Morning sickness is a pregnancy discomfort that affects more than half of all pregnant women. The severity of morning sickness varies from one person to another. Medical researchers haven’t quite reached a specific conclusion to the cause of morning sickness.
However, the most popular theory is that it is the body’s reaction to the human chorionic gonadotropin ( hCG), a pregnancy hormone that is produced at higher levels during pregnant women’s first trimester. Although for some women symptoms persist throughout their pregnancy. Most pregnant women do realize that although it commonly occurs in the morning, it can happen at any time of the day.
It can be mild or it can also be the way most pregnant women suffer it where nausea can cause vomiting and cause the body to get weak. In situations like this, when vomiting happens more often than not, whether the person is pregnant or not, it may cause dehydration, weight loss, low levels of potassium in the blood and high blood pH.
In the vast majority of cases, morning sickness is a normal part of pregnancy and is often the case with women on hormonal therapy. Women who do not feel well may not be able to efficiently work throughout the day or throughout a sustained period of time as long as nausea persists. Women need the support of their family and friends to cope with such pressures.
Remedies that Help You Deal with Morning Sickness
These remedies are easy to prepare for any pregnant or even non-pregnant women who suffer morning sickness, vomiting, nausea as well as any man who may feel dizzy due to heightened levels of stress.
Ginger
Ginger has been used since ancient times for medication and disease prevention. It is one of the most effective remedies for morning sickness among pregnant women. Drinking ginger ale or ginger tea by boiling it in water can help relieve nausea. It is important not to exceed 3 cups a day.
Vitamin B6
This vitamin has been shown to reduce symptoms of morning sickness. It is naturally present in many foods as well as in supplements. Vitamin B6 is necessary for more than 100 enzyme reactions involved in metabolism. It is also vital in brain development during pregnancy as well as the immune function. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends vitamin B6 supplements for pregnant women who suffer nausea and vomiting.
Foods such as bananas, nuts, green beans, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, lean meats, and fish are good sources of Vitamin B6.
Take in Something Sour
Ironically, if your stomach feels sour, using something sour can help. Sipping lemon water or even something sour may help ease the symptoms of morning sickness. Sour candies can also help but results are not the same from one person to another.
Acupressure
Studies may not be large enough to back the claim that acupressure can effectively battle morning sickness. However, it is a practical way to try it since you can do it at home and there are no high risks involved for the mother and child. It is also perfectly safe for pregnant women. The pressure point is the P6 or Neiguan acupuncture point located two to three inches from the wrist, between the prominent tendons on the palm side of your arm.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can be an easy way to settle morning sickness or a churning stomach. Sniffing something that contains fresh flavors such as mint, peppermint, or other soothing aromas can help you feel less nauseated.
Cold Water
This can sometimes be counter-intuitive but for some women, it is a good idea to drink very cold water when they feel the urge to vomit.
Starches
Although pregnant women usually feel the need to eat extremely healthy food, their cravings often do not always match with their health ideals. Starches are often on the list of foods that pregnant women crave. Some foods such as salads and broccoli can somehow increase the feelings of nausea while some food such as meat pies, French fries, and sausages can alleviate it. In this case, it would be fitting to consider healthier versions of these foods. Baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots can be the substitute for French fries. Healthy crackers can also help settle the nauseous stomach.
Soups
Soup is usually popular among pregnant women. Morning sickness can sometimes give a person chills and sweats. Drinking hot soup can bring much-needed warmth to the stomach. Miso soup, vegetable puree soup, or chicken soup can help calm the stomach and relieve nausea.
Small Frequent Meals
In the case of pregnant women suffering morning sickness, due to the erratic hormonal changes experienced by their bodies to support the life inside of them, their daily intake increases. It can be a matter of simply keeping your tummy from getting empty. Eating small frequent meals can help avoid unwanted acid reflux that can further cause nausea.
Over-the-counter Meds
Pregnant women’s stomachs often produce more stomach acids leading to acid reflux and heartburn. Using over-the-counter mild acid reflux medications can lower the acidity of the stomach and reduce the risk of vomiting.
Avoid Triggers
Prevention is often better than cure. There are certain types of foods that pregnant women can get allergic to or sensitive to when they are pregnant. On the other hand, people who are prone to nausea and acidity also have certain trigger foods that they need to avoid in order to keep their stomach acidity level at bay. It is important to know what foods to avoid since trigger foods vary from one person to another.
Morning sickness can be treated with any of the tips aforesaid. However, one method may favor someone and the same method may not work for the next person. Sometimes, eating potatoes will alleviate morning sickness and sometimes eating soup will. Pregnancy often carries with it certain sensitivities women never thought they would have. So whether you are a pregnant woman, a highly sensitive person, or someone who easily suffers nausea, for certain, one of the remedies will work. However, if unfortunately none of it will work, it is best to seek medical advice.
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References:
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