Pregnancy often comes with morning sickness. That is the unfortunate truth of your first trimester. According to the American Pregnancy Association, about 85% of pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting. This means as you try to stay true to your Paleo eating plan, you’ll probably have to deal with morning sickness as well.
Fortunately, your approach to healthy eating provides plenty of Paleo-approved foods that minimize the effect of this common pregnancy symptom.
Don’t get fooled by the name. Nausea and vomiting are often more severe and more common in the morning, but they can happen anytime, day or night. Get through your first three months of pregnancy and this unwelcome side-effect of being pregnant usually disappears.
Here are a few Paleo-approved foods for making morning sickness as manageable as possible.
Ginger Root
Ginger has been prescribed for centuries as a cure for morning sickness. The ginger root improves the digestive process and can reduce both the frequency and severity of morning sickness symptoms like vomiting and nausea.
If you are one of the unfortunate women who develop severe, extreme vomiting during pregnancy (a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum), ginger can definitely help. Don’t take more than 1,000 mg per day, as extremely high doses of ginger are thought to raise the risk of miscarriage by some pregnancy experts.
Ginger root is very versatile and can be used to make tea, added to your favorite Paleo recipes, or sprinkled in a healthy Paleo smoothie.
Paleo Foods with Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is found in avocados and bananas, nuts, and seeds. Lean meats, spinach, and dried fruits are also rich in this vitamin. Some studies show that getting plenty of B6 during pregnancy can reduce nausea, that is the hallmark of morning sickness.
Herbal Tea
Sipping spearmint or peppermint herbal tea can calm your stomach. The same is true with peach and chamomile tea. If you have an herbal tea that soothes your mind and your stomach, it can help you get a handle on the mental stress and anxiety that can lead to nausea during pregnancy.
Raw, Cold Veggies
The American Pregnancy Association recommends eating your vegetable cold rather than warm to stave off morning sickness symptoms.
Cold Lettuce Wraps
Wrap your favorite Paleo meats and vegetables in butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce leaves. Cold lettuce wraps are easy on the stomach, and you can use any Paleo-approved ingredients that your pregnancy has you craving.
Bananas
Simple fruits that are easy to digest are the idea here. Bananas have a simple, almost bland flavor that won’t upset your stomach.
More Morning Sickness Tips for the Pregnant Paleo Mom-to-Be
Try eating something small before you get up and moving around in the morning. This is a proven way to ease morning sickness symptoms. Throughout the day, eat a lot of small meals. This can help with cravings while keeping your blood sugar stable. Low blood sugar can lead to a queasy feeling in your stomach that could turn to nausea or even vomiting.
You should also remember that eating nothing improves the chances that you will develop an upset stomach. Finally, stay hydrated throughout the day. Throwing up can quickly dehydrate you, so you need plenty of water to replace any fluid you lose. Feel free to add crushed mint leaves or fresh lime or lemon wedges for flavor.
Leave a Reply