First Trimester: Coping with Nausea & Food Aversion
Up to 90% of women experience some form of food aversion, nausea or vomiting during their pregnancy. By far the most common food aversion women experience is aversion to protein. Nausea during pregnancy evolved as a protection mechanism against toxins and other dangerous substances that could harm the developing embryo. In addition to protein aversion, food aversions to spicy and smoked foods. An interesting observation, as the flavours in these foods can easily mask the taste and smell of meat turned bad. Women also report an aversion to fresh green veggies. Again, these leafy greens have the potential for contamination with bacteria like salmonella and e.coli. Simply focus on food QUALITY rather than stress about calorie levels or macronutrient percentages. You baby will draw upon your stores and get just what he or she needs. Your body is smart and produces certain hormones that actually make it easier to acquire and store nutrients from your foods during pregnancy. You’re baby will get what it needs to grow, and your hunger will return in a few weeks. Nausea is a normal response to many different hormonal changes (HCG/estrogen/progesterone) that occur during early pregnancy. It's not exactly clear why some women experience nausea and others don't. Nausea tends to be made much worse when our blood sugars get low. During pregnancy, your blood sugar naturally runs on the high side in order to ensure a good supply of energy to your growing baby, so, nausea can be seen as a signal that your developing baby is utilizing fuel and growing well.
The only foods we can often can 'tollerate' are starchy carbs. To help fight nausea, it’s important to not let your self get too hungry and when you do eat, choose a starch ( yams, sweet potatoes and winter squashes, rice ) and enjoy it with lots of healthy fats. Some ginger root has show to be effective in reducing nausea . Nausea in pregnancy is generally known as morning sickness. This nausea can strike at any time i.e. either in the day or night and this can be experienced mostly in the first and second trimester.
Half a teaspoon of fresh washed grated ginger taken once or twice times a day. Steep it in hot water for five minutes to make ginger tea, drink this once in every morning to get relief from the nausea and vomiting sense.
