Dieting during pregnancy takes many forms but generally centers around low calorie and low fat intake with the goal of minimizing weight gain during pregnancy. Despite the claims of health gurus and fitness experts advocating dieting during pregnancy, dieting should NOT be undertaken in pregnancy except in certain situations. Attempting to maintain one’s figure by minimizing the weight gain during pregnancy is a dangerous practice that can have a life long impact on the child. Although often passed off as an old wive’s tale, the age old adage that a pregnant women is ‘eating for two’ is actually quite correct. This does not mean that a pregnant woman has to eat for two adults but it does mean that the food intake is significantly increased and well beyond the pre-pregnancy eating habits.
Living a healthy lifestyle which includes daily exercise, a good wholesome healthy diet with all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, cutting down on smoking and alcohol and regular health checks when they are needed are all essential to keeping you fit and healthy. There are a variety of health screens which are essential to women some of which are listed below.
Some tests are essential to a women’s health such as the Pap smear test and mammogram which can both detect the early signs of cancer, while others should be undertaken to ensure you remain in the best of health.
