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Benefits & Risks of Eating Walnuts During Pregnancy
When a woman comes to know that she is pregnant, she is very careful about her diet (as she should be). If you are pregnant, you must have also considered making changes in your diet after consulting with your doctor. Your gynaecologist must have recommended that you eat only healthy foods. She may have also suggested that you start eating dry fruits and nuts such as almonds, apricots, and walnuts. In this article, we will talk about walnuts. Many expecting women are not aware of the nutritional benefits of walnuts. So, let’s look at the benefits of walnuts during pregnancy.
Is It Safe to Eat Walnuts During Pregnancy?
Walnuts, known as akhrot in Hindi, are extremely healthy and completely safe for consumption during pregnancy. The kernel of a walnut resembles a brain and they not only just resemble brain but also help in the proper functioning of the brain. Apart from this, there are a number of other potential benefits of consuming walnuts while pregnant.
Nutritional Benefits of Consuming Walnuts During Pregnancy
It is believed that the mothers-to-be who eat nuts during pregnancy are less likely to have kids with nut allergies. The delicious and crunchy walnuts also contain a lot of nutrients that are beneficial for a pregnant woman. The benefits of eating akhrot during pregnancy are mentioned below.
Walnuts are a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for the development of brain activity in a baby. Eating walnuts during pregnancy can also boost the development of a baby’s brain.
Walnuts contain Vitamin E in the form of gamma-tocopherol. The gamma-tocopherol form is considered to be a very effective form of Vitamin E because of its unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It even helps get rid of harmful free radicals.
Walnuts are a rich source of vitamins, fibre, magnesium, copper, and manganese. They are also loaded with calcium, iron, zinc, and selenium. These nutrients add to the numerous advantages of walnuts.
It is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid – an essential fatty acid required for the baby’s development.
Health Benefits of Eating Walnuts in Pregnancy
Now that you are aware of the nutritional value of walnuts, let us understand more about how eating them can help you during pregnancy.
Walnuts are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and proteins which can help in the development of the eyes and brain of your unborn baby.
Walnuts contain plant sterols which can help in controlling blood cholesterol levels and increase the good cholesterol (HDL) levels in your body.
Eating walnuts in moderate quantities can also help in maintaining the optimal lipid profile during pregnancy.
Walnut oil is found to be beneficial in preserving the function of endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels throughout the body. These cells play an important part in blood vessel flexibility. Hence, inflammation of blood vessels can be controlled with regular consumption of walnuts.
Since walnuts relax the blood vessels, they can even help control high blood pressure.
Walnuts are a good source of proteins and fibre, both of which are vital for an expecting woman.
The antioxidants present in walnuts can help strengthen the immune system of an expecting woman. It is recommended that you eat walnuts along with the brown skin. This is because 90 per cent of the antioxidants found in walnuts is concentrated in its skin.
The copper content in walnuts can help in the proper growth and development of the foetus.
They also contain polyphenols and copper which can prevent damage from free radicals and cancer.
Post-delivery, it is recommended that mothers consume walnuts to keep postpartum depression away. Their alpha-linolenic acid content is good for battling postpartum depression, manic-depressive psychosis, and even dementia. So, you can continue eating walnuts post-delivery.
Walnuts also help regulate melatonin levels. Melatonin induces sleep and eating walnuts, especially during the third trimester, can be very beneficial as sleep becomes a major concern at that time.
Walnuts can make you feel full for longer and prevent you from binge eating, thus keeping your weight in check.
Walnuts contain copper which is required for the formation of red blood cells. It also helps repair tissues and breakdown sugars.
Manganese is a crucial nutrient required for the development of baby’s bones and cartilage. Half of the daily required amount of manganese can be provided by one serving of walnut.
How to Include Walnuts in Your Pregnancy Diet
There are many ways in which you can eat walnuts. They can be eaten separately or in finely chopped form. They can also be added to various dishes including baked goods, meat and fish, and vegetables and fruit salads. Women also consume walnuts as a remedy for several health problems as medicines may not be advisable during pregnancy.
You can mix 3-4 finely chopped walnuts in 1 tablespoon of honey and eat them with a glass of water. It can provide relief from a headache, insomnia, or stress.
Mix chopped walnuts with grated lemon skin and 2 tablespoons of honey in a bowl. Consuming 1 tablespoon of this mixture before meals would prove beneficial if you suffer from the symptoms of anaemia and avitaminosis (long-term vitamin deficiency).
You can include walnuts in your diet as a mid-meal snack. To get maximum benefits from them, eat soaked walnuts.
What Are the Risks of Eating Walnuts During Pregnancy?
While walnuts can be consumed during pregnancy, you should not eat them excessively. An excess of anything can prove detrimental for your health, and that stands true for walnuts too. You can eat walnuts during pregnancy as long as you eat them in moderation. It is not recommended to consume more than 30g of walnuts in a day while pregnant. This is because consuming too many walnuts can trigger complications for the mother as well as the unborn baby.
Here are some of the possible complications that may arise if you consume walnuts in excess during pregnancy.
Consuming walnuts in excess amounts can lead to diarrhoea during pregnancy.
Eating walnuts may interfere with the absorption of iron and lead to anaemia in the long run.
A mild allergy to walnuts may get aggravated during pregnancy. If you are highly allergic to nuts and end up consuming even a small amount of walnuts during pregnancy, it can cause skin rashes, swelling of lips, itching, dizziness and wheezing.
Eating walnuts in excess may increase the chances of bleeding during delivery.
Walnut Allergy in Pregnancy
If you have a nut allergy, especially walnut allergy, you should refrain from consuming walnuts during pregnancy and even after delivery. But if you are not allergic to walnuts, you can eat them in moderate amounts. Many women believe that eating nuts during pregnancy is unsafe and that the baby can develop a nut allergy in future. However, this is just a misconception. Consuming nuts during pregnancy will not increase your baby's risk of developing an allergy to nuts. Babies born to women who refrain from eating nuts during pregnancy can develop a nut allergy too. So, you can eat walnuts during pregnancy, just remember to eat them in moderation.
Now that you are aware of the immense health benefits of walnuts, don't think twice before making them a part of your pregnancy diet. You can eat 2-3 walnuts daily during pregnancy without worrying about their side effects. As long as you eat them in moderate amounts, you won’t have any problem. However, while buying walnuts, make sure you choose the ones that are oblong and have a thin shell. Avoid consuming kernels which have dark spots on them and have a rancid taste. Have a healthy pregnancy! Read more
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Say BYE-BYE to Cystic Acne
Your concerns about how to prevent cystic acne have their answers in timeless home remedies, prescriptions from dermatologists and few positive lifestyle changes. Instead of getting perturbed, simply adopt these tips and treatments for cystic acne today. Once there, remember to say 'hello' to a more radiant you.
Cystic acne, or underground zits as they are commonly called, are those ‘bad’ eruptions that make you say “why me?” Even when you use high-quality skin care products and try everything to keep acne at bay, these red demons still pop. Peep into what cystic acne is, their causes, and ways of getting rid of them without irritating your sensitive skin.
How to Prevent Cystic Acne the Right Way
1. What is Cystic Acne?
Deeply embedded within your skin, cystic acne is an infection where large-sized, painful, fluid-filled cysts are formed in the underlying layers. Different from normal acne, they are often tough to cure and leave behind skin blemishes. It’s best to leave these alone, as aggravation through popping, needling or skin tampering lead to more concerning conditions.
2. Cystic Acne Causes
Often attributed to bad eating habits, cystic acne can be caused due to over-consumption of dairy products, fried stuff, or high calorie meals. These foods cause inflammation impacting the natural skin balance. They may form when oil ducts located deep inside the skin get infected; or if your hormones go haywire because of pregnancy, menstrual cycles, menopause, or polycystic ovary syndrome. In youngsters, cystic acne may be genetic or caused by higher levels of androgen leading to clogged pores and excessive oil on the skin.
3. Treatment for Cystic Acne
Home remedies for cystic acne are effective, aiding in alleviating pain and infection in simpler cases. But, the help of dermatologists should be sought in more advanced cases or when permanent scarring becomes a risk. Generally, cystic acne cure is precautionary and requires certain lifestyle changes; especially in your diet. We know it’s not easy, but try cutting back on glycemic foods, dairy products, pasta, sugar, bread, fried treats, etc.
4. Impressive Cystic Acne Home Remedy
Want to tackle cystic acne the traditional way? Whether it's about getting rid of cystic acne on the chin, forehead, or any other area, certain home remedies help with their anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. For instance, you may apply a thin paste of baking soda or a small quantity of apple cider vinegar (ACV) on the affected areas. The antibacterial properties of tea tree oil also help in treating them, naturally.
5. Medical Treatment and Over-The-Counter Remedies
We know that you'll do anything to keep cystic acne at bay, but if your skin doesn't respond to home remedies or basic medications, you may want to consult your dermatologist. The doctor would recommend antibiotics, prescription-strength creams, gels with retinoid, birth-control pills, Isotretinoin or Accutane that fights the causes of cystic acne. You'll be pleasantly surprised when your skin starts reacting positively to any of these medications; just keep continuing the good work!
Still wondering how to get rid of cystic acne overnight? Relax, eat well, sleep well and laugh a lot— and your cystic acne will soon vanish on the double. It’s just another type of acne and you shouldn't be stressing yourself at all! Read more
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When the Desire of Having a C-Section Delivery Ends in Natural Delivery
As my periods are always on time, I thought to take a pregnancy test for the first time the month my period got delayed. The test was positive! I shared this news with my husband in the morning and we were both happy. We went to meet the gynaecologist and she checked, asked to get some blood work done and gave me some medicines. It was the first time I had to get my blood sample taken, so I had tears in my eyes. My husband was with me, and he convinced me to do it because it was necessary - somehow, I managed. I have always been fearful of needles - because of this fear, I kept delaying the planning of my baby for 4.5 years as I was afraid of what will happen and how it will happen. I was always afraid that I would not be able to handle that pain because I am not strong enough. My husband always supported my decisions, and never forced me even when someone asked us why we haven't had a baby yet. But somehow, I feel, God wanted something good for us.
After that, as usual, I continued to go to work and would go for walks every evening for around 2-3 km. Everything was normal, but in the first trimester, I felt nausea and morning sickness, which is common during pregnancy. I was going for my routine check-ups as well; in the second trimester, as per my reports, my blood sugar level was a little high. This is called gestational diabetes. I stopped eating sugar completely and increased my walking to 3-3.5 km. After so many blood sugar level check-ups, my level was finally borderline. In my third trimester, we planned for a maternity photoshoot and a baby shower, and I was so excited!
We went for our routine check-up once again. In the sonography report, it said that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. We were worried. We discussed this with our doctor and she said it was normal, and we will observe the baby until the due date. We went for our regular check-up five days before the due date. My doctor wanted to simply check the position of the baby's head, but I literally screamed because I couldn't bear that little bit of pain. I was afraid. We came back home. My husband was scared as well, but he continued to support me in every manner. I told my husband that I would like to go for a C-section because I would not be able to bear the pain of a vaginal delivery. He agreed to it. I was relieved by that.
We went to visit the doctor two days before the due date and represented our views on me getting a C-section delivery. However, she refused and said that there was no need as I was completely normal and healthy. She suggested that we wait till the due date to see the baby's position, as the cord was still around its neck. I was really tense - I kept insisting that I wanted to go for a C-section and told her that we were ready for it, but she asked us to go back home and think over it before deciding to get admitted. When we came back in the evening, my husband explained the whole scenario to my mother as she was staying with me. She was shocked because I had not had a conversation with her, as I knew that no one would agree with me except my husband. My mom told me that my doctor is good, and if I really wanted to go for the operation, the decision was up to me. The next day, to lighten up my mood, my mom made me my favourite food, my younger brother joined us and we had lots of fun talking, reminiscing, and clicking pictures. After a delicious dinner, we went to sleep. At midnight, I started to feel some pain in my back. I thought it was normal back pain as it occurred every day in my last trimester. I tried to sleep, my the intensity of the pain kept increasing every few seconds and stopped. I was reverse counting till 50. I didn't wake anyone up because I thought it was just normal back pain, but it kept increasing as time passed. I kept reverse counting, but the contractions were quite painful. In the morning, I noticed some watery discharge in the washroom and informed my mother. I was crying and screaming in pain, and my mother was continuously rubbing my back. We rushed to the hospital.
I went into the labour room and my doctor walked in soon after. As soon as I saw her, I begged her to help me out. She checked and told the nurses she can see the baby's head. She asked me to calm down and relax, and push as I felt the contractions. But I wasn't able to push much. She called a male nurse to help push the baby out. With just three pushes, my baby was delivered at 7 am. It was a baby boy, weighing 3.25 kg. I looked at my doctor and thanked her. I am grateful to have had a doctor who encouraged me and guided me correctly, otherwise, I'd have never dreamed of giving birth naturally. Trust me - every day walking helped me immensely during the end of my pregnancy as it reduced labour time and helps manage weight.
My little one is now one year old and I am back to my normal weight with the help of exercises and gym. My son is my greatest gift from God. He is my world!
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
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Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
3 hours ago
Q. hi have one question
LT 10x18mm and RT 18x20mm and ET 6.5
what it mean??? and should I start intercourse
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
3 hours ago
A. since you are right follicle is 18 mm yes of course you can start with your intercourse for conception as in 1 to 2 days
their maybe rupture of the follicle by which your sperm should be present there for conception
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert
why baby vomit
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
2 hours ago
A. for babies less than 6 months may not be a problem. small babies will be having lot of gas because of various reasons it is advisable to do burping of the baby immediately after feeding please give colimex DF drops to the baby they are safe
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 1 month
2 hours ago
Q. i am 35 weeks 3 days pregnant... my ultrasound report shows that "fl and hl are shorter compared to bpd"... is this anything to worry
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. I cannot assist you on that because other things are also associated with the particular particular report so I think it’s better that once a gynaecologist is available she’s going to take up your query and she will be able to give you a better clarity as per the situation
Abhaya Rajput has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. I am 9 week pregnant and I have runny nose very badly can I use cetirizine tablet?
Abhaya Rajput
Mom of a 14 yr 4 m old boy
2 hours ago
A. Hello there ma’am please do not worry about it too much. Please do not take any medicine without consulting with your gynaecologist. It is advisable to get yourself evaluated by a doctor and follow doctors advise properly. You can also book online doctor’s appointment on FirstCry where the doctor can help you and guide you properly.
Thanks and take care
Rashmi has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
2 hours ago
Q. hi,
my LT 10x18mm and RT 18x20mm and ET 6.5 , what if I intercourse after 2 days, can I do intercourse in ovulation day can become a pregent .
on ovulation day if we intercourse can become a pregent..pls advice..
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. Actually on the ovulation time only you can conceive so yes if things are right with you you can go ahead with the conception but with what the details you have mentioned it would be better to have a discussion with your gynaecologist prior to you proceed to your ovulation and conception
Sai Prasanthi R L has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
1 hour ago
Q. Hlw dr its my 6th month pregnency can i intimate with my partner
Sai Prasanthi R L
Mom of a 10 yr 2 m old boy
1 hour ago
A. Hello dear! If your pregnancy is going on fine without any high risk factors then it’s okay. Still, would advise you to check with your doctor once before going further. Maintain a good personal hygiene routine and a healthy lifestyle
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