Pregnancy Home Remedies

During pregnancy several changes occur in a woman’s body because of the changes in the level of hormones. A few of the common problems that women face during pregnancy are nausea (commonly called morning sickness), headache, unpredictable mood swings, headache, backache, sleeplessness and swelling of feet.

Morning sickness most commonly occurs between the 4th and the 16th week of pregnancy. It is the high level of estrogen in the pregnant woman’s body that affects her digestive system and makes her feel nauseous. Make a solution by mixing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it every morning on an empty stomach to avoid nausea. Chop a portion of yam root and boil it in a cup of water for half an hour. Drink this extract every morning to counter nausea. Drinking a mixture of blanched ginger and water or chamomile tea also helps. Add a few drops of lime juice and a sparkling of salt and black pepper in a glass of cold water and drink it whenever you feel the tendency to vomit. In order to reduce the swelling of feet during pregnancy, you could drink either a mixture of water and lemon juice or buttermilk every day. Soaking the feet in a tub of lukewarm water every night before going to bed also reduces swelling. Also, eat food rich in vitamin E like spinach, sweet potato and sunflower seeds to avoid swelling of feet. You could also soak 15-20 sesame seeds in a glass of water overnight and drink this the next morning to counter swelling of feet. Besides these particular remedies, there are several easy ways of staying fit and healthy during pregnancy. Eating several small meals throughout the day is a better option than two or three big meals during pregnancy. Include more liquid food in your diet, like natural fruit juices, milk and curd, as these are easier to digest. However, stay away from caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Light exercises like walks and minor household work are helpful in keeping the body and in avoiding joint pains. However, do not lift heavy weights or keep standing for too long. Eat food that is rich in iron content like leafy vegetables, eggs, whole wheat, cereals, barley, oatmeal and apricots in order to prevent anemia. Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins from the body. Avoid eating junk food and strictly keep away from smoking during pregnancy.