Morning sickness

Morning sickness, which can actually occur at any time of the day, can really dampen your excitement about being pregnant
It is estimated that between 50 to 80 per cent of pregnancies bring with them a sickness (known as NVP), which can start and end at any time of day or night – or not end at all. The route origins are still unclear and there are various theories, but NVP is mainly attributed to altered hormone function, physiological and metabolic changes and genetic incompatibility.

General Remedies:

• Avoid warm places as heat can increase the nausea feelings.
• Take naps during the day (but not right after eating). Tiredness plays a big part in morning sickness.
• Get enough sleep at night.
• Get out of bed slowly in the morning.
• Try eating plain crackers or dry cereal before you get out of bed in the morning.

Smells:

• Open windows or turn on exhaust fans when cooking and after meals.
• Cooking in the microwave usually produces less odors.
• Silly as it sounds, carry a handkerchief with a few drops of a non nausea causing essential oil (lemon for example) in it and breath through it if you can't get away from the smell that is bothering you.

Food and Drink:

• Avoid greasy or spicy foods as they often cause nausea or heartburn.
• Eat what you want when you want it. Your cravings will not lead you the wrong way.
• Have frequent protein snacks. (Low fat meats and seafood, nuts, eggs and beans are high protein.)
• Eat smaller meals every two hours or so.
• Eating something salty before a meal can help you "make it through" a meal.
• Do not drink fluids with your meals.
• Non caffeinated teas like peppermint and ginger can help calm nausea.
• Drink small amounts of fluids regularly though out the day to avoid dehydration.
• Do not skip meals if you can help it.
• Avoid spicy and fried food - both eating and smelling it can increase your nausea.
• Cold food may have less nausea inducing smells associated with them.

Ginger Tea Recipe

Ginger tea is thought to improve digestion and relieve nausea. It is also used to improve ward off colds, sore throat and the flu.

It's very easy to make ginger tea. Here's how to do it.

Ginger Tea Recipe
4 cups of water
2 inch piece of fresh ginger root
optional: honey and lemon

Peel the ginger root and slice it into thin slices. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the ginger. Cover it and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea. Add honey and lemon to taste.

Note: Keep in mind that if you are making this tea to strengthen the immune system and ward off colds and flu, sweeteners are not recommended.

Peppermint Tea

Mint makes an excellent herbal tea on its own, but you'll have something special with the addition of fennel and lemonbalm. An added bonus is that this blend will ease an upset stomach as well.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz peppermint leaves
• 8 oz lemon balm leaves
• 8 oz fennel seeds

PREPARATION:

Mix the herbs thoroughly, and store in an air tight container. For a cup of tea, use 1 tsp in a cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes and strain out the herbs.

A sound remedy for morning sickness

Listening to a tape through a personal stereo might seem a strange way to combat the symptoms of morning sickness, but some people have found that it works Our ears provide us with the ability to hear and the inner ear (vestibular system) is also responsible for our balance (our gyroscope). It is an acknowledged contributor in the process of being sick as a result of travel or motion sickness. In recent years it has been confirmed that the vestibular system is regarded as a significant organ involved in the process of being sick. This is where a radical theory was put to the test. If the inner ear is a significant organ involved in the process of vomiting, could it be used to influence and combat the process using techniques that are part of its normal function? The benefits of such a product are that there is no drug involvement; it is effective from outside the body and does not conflict with any other form of treatment; it is portable and can be used without medical supervision. MorningWell A totally unique audio programme (placed on a cassette tape) was developed over many years to do exactly this. Using sound tones, patterns and frequencies sent to the ears, it was identified that not only is the inner ear responsible for carrying the signals that play a part in the process of being sick, but it can also be used to affect or mask those signals. The end result for most women is that the symptoms are dramatically reduced to easily tolerable levels or they stop completely.

We hope that these remedies will help you with your morning sickness