Everyone associates pregnancy with calcium and calcium rich foods for pregnancy. You must have heard the term “eat for two” which seems very appealing but to ‘eat the nutrients for two’ seems downright daunting because a woman’s calcium requirement doubles during pregnancy.   

Importance of Calcium for Pregnancy –  

• Crucial for growing strong bones, teeth and nails 
• Functioning of all muscles, including heart beat & blood clotting 
• Nerve development  
• Enzyme activity  
• Production of breastmilk during breastfeeding  
• Manages hypertension and diabetes  

Great sources of calcium –  

• Dairy products/ grass fed dairy products  
• Hard cheese  
• Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, Bok choy  
• Canned salmon and sardines (with bones)  
• Sesame seeds (try tahini and hummus)  
• Most soy products (calcium fortified tofu and whole soy beans)  
• Whole grain products  
• Dried peas 
• Dried figs  
• Black strap molasses  
• Almonds  
• Brazil nuts  

Richest sources of calcium – 

• Milk  
• Yogurt 
• Parmesan cheese 
• Skim milk powder  

Vegan sources of calcium –  

• Oat drinks  
• Calcium set tofu and all soy products  
• Pulses  
• Broccoli, cabbage, kale, collards 
• Raisins, prunes, figs, dried apricots  
• Tahini and hummus  

Amount of calcium needed for your pregnancy diet – 

While you are pregnant you will need at least 1000 mg of calcium per day. If you’re 18 and under you will need 1300 mg of calcium per day to build your body for a healthy pregnancy.  

It is recommended to consume 3-4 servings of calcium per day, but the number of servings is dependent on your sources. If they aren’t rich sources of calcium, you may need more.  

 Calcium levels in food sources  –  

• 1 ounce/283 g of parmesan cheese (grass fed cheese) gives 250 mg of calcium  
• 1 tsp/ 5g of sesame seeds gives 90 mg of calcium  
• 1 tbsp of tahini which is nothing but sesame seed butter gives 63 mg of calcium  
• 1 can of sardine gives 370 mg of calcium  
• 1 cup of kale gives 94 mg of calcium  
• 1 cup of broccoli gives 178 mg of calcium  
• 3 ounces/85g of salmon gives 180 mg of calcium  
• 1 ounce of plain yogurt gives 51 mg of calcium 

So, you see it’s not difficult to get calcium from your food sources now.  

Symptoms of calcium deficiency in pregnancy –  

• Early morning insomnia/ loss of sleep  
• Muscle cramps  
• Brittle nails  
• Tooth decay  
• Bone loss  
• Red and purple spots all over the body  
• Twitching of the eyes 
• Pin/ needle pricking sensation near the mouth/ hands/ feet  

Complications of calcium deficiency in pregnancy  

1. Pre-eclampsia/ hypertensive disorders: Low levels of calcium in pregnant women increases the risk of pre-eclampsia. Studies show pregnant women could reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia by 31-65% if they consumed calcium rich foods for pregnancy each day.   
2. Pre-term birth: Calcium deficiency can result in pre term birth due to high uterine muscle contractions. Including calcium rich foods for pregnancy reduces smooth muscle contractility and prevents preterm labor and delivery. 
3. Bone changes: Poor bone mineral density due to low calcium and vitamin D intake during pregnancy puts pregnant women on increased risk of low bone mass and later developing osteoporosis. Research shows that including calcium rich foods for pregnancy or calcium supplement provides protective effect against bone loss during pregnancy.  

Tips to increase calcium absorption in the body –  

• Add low fat cheese to salads and sandwiches, toss toasted nuts or seeds over salads and steamed vegetables. 
• Incorporate skim milk powder into baked goods, soups or smoothies. 
• Combine egg yolks, parmesan cheese, yogurt and cheese with the calcium rich foods you consume.  
• Substitute milk with water to cook pasta, rice, oatmeal etc. 
• Simply enjoy a glass of milk and give yourself a dose of sunshine, because Vitamin D is the best friend of calcium and the best source of vitamin D is sunlight. 
• Do not take calcium and iron supplements together.  
• Avoid caffeine or caffeinated beverages with calcium supplements, try to reduce the consumption of coffee and tea as much as possible.  

Bottomline  

Pregnancy nutrition is not only associated with calcium, there’s a whole lot including folate, iron, zinc, magnesium, vitamin b, vitamin C, iodine and essential fatty acids with calcium being the top priority here.  

The best way to meet your calcium needs is through a healthy and balanced diet including all calcium rich foods for pregnancy, but if you think you are not getting enough and experiencing symptoms of calcium deficiency, it’s time to talk to your doctor about adding a calcium supplement to your diet.   

Before taking supplements keep in mind that prenatal vitamins contain varying amounts of calcium starting from 100 – 200 mg and your body best absorbs calcium in lower doses at a time. Let’s not forget Vitamin D to absorb calcium so be sure you also get enough vitamin D in your pregnancy diet.   

As we know, calcium does not work alone, it needs Vitamin D, magnesium and weight bearing exercise which plays a major role in pregnancy. Make sure you get them right! 

Enjoy these calcium rich foods for pregnancy to build your baby bump in a healthy way.

Written by Aishwarya Deepika, ENHAPP Nutritionist & Wellness Coach. 

The post Calcifying your pregnancy diet: Calcium rich foods for pregnancy appeared first on ENHAPP.

Let’s focus on testosterone levels, before that let’s understand what testosterone is and its functions.  

What is testosterone? 

Testosterone is a hormone responsible for normal growth and development which helps in maintenance of male sex characteristics like masculinity and muscle building. Testosterone also affects lean body mass and sexual function in both males and females. Testosterone is produced by testicles in males and by ovaries in females, with small amounts also produced by the adrenal glands in both the genders.  

In females, combined with estrogen, testosterone helps with growth and maintenance and repair of women’s reproductive tissues, bone mass and human behavior.  

It is very important to maintain the right balance of testosterone and estrogen in both the genders. 

Beneficial effects of testosterone – 

• Helps in improving Heart health: Testosterone helps in red blood cell production through bone marrow. Low levels of testosterone can lead to cardiovascular risks. 
• Increased lean body mass, strength and stamina: Testosterone is responsible for increasing muscle mass; leaner body mass helps in controlling weight and increases energy. So, people with leaner body mass who complain about no increase in strength, it’s time you combine your strength training and exercise with doses of testosterone from natural or artificial supplements.  
• Stronger bones: Testosterone plays a very important role in bone mineral density. Bone mineral density decreases with age as testosterone levels drop. 
• Better verbal memory and Spatial abilities: Testosterone is responsible for thinking abilities and faster processing speed, low testosterone levels can also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. 
• Better libido: Testosterone levels rise in response to sexual arousal and activity. Men with higher levels of testosterone usually have greater sexual activity. 
• Improved mood/sense of wellbeing: Lower testosterone levels are associated with poorer quality of life often with symptoms of depression, fatigue and irritability.  

Higher than normal testosterone levels – 

• Hair loss and acne  
• Mood wings  
• Mania in those with bipolar disorder  
• Water retention  
• Breast enlargement in men  
• Increased aggression and hypersexual behavior  
• Increase in bad cholesterol (LDL) 
• Decrease in good cholesterol (HDL) 

Like everything in life, balance is the key. Too much of a good thing can be detrimental to your health. 

Top reasons why testosterone levels may go low – 

• Heavy alcohol intake  
• Hypogonadism 
• Luteinizing hormone deficiency  
• Illness and ageing  
• Low Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) 
• Effect of medications like appetite stimulant, antifungal agent, anti-inflammatory corticosteroids and antacids. 
• Infections and diseases  
• Street drugs  
• Genetic makeup  

Can smoking be one of the causes for lowering testosterone levels? 

Let’s see.  

Does smoking lower testosterone levels? 

Though there are unsettling debates about smoking reducing testosterone levels, studies showed significant differences in serum testosterone levels being lower among smokers as compared to non-smokers. Indicating that smoking reduces testosterone levels. Although the mechanism behind why smoking reduces testosterone levels is unclear. On the contrary, latest evidence shows that testosterone levels in both smokers and nonsmokers indicated almost same testosterone levels, this result indicated testosterone levels probably remain unaffected by smoking cigarettes.  

So, you see the confusion still continues … 

But science never fails to answer that smoking reduces zinc levels in the body which is one of the principal minerals required to produce testosterone. This indicates that men with poor dietary habits and smoking habit can have zinc deficiency which may lead to low testosterone levels. 

Natural ways to increase your testosterone levels – 

• Herbs like Ginseng, ashwagandha, pine bark extract, saw palmetto  
• Vitamins like Vitamin D, dehydroepiandrosterone, L- arginine and Zinc  
• Foods like garlic, tuna, egg yolks and oysters  

NOTE: These can boost your testosterone levels only in combination with strength or resistance training.  

Bottom line  

If you’re thinking that smoking won’t harm your testosterone levels, if you’re eating well, it’s not a sensible choice. If your overall health is not satisfactory you won’t be able to cherish the aggressive raging testosterone levels for a longer period of time.  

Smoking lowers testosterone levels or not, it is advisable not to smoke, as smoking cigarettes has a harmful impact on the wellness of your vital organs including the heart and lungs.  

Directly or indirectly smoking does affect sexual and overall general health.  

Stay tobacco/nicotine free. 

Stay healthy ?

Written by Aishwarya Deepika, ENHAPP Nutritionist & Wellness Coach.

The post Does smoking lower testosterone levels? Tobacco-mediated effects on Testosterone levels appeared first on ENHAPP.

There are two categories of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin. If you are a type 2 diabetes patient, your body doesn’t use insulin properly. Both diabetes variants cause a more enormous accumulation of glucose, or sugar, in your blood. 

In most people, the symptoms of diabetes never make a noticeable appearance, and, in most cases, diabetes disease manifests itself as lesser-known symptoms of diabetes. As a result, by the time you visit a doctor, your diabetic condition could have worsened.  

When diabetes and the most common symptoms of diabetes is concerned, there are two medical terms you must be acquainted with. They are insulin resistance and prediabetes.  

Insulin Resistance 

Insulin resistance, a medical condition, occurs when your fat, liver, and muscle cells can’t efficiently respond to the insulin and fail to take glucose from your blood. As a result, your pancreas is compelled to produce more insulin to allow glucose to enter your cells. As long as your pancreas produces enough insulin to compensate for the weak response of your body cells to insulin, your blood glucose levels will stay in the healthy range. If not, it triggers subtle symptoms of diabetes.  

Prediabetes  

If your body has high blood glucose levels than usual but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes, you have entered the Prediabetes stage. People who have joined this stage already have some insulin resistance, and over time, they could develop type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. 

In reality, the subtle symptoms of diabetes are quite common, and the only way to recognize them is to know what they are and how they manifest themselves. Ignoring these symptoms of diabetes may lead to irreversible health complications. Note that even a minor spike in blood glucose levels will damage your kidneys, eyes, and nerves.  

In the prediabetes stage, the diabetic condition can be prevented from progressing. This fact highlights the relevance of identifying the subtle signs of developing diabetes. Moreover, this health practice holds the key to maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.  

Here we list seven unusual symptoms of diabetes you should watch out for:   

• Frequent Visits to the Loo  

Have you ever noticed that the frequency of your bathroom visits increases after you had sugary drinks and sweetened foods? And chances are high that it happens at night.   This frequent urination results from higher glucose levels in your blood that act as Diuretics, also known as water pills, which drain out salt (sodium) and water from your body. 

• Erectile Dysfunction 

Erectile dysfunction is one of the possible physical symptoms of diabetes, mainly a symptom of type 2 diabetes. This symptom of type 2 diabetes typically affects males making it challenging to attain an erection.  

In men, sexual dysfunctions occur when high blood sugar or glucose levels damage the nerves and the blood vessels that carry blood to the male sexual organ. Sexual dysfunction occurs in women as well. It causes lower arousal and poor vaginal lubrication in them. However, research on women-related sexual issues is less convincing than the ones conducted on sexual dysfunction in men. 

• Losing or Gaining Body Weight 

In people with Type 1 diabetes, inefficient insulin production prevents the body from using glucose as an energy source; therefore, the body is compelled to convert the storage of fat and protein into energy. As a result, the individual may experience involuntary weight loss.  

The lack of insulin in individuals suffering from Type 2 diabetes does not allow their bodies to convert glucose into energy. Conversely, this symptom of type 2 diabetes creates extreme hunger resulting in uncontrollable eating habits and weight gain.  

• Blurred Vision  

High glucose levels in the blood cause blurry vision as it distorts the light waves that fall on our eyes. So, when blurred vision, one of the signs of developing diabetes, appears in an individual, they consult with an ophthalmologist, thinking that they need a new spectacle. But, in reality, what they have to do is lower their glucose levels in the blood. 

• Exhaustion 

When the glucose levels are high, it causes exhaustion, one of the most common symptoms of diabetes. There are two reasons for tiredness. First, the body can’t utilize the higher amounts of glucose in the bloodstream for energy, damaging physical endurance. Second, frequent visits to the loo, dehydration, lack of sleep, and kidney damage. The fatigue can be moderate to severe in some individuals, while it can cripple some.  

• Your Breath Smells Like Fruits! 

You read it right! Fruit-smelling breath, also known as diabetic ketoacidosis, is one of the lesser-known symptoms of diabetes. 

When your pancreas fails to produce insulin to convert fat into energy, it breaks down your fat cells and converts it into energy. An acid known as ketones is produced during this process. Although excess ketones in your blood leave your body through urine, the breakdown of fat cells creates breath that smells like fruits, nail polish, or acetone. 

However, Diabetic ketoacidosis, one of the unusual symptoms of diabetes, is a complicated diabetic condition. Therefore, you must seek immediate medical consultation if you believe you have it.  

• Healing Deficiency 

If you notice that a cut or wound on your body takes longer than usual time to heal, it should be taken as one of the subtle symptoms of diabetes, and never hesitate for a diabetes diagnosis. Higher glucose levels in your blood damage your immune system. An inefficient immune system delays the healing process of your body.  

More people succumb to death because of diabetes and obesity rather than hunger or poverty in today’s world. Being aware of these unusual symptoms of diabetes increases your odds of an early diagnosis and treatment. You should keep in mind that modern medical science doesn’t have a cure for diabetes. But it can be brought under control with efficient treatment and medication.   

Regarding diabetes treatment and medication, the earlier, the better. But if you fail to treat your high glucose levels, it can lead to complications such as irreversible nerve damage, blindness, amputation, stroke, and death, among a few.  

It is recommended that individuals aged between 40 and 70 should be screened or tested for Type 2 diabetes. The screening should be done every 3 years. For individuals with a higher risk for diabetes, more frequent testing should be started earlier.  

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