All In A Days Work

When you are pregnant (especially with your first) you have advice coming from all directions. .and it can get quite overwhelming. I remember my first pregnancy – one day someone would swear by something, and the next day someone would swear the opposite. For the most part you will learn by trial and error – and ultimately your body will tell you, and you’ll know what’s right. But one thing they will tell you, no matter who you talk to, is to make sure you get the proper amount of nutrients during your pregnancy.

There are quite a few essential vitamins/nutrients that doctors recommend you take heed of, and make sure that you are getting enough daily – and for good reason. All of the following nutrients & vitamins not only helps your baby develop, but helps you in your pregnancy as well.

Vitamin A & Beta Carotene (770 mcg) – helps bones and teeth grow

Vitamin D (5 mcg) – Helps body use calcium and phosphorus; promotes strong teeth and bones

Vitamin E (15 mg) – Helps body form and use red blood cells and muscles

Vitamin C (80 – 85 mg) – An antioxidant that protects tissues from damage and helps body absorb iron; builds healthy immune system

Thiamin/B1 (1.4 mg)- Raises energy level and regulates nervous system

Riboflavin/B2 (1.4 mg)- Maintains energy, good eyesight, healthy skin

Niacin/B3 (18 mg)- Promotes healthy skin, nerves and digestion

Pyridoxine/B6 (1.9 mg) – Helps form red blood cells; helps with morning sickness

Folic Acid/Folate (600 mcg) – Helps support the placenta, and prevents spina bifida and other neural tube defects

Iron (27 mg) – Helps in the production of hemoglobin; prevents anemia, low birth weight, and premature delivery

Protein (71 g) – Helps in the production of amino acids; repairs cells

Zinc (11-12 mg) – Helps produce insulin and enzymes

Calcium (1,000 – 1,300 mg) – Creates strong bones and teeth, helps prevent blood clots, helps muscles and nerves function. Protects your bone density, and possibly prevent high blood pressure while pregnant.

A majority of these nutrients/vitamins can be met with a healthy balanced diet, however, more than 1,000 OB/GYN’s were surveyed* and reported that they discuss calcium needs more with pregnant women than they do women going through menopause. Over half also recommend that pregnant women take a calcium supplement during pregnancy.

You don’t need to take extra calcium when you are pregnant, but you do need to take in enough calcium to meet your daily requirements. Many multi- and prenatal vitamins only provide about 20-30% of the daily recommended amount of calcium for pregnant women – so what can you do??

I’ve always made sure to meet my calcium requirements with Viactiv calcium chews.

Taking just 2 Viactiv calcium chews a day will meet your daily 1000 mg calcium requirements! They are also the #1 doctor-recommended calcium supplement chew.

They help you obtain the adequate daily dose of calcium to your body, when your diet isn’t enough. They come in 2 delicious flavors – milk chocolate and caramel, which is a welcomed relief to a pregnant woman who gets a bit sick of the taste and texture of a regular vitamin or supplement. (It helps me when I’m nauseous from taking pills! Such a sweet flavor!)

Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews are available in milk chocolate and caramel flavors at major retailers including CVS, Rite Aid, Target, and Walmart, as well as supermarkets nationwide. Print this coupon to save $2 on your next in-store purchase of Viactiv.

Learn more about Viactiv at www.Viactiv.com.

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation on behalf of Viactiv that contains affiliate links. I received Viactiv products for my own personal use. This post is not intended to address or diagnose any medical conditions. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please speak with your healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns.

Over the past year or so our family has been trying to make positive, healthy changes in our lives. I am trying to incorporate more natural remedies to things that ail us, verses trying to medicate it all (*note: I am not anti-medicine. I LOVE medicine! lol. However, I do believe that there are natural non-side-effect causing products out there that can be just as effective).

One of these amazing natural products is cucumbers. One cup of cucumber provides your  11% vitamin K, 4% vitamin C, 2% of vitamin A of your daily needs. It also provides potassium, manganese, thiamin, riboflavin, B-6, folate, pontothenic acid, calcium iron, phosphorus, zinc and copper. It contains 115 grams of water, .9 grams of protein, .2 grams of fat, 2.9 grams of carbs and 16 calories. Cucumbers are the fourth most cultivated veggie in the world – and is known for one of the best foods for your bodies health.

Now obviously it sounds pretty healthy and good for your right? But think about what all the ‘health’ means:

Keeps You Hydrated. Some people have a hard time drinking water – or getting enough. A cucumber is 96% water. So eat away!

Bad Breathe Be Gone.  Putting a cucumber on the roof of your mouth can help you get rid of stinky breath! It fights odor-causing bacteria, and also helps heal diseased gums.

Skin & Hair Care. Cucumbers can be used to reduce skin irritations and sunburns (kind of like aloe). Of course we also all know the old trick of placing a slice over puffy eyes. The anti-inflammatory properties help reduce puffiness and bags. Also, the silicon and sulfur in cucumbers can help stimulate hair growth (take that bad haircut!)

Hangover Be-Gone. Drink too much and dreading waking up in the morning? Eat a few cucumber slices before bed. Cucumbers contain enough B vitamins, electrolytes and sugar to replenish many of your essential nutrients – which will help reduce a lingering hangover or headache.

Heartburn Relief. Eating cucumbers can actually reduce the acid in your body, and help you get heartburn relief.

Helps You Lose Weight. Since cucumbers have a low amount of calories and a high amount of water content, they are a perfect snack for those looking to lose weight. The high water and dietary fiber content in cucumbers are effective in ridding your body of toxins from the digestive system, and helping aide digestion.

Relieve Constipation. The same benefits that help you lose weight (high dietary fiber & water content) cucumbers can also help remedy chronic constipation when eaten on a daily basis. Cucumber skins contain insoluble fiber, which helps add bulk to your stool. This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination.

Relieves & Controls: Diabetes, Cholesterol & Blood Pressure. Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin – which has been beneficial to diabetics. A compound called sterols that is also found in cucumbers can help reduce cholesterol levels as well. Since they also contain a good amount of potassium, magnesium and fiber – they also work great at regulating blood pressure.

Protects Your Brain.  Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory called fisetin. This flavonol has been known to play an important roll in brain health. Not only can it help improve your memory, and protect your nerve cells, fisetin has been found to help prevent the progression of those with Alzheimer’s disease.

Energy Booster. With cucumbers containing a high amount of vitamin A, B and C  – it gives you more energy, and boost immunity to boot.  I always recommend putting a few slices of water in your water bottle – not only does it taste great, but it gives you all the extra benefits as well.

Reduces Your Risk of Developing Cancer. Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans – which may help to lower your risk of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers. They also contain phytonutrients called cucurbitacins which have anti-cancer properties. According to the George Mateljan Fountain “Scientiest have already determined that several different signaling pathways required for cancer cell development and survival can be blocked by activity of cucurbitacins”

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