| Hugo on Training Nutrition During Pregnancy |
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| Hugo on Training Nutrition During Pregnancy
Hugo A. Rivera Nutrition becomes even more important than ever before during these 9 months. You health and that of your baby depend on it. Do you know that the following conditions are caused by a lack of good nutrition during pregnancy? 1) Anemia (which is caused by lack of protein and vitamins in the diet) 2) Miscarriage 3) Babies born with brain damage, low intelligence, below average birth weight, and low immune systems 4) The afterbirth can break loose in the uterus before labor begins, a condition that causes internal bleeding in the mother and can cause the death of the baby (50% of the babies die) 5) Metabolic Toxemia (disease caused by lack of protein and vitamins) which can cause death to both the mother and the baby Therefore, continue to follow the nutrition guidelines discussed in previous articles. In addition, keep the following points in mind: 1) It is more important than ever to remain hydrated throughout the day. Drink plenty of water especially before, during and after exercise. Remember that water not only helps in flushing out bad toxins out, but it is also used by the body as a coolant in order to keep the body temperature down. 2) This is no time to be preoccupied with losing weight. Attempting to starve during this period will ensure that your baby does not get all of the necessary nutrients that he/she needs in order to be born strong and healthy. In order to avoid excessive weight gain, due to fat storage while still properly nourishing your baby, take the amount of calories that you are currently taking in and add an additional 300 calories per day. If after two weeks you see that you are losing weight, add an additional 300 calories. Remember, don't panic if you start gaining more weight than anticipated. This is a normal part of the pregnancy process. As long as you are eating good foods, there is nothing to worry about. Besides, by remaining active during this period, as soon as you have the baby, you will begin to get back to normal very fast. 3) Absolutely no diet pills during this period, even if they claim to be "all natural". Most natural diet pills are made up of caffeine (in its standardized herbal form Guaranna) and ephedrine (in its standardized herbal form MaHuang). Both of these substances, which are far from being "natural" , not only suppress your appetite and give you an unnatural energy boost , as they stimulate your nervous system, but they also increase your resting heart rate and body temperature, the two things that we are trying to avoid at all costs. In addition, lets remember that whatever you ingest is ingested as well by the baby. It would be impossible to determine what kind of effects these substances would have in the development of your baby, especially in the first trimester when the heart, brain and nervous system are just beginning to develop. So please, no diet pills, even if they claim to be "all natural" during these 9 moths. The risks are not worth it. 4) Another type of drug to be aware of are diuretics or water pills. These pills dehydrate you and as a result your body temperature will go up (one of the things that we need to avoid). Unfortunately, in an effort to reduce the normal swelling that occurs during pregnancy due to water retention, some doctors prescribe these drugs. These drugs are dangerous and harmful to yourself and your baby. The following are some of the side effects that these drugs produce: a) Diarrhea (which leads to dehydration) b) Dizziness c) Nausea and Vomiting d) Headache Even while eating a healthy diet, swelling is a natural part of pregnancy. If the swelling on your feet is bothering you too much, lie down on the sofa and raise your feet above your head. You can repeat this procedure several times a day. It should help to reduce the swelling. Therefore, no matter who recommends diuretics, DON'T USE THEM! Take Care! Hugo A. Rivera About The Author Hugo Rivera is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, Sports Nutrition Specialist and Computer Engineer graduate from the University of South Florida. Hugo is owner of www.hrfit.net, an informational, free fitness and nutrition website and Guide for www.bodybuilding.about.com. Hugo is author of a self published bodybuilding e-book called Body Re-Engineering geared towards the natural bodybuilder and co-author of one of the most popular Men's Health book in the country (according to Barnes and Noble) called "The Body Sculpting Bible for Men" and the very popular "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women". Hugo also just released his new book called The Hardgainer's Bodybuilding Handbook in March 2005 and also serves as a nutrition consultant to several professional football players and other elite athletes. Hugo serves as business consultant to many personal training studios as well and offers personalized diet and training programs through his website.Hugo continues to publish several articles on the subject of health and nutrition in several magazines and websites, appears on several radio talk shows and has been with Prolab Nutrition for over three years. Hugo competes as drug free NPC athlete at the National Level and his core supplementation has always consisted of Prolab products. |
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| For more articles from Hugo Rivera, visit
his sites at: http://www.hrfit.net http://www.bodybuilding.about.com |
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