Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/139497
Nausea. Vomiting. Loss of appetite. For many women, the toughest part of pregnancy is morning sickness. That early morning dash to the bathroom is a common symptom of pregnancy. Up to 80 percent of women will feel sick during pregnancy, with half experiencing vomiting at some point. Fortunately, there are safe ways to feel better. Here's the very latest on the reasons and remedies for this common pregnancy complaint from Dr. Donna Okuda, an obstetrician/gynecologist at MANAGING Rose Medical Center in Denver. MORn ING by Jan Sheehan SICKNESS REASONS FOR MORNING SICKNESS Morning sickness is thought to be due to increasing pregnancy hormones, particularly estrogen, during early pregnancy. "Feeling a bit sick is actually a good thing because it means hormones are high enough to sustain a pregnancy, Okuda says. Although morning sickness can start as early as your first missed period, it typically starts at about six weeks of pregnancy and improves at 14 to 16 weeks. You may feel more sick in the morning, but nausea can strike at any time of day or night. Women carrying twins or triplets tend to feel sicker due to more pronounced hormone changes, Okuda says. 58 DIET REMEDIES Because symptoms seem to be worse when the stomach is empty, eating small meals throughout the days may ease morning sickness. Okuda recommends eating high-carbohydrate, high-protein foods, which will keep blood sugar levels steady. Good choices are whole-wheat crackers, bread, pretzels, almonds and granola cereals. If you're prone to pregnancy sickness, avoid greasy foods – butter, margarine, mayonnaise, bacon, gravy, pastries, fried meats and French fries – and go easy on spicy foods. Okuda recommends eating foods rich in vitamin B-6, a vitamin believed to ease nausea. Good sources of this vitamin are dairy products, fish, nuts, whole grains and meats.