular, diabetic complications, constipation and chronic fatigue symptoms. 

They help in suppressing the growth of breast cancer cells due to the anti-oxidants. They are also rich source of flavonoids and minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and Vitamin C. 

Results

This juice gave a lovely pink glow to my skin. This is a low calorie, low cholesterol and low fat juice. And, extremely beneficial for both mom and baby.

---

Punam is a mom to one and half old baby girl who is very naughty which I can make out while just talking to Punam on phone. And, she really sounds adorable too. And, another advantage Punam has is having a orthopaedics doctor as a husband. And, she has recently put up an amazing post on homemade mosquito repellant on her blog. Do check it out.

---

Other posts by Punam:
How to deal with nausea?
Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell
Importance Of Folic Acid
Using laptop and mobiles during Pregnancy
Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Capsules Treatment

Using laptop and mobiles during Pregnancy {Pregnancy}

What are we pregnant women not warned against - drinking, smoking, eating, stress? And now, add to the list, its mobile and laptops. All electronic devices and gadgets produce heat and radiation which are harmful for us but, imagining a life without mobiles and laptops is kind of difficult today. But, unfortunately, laptops produce intense heat that is harmful for all of us and especially for pregnant women. 

Do's & Dont's Pregnant women should not keep laptops on their laps or stomach. If you are working on laptop or desktops, take more breaks and relax your body more often. Blink your eyes more often to stay away from strain. Try to use the best comfortable position for your body and neck. Minimize your use of cell phone and get shifted to old tring tring :) Don’t keep your cell phones near your bed.

If you have a bad habit of keeping your laptop on your lap (yes, I know its meant to be that), then avoid it. Doing it a lot can lead to toasted skin syndrome, an unusual-looking mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure. You can also see some dark skin coloration on your thighs. I know its difficult to do but if you are pregnant, try to use laptops and mobiles a little less. You will be troubled not only from the heat produced but also, hunching on laptops can lead to muscular pain, back and neck ache. 

Similarly, mobile phones are even more harmful than laptops for pregnant women. My hubby hated when I used to talk on phone during my pregnancy. He always asked me to use the landline instead. Well, when I googled about the harms of mobile for pregnant women then I was shocked!! Research says women using mobile phone often are more at risk of giving birth to a baby with behavioural problems. Using a mobile two to three times a day is also enough to raise emotional and hyperactive problems.

And, this advise can as well be taken by everyone coz laptops and mobile phones are equally harmful for one and all. How long do you stay glued to your laptops and mobiles? I, for one, am not a mobile person but I do stay glued to my laptop :(

---

Thanks for such a great post Punam :) And, hope you all find this helpful. Btw, I would like to tell you all about Punam's blog as well - be beautiful with Punam.

---

Image Courtesy:pregnancyandbaby.com

Related Posts on Pregnancy: 
How to deal with nausea?
Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell
Importance Of Folic Acid

Lakme Perfect Radiance Intense Whitening Capsules Treatment {Product Review}

This is my first ever try of Lakme’s skin care range. I have always loved their makeup products but this time I am madly in love with these capsules from their skin care range.

Price: 1250 for 28 capsules (very expensive, I must say!!)

 

My Experience

These capsules contain pale yellow serum which is very light in texture. When I apply it on my skin, it feels so soft!! Its absolutely non greasy and gets absorbed instantly into the skin. My skin is oily and I am, generally, afraid of creams and serums but this one rocks for my skin as it provides perfect moisture to my skin without making it oily. And, the best part is it never broke me out!!

Though the product says "twist the capsule to open it", I prefer scissors. The quantity of each capsule is 0.33gms and its enough for the entire face (I am wondering what about neck?? they could have given a bit more for the neck!!). Currently, I am on my second purchase and I am totally loving it. I can see wonderful glow on my face. (Thanks to my sister who forced me to use it and see the magic).

My uneven skin tone is more even and clearer. And the best part is my dark spots and post-pimple marks are lightened to some extent. It also keeps oil at bay for at leats 7-8 hours (when used at night). I don’t know why they called it a whitening treatment. It’s a great brightening treatment. I am absolutely in love with this serum though it’s little expensive for 28 capsules but its worth it.

Now, my friends are asking me what have I done on my face :D Lakme’s claim of freedom from 6 fairness blocks - dark spots, acne marks, uneven skin tone, oiliness, tanning and dullness is true. I think I have 5 of these problems and the product helped me reduce all of them. I am not tanned (you are so lucky!!). For me, it worked really great so I am going to buy it again.

Editor's Note: I was attracted to the product right form the start and now, your review is literally making me run to the shop and get one for myself but damn the expense!!! :(

---

Great review, Punam!! Don't forget to check out her blog here.

---

Other product I loved/hated from Lakme: 
Lakme Vital Indulgence
Lakme Perfect Radiance Fairness Facewash
Lakme Fruit Blast Berrylicious Fruit Revitalizing Scrub Mask

Importance Of Folic Acid {Pregnancy}

During pregnancy, the doctors advise and prescribe few supplements like folic acid, iron and calcium. As I said, I had severe nausea so I could barely eat anything. Because of this, I never cared about taking any of these supplements. When my husband shared the importance of these supplements, I felt really guilty. These supplements are really very important during pregnancy. Today I shall be sharing the importance of Folic acid for the baby.

So why is folic acid so important? 

Folic acid plays a huge part in the development of a baby's neural tube. Insufficient folic acid has been shown to increase the chances of a neural tube defect in the unborn baby. A baby's neural tube is the first part of the central nervous system that grows. By the time this part is fully developed, and baby is born, it has become the baby's brain and spinal cord.

My husband suggested me to also get this supplement from food sources apart from taking the tablets. Some excellent food sources of folic acid include green leafy vegetables - dark lettuces, spinach, greens of all types, broccoli, beet root, lentils and beans and even calf's liver, fruits sources - oranges, grape fruit, raspberries. If you find these foods too unpalatable for you, then it's an excellent idea to take a folic acid supplement. Folic acid is also found in copious amounts in non-vegetarian sources such as turkey and chicken livers.

For a pregnant woman, per day intake of folic acid should be 400-600mcg. These are the things I am sharing with my own experience and a bit of knowledge but it is always advisable to consult your doctor before blindly taking anything.

---

Thanks for such a great post Punam :) And, hope you all find this helpful. Btw, I would like to tell you all about Punam's blog as well - be beautiful with Punam.

---

Image Courtesy:ashlandhumanbio.blogspot.com

Related Posts:

How to deal with nausea?
Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell

Dealing With Heightened Sense Of Smell {Pregnancy}

My sense of smell isn't strong at all. Even when the food burns when left on the gas for long, I can barely smell it from the next room. But during pregnancy, my nose all of sudden started working and was out of my control. Yes, one of the biggest disadvantages is heightened sense of smell. 
Its not always same with everyone. The strength varies from person to person but for me, it used to result in nausea and vomiting. Doctors say estrogen is responsible for this. When your estrogen rises, your smell sense also rises. So, I followed some things to manage this issue:

• Well I tried to stay away from cooking and ate those foods I can stand to smell. Even if I used to cook at times, I made sure that I kept the chimney on and the windows open to banish musty odours.

• Smells tend to cling to the body and nose sometimes. So, I used to carry a perfume or any scent with me all the time. This was helpful especially at some public places. Even the body odours of other people affect me a lot so I tend to stay away from closed spaces like lifts.  

• Mint and lemon fragrance used to be my favourite, explore yours :)

• Similarly, if you are going to gym, prefer timings when there are less people otherwise you will have to bear that sweaty odour.

• Wash your clothes regularly with good fragrant detergents but always use light soothing scented products and toiletries. There are so many options available in the market these days.

• Keep your home open and airy so that it feels fresh all round. Even good room freshener of your choice will help (make sure its not very strong).  Fragrant Candles or diffusers are also very helpful.

• I always loved to sit in my garden and smell the flowers. It helped reduce nausea as well.

• Cigarette smoking is injurious to health. Passive Smoking also affects pregnant women. I used to feel puckish if I smell its smoke.

• Don’t keep your veggies and fruits or any other food in plastic bags. The smell of plastic can make the products also very smelly.

• Clean your refrigerator frequently so that food kept in it doesn’t smell. My maid used to clean it with baking soda. She said this will banish the odour. Thanks to you, Shanta (no its not Shanta Bai from Kal Ho Na Ho, its actually her name :D). [Editor's Note: Vinegar helps as well :)]

And, most important thing during pregnancy is to be happy and calm. Hope the post was helpful. Do let me know your views on the post :) 

---

As I notified a few days back, Punam is on board as an occasional contributor to Perfect Skin Care for you. Hope you enjoy her posts. And, I also hope she becomes a regular contributor :)

---

How to deal with nausea? {Pregnancy}

Motherhood is a divine emotion. It’s obviously a good news to know that you are going to be a mother but one has to be more responsible and caring coz your body is going to face drastic changes and you have a new life inside. Pregnancy starts with the feeling of nausea and morning sickness for almost all the pregnant women. Today I am sharing my own experience of the first trimester and how I managed them.

What is nausea? 

It’s feeling of uneasiness that makes you urge to vomit. It’s not always necessary that one vomits.

In pregnancy this feeling is stronger in morning. The reasons given are hormonal changes. As I am not a doctor (I am just a doctor's wife), so I am not going to go into the details. I had severe nausea and vomits till the 5^thmonth and then it reduced gradually. But, the degree of nausea differs from body to body.

Few things that can help you deal with this problem - Do’s

• As soon as you wake up in the morning, eat something. Don’t keep yourself starving. 
• If you have a habit to start your day with tea, change it now. Either skip it or add some toast or biscuits with it and even ginger tea can help you but my mom used to say take ginger tea only in colder climate so I avoid it in the summers. 
• It’ll be great if you take an apple early morning and even before going to bed coz this will help clean your stomach and keeps you energetic.
• Citrus fruits are a great help in feeling of nausea. I always used to eat or chew lemon or orange slices whenever I felt nausea.
• Place potato chips or crackers near your bed so that whenever u feel hungry, you can eat them. This can suppress vomit but remember excess of anything is harmful, so just take few bites.
• Try to get up during night to eat something so that u may not feel too sick and weak in the morning.

Dont's:

• Stay way from strong smells.
• Don’t starve at all.
• Stay away from spicy food, colas and caffeine.
• Don’t get over-tired.
• Stay away from stress.

---

About the Author: This post has been written by Punam. Thank you so much Punam for sharing your experience and I am looking forward to more posts from you :) What say, guys sorry, gals?

---

Image Courtesy:Google Search