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Diet during Pregnancy

Getting pregnant, an important moment every wife been waiting for in her life. Pregnancy is a beautiful, memorable moments that will carve in the memory of each woman. Many people wonder “what should I do?” “How should I eat?” “Are these foods safe for my babies?” Many of the women will turn to the elderly who experienced it before. However the correct info is vital to ensure the baby growing well and healthy. Note: FOOD EATEN DURING THE FIRST 3 MONTHS OF PREGNANCY AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF BABY AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF ORGAN IS MOSTLY DONE AT THAT TIME!!

What is the food requirement for a pregnant woman?

Many people believe that during pregnancy the need of food is double the amount as compared to usual food habit eaten by the mother. However this is not entirely true. During pregnancy, it’s important to eat a variety of healthy foods. Eating at least three meals a day and healthy snacks is probably the best way to consume a greater variety of foods. It is true that the amount should be increased but the amount is not necessarily double the usual amount and the variety of healthy food is more important rather than the amount. However try to aim more than minimum requirements in each category in food pyramid. Food Pyramid for Asian!!

Generally a pregnant woman needs 1,800 to 2,800 calories daily. During pregnancy the amount of proteins, carbohydrate, minerals and vitamins are vital for fetal wellbeing. There are few important nutrients should be taken adequately during pregnancy which includes:

1. Folic Acid

2. Iron, Vitamin B12

3. Calcium

4. Protein

5. Carbohydrate

6. Vitamin C

Folic acid is important for development of nervous system especially in early pregnancy. So any pregnant mother should make sure they have adequate amount of folic acid by taking folic acid supplement. Studies shown that 600 microgram of folic acid significantly reduces risk of nervous system malformation particularly neural tube defect (incomplete closure of spine), or anencephaly (absence of brain).

Food that rich in folic acid:

1. Fortified breakfast cereals

2. Fortified whole-grain breads

3. Leafy green vegetables

4. Dried peas and beans

5. Citrus fruits and juices, such as oranges and grapefruits

6. Bananas

7. Cantaloupe

8. Tomatoes

On the other hand, iron also important as it is one of the component used to build red blood cells (cells that is responsible to carry oxygen) in an individuals. For mother iron is essential as during the pregnancy maternal blood will be diluted (blood volume expands) and if your iron demands are not met, mother will develops iron deficiency anemia (a condition where lack of red blood cells manifest by easy fatigability, dizziness, prone to infection). During fetal life iron is vital especially during 7-8 weeks of pregnancy onwards where the bone marrow starts to actively produce red blood cells and this is when oxygen. When the pregnancy reach term (37-42 weeks of pregnancy) mother should remember that she will deliver the baby soon and she will lose average of 250-500mL of blood. When this occurred, it will be major problem for the mother if she has underlying anemia (lack of red blood cells) and it is one of leading cause of maternal death during pregnancy. So pregnant mother, please take note to top-up your iron intake during pregnancy. Note: Iron supplement given by health clinic (particularly ferrous sulphate) may leads to constipation, but DO NOT STOP MEDICATION BY YOURSELF!! Try to ask you doctor for newer generation of iron supplement such as ferrous fumarate.

Food that rich in iron:

1. Red meat

2. Spinach

3. Fish

4. Tofu

5. Dried fruits such as raisins and prunes

6. Nuts

7. Whole grain, fortified breads and cereals

Vitamin B-12 also plays an important role in red blood cells synthesis and formation of nervous system. Lack of vitamin B-12 may leads to megaloblastic anemia (lack of red blood cells with large size of red blood cell) and demyelination of nervous system (loss of nerve covering).

Other than that, Calcium is responsible for formation of strong bones and teeth. When you’re pregnant and breast-feeding, you need 1,000 to 1,500 mg a day. That’s about 40 percent more than most adult women require. Several forms of calcium supplements are available namely calcium carbonate or calcium citrate. Never take oyster shell or bone meal calcium also known as dolomite and calcium appetite because it may be contaminated with lead and other harmful chemicals that is harmful to your baby.

Food that rich in calcium:

1. Milk

2. Cheese

3. Yogurt

4. Salmon

5. Spinach

6. Broccoli

7. Dried beans

8. Papaya

9. Orange

10. Fruit juices, breakfast cereals

Protein and carbohydrate also plays important role in pregnancy as it provides energy source for cell formation, tissue growth and brain development. Apart from that protein and carbohydrate also provide energy for synthesis of fetal organ and for mother it is also essential as the basal metabolism increased during pregnancy state.

Vitamin C is also important for iron absorption for both mother and fetal. Usually it will be prescribed together with iron supplement to prevent iron deficiency anemia. Foods that are rich in Vitamin C include mango, kiwi and oranges.

Vitamin A also useful to ensure baby healthy skin, eyesight and bone growth. However NEVER TAKE VITAMIN A EXCESSIVELY as it might cause defects in baby’s bone, heart, nervous system, head and face. Studies suggested that Vitamin A should not be taken more than 5000IU.

What to eat if morning sickness occurred?

If morning sickness makes this impossible, try eating a series of snacks or small meals throughout the day. Remember that you can get servings from several food groups at once if you eat them in combination. A slice of cheese pizza, for example, would count toward servings in the grain (crust), vegetable (tomato sauce) and dairy (cheese) groups.

What if I am vegetarian?

For a vegetarian, aim for non-dairy source available for each nutrient requirement based on food pyramid (above). If you’re a vegetarian, you can continue to follow your diet during pregnancy and have a healthy baby. But you’ll need to plan and review your food intake. Eating variety of food is the key to maintain adequate nutrients intake per day. Usually vegetarians are having problem to consume enough zinc, vitamin B-12, iron, calcium and folic acid. To overcome these problems, try to practice this tips:

1. Eat at least four servings of calcium-rich foods each day. Nondairy sources include broccoli, kale, dried beans, and calcium-fortified juices, cereals and soy products.

2. Add more energy-rich foods to your diet. This is particularly important if you’re having trouble gaining enough weight. Good sources include nuts, nut butters, seeds and dried fruit.

3. Seek advice on supplements. Many vegetarians need a vitamin B-12 supplement. A prenatal vitamin that supplements other nutritional needs. Consult your healthcare provider for further details.

What food to avoid during pregnancy?

1. Undercooked poultry and ground meat – raw undercooked poultry and ground meat is a source of bacterial which are responsible for food poisoning. Salmonella and listeria particularly dangerous bacterium during pregnancy. It may cause dissemination to baby’s circulation and may leads to meningitis (infection in a layer covering the brain) eventually miscarriage of the baby.

2. Raw undercooked seafood

Frozen and fresh fish should be cooked properly especially during pregnancy as it almost always contaminated by bacterial and viral. When you cook seafood, 10 minutes rule should be applied. This involves measuring thickest part of the seafood and cooking at least 10 minutes per inch thickness at 450°F. For example cooking shrimps and other shellfish will take around 3-6 minutes. Fish such as tilefish, shark, and swordfish should be avoided as it contains large amount of chemical contamination such as mercury.

3. Raw fruits and vegetables should be avoided and if consumed it should be washed thoroughly to prevent pesticide poisoning

4. Fizzy drinks and coffee

Heartburn and indigestion pain is common during pregnancy. It is because the increase of intra-abdominal pressure. The consumption of fizzy drinks aggravates this condition so it is wise to limit fizzy drinks consumption. On the other hand fizzy drinks and coffee if taken in large amount (300 mg or three 5 oz. cups of coffee) may cause preterm delivery, low birth weight and even worse miscarriage.

5. Stay away from alcohol

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is dangerous during pregnancy. During intoxication the mother may vomit until severely dehydrated. Dehydration is dangerous during pregnancy as the fluid requirements is more during pregnancy. On the other hand heavy alcohol consumption may leads to fetal alcohol syndrome. This syndrome characterized by facial anomalies, cardiac defect, limbs abnormalities, delayed motor development and mental deficiency. Avoid drinking more than 40 units a week.

6. Stay away from cigarette smoke

Cigarette smoking or exposure to its smoke may cause the noxious chemical enters the baby’s circulation during pregnancy. The exposure may leads to miscarriage, low birth weight baby, and even worse may leads to delivery of handicapped baby.

Level	Equivalent to 1 serving (Note: In pregnancy aim to eat more than minimum requirement per day)	Number of Servings
1	· 1 slice of wholemeal bread · ½ cup cooked rice · ½ cup soaked bihun, mee or pasta · ½ side-plate-sized capati · 1 cup plain rice porridge · ½ cup ready-to-eat breakfast cereal · 1 medium-sized potato · 3 plain biscuits	8-12
2	Fruits · ½ medium-sized guava · 1 small to medium whole orange, pear or apple · 1 medium-sized banana · 1 slice papaya, pineapple, watermelon Vegetables · ½ cup cooked dark green leafy vegetables with edible stems · ½ cup cooked fruit or root vegetables	3-5
3	· 1 medium-sized chicken drumstick · 1 medium-sized ikan kembong · 2 matchbox-sized lean meat · 5 dessert spoon headless ikan bilis	2-3
4	· 1 glass of milk · 1 cup yoghurt · 1 slice cheese	1-2
5	· Limit this type of food intake	Small Quantity

Source: Malaysian Dietary Guidelines,
National Coordinating Committee on Food and Nutrition,
Ministry of Health, Malaysia 1999

Acne, a nightmare for any young generation nowadays. From smooth and beautiful facial skin turns into dirty spots that tarnish the beauty that suppose to be owned by any individual.

So what actually is acne?? Acne is derived from greek word “acme” or “a prime of life”. It is actually a lesion in the sebaceous gland (a.k.a. sebum gland or oily gland) of hair follicle. The common sites of acne are face, earlobe, back, chest, and anogenital area. However the facial acne is particularly a nuisance for an individual as it is the most visible one.

Even though sebaceous gland is responsible for acne, it also holds certain functions. It functions to secrete sebum which composed from triglyceride, fatty acid, wax esters, and sterols. This sebum is responsible to lubricate the skin, prevent crack of the skin and to cool down skin during hot weather.

How does sebaceous gland causing acne?? The changes happen during acne started with increase in sebum secretions. Then the keratin lining of sebaceous duct will get thickened and forms comedones or black spots (or white spots). The change of colour of comedone is due to melanin. As the sebum secretions increase in amount, a bacteria known as Propionibacterium acnes proliferates inside the sebum. After that, inflammation will occur around the sebaceous gland and produce acne. Basically, the main culprit that is causing acne is increase in sebum secretion.

So what causing the increase in sebum secretions?? There are few causes of increase sebum secretions includes hormonal factor, fluid retention, dietary habit, season changes, exogenous factor, and medications.

Hormonal factor plays an important role in sebum secretions as increase in androgen (male hormone) will cause increase in sebaceous glands size which in turn increase the amount of its secretions. This explains why the male adolescent is more common to get acne compared to adolescent girls.

Fluid retention particularly during premenstrual period leads to increase hydration and swelling of sebaceous duct. This explains why there is exacerbation of acne during the premenstrual period. Apart from that sweating also makes acne worse due to same mechanism.

Dietary habits of eating chocolate, nuts, fizzy drinks or coffee worsen acne problems. However the exact mechanism on how these foods causing acne has yet to be determined.

Acne often improves with natural sunlight and it is worse during winter. The Ultraviolet light said to improves acne however the efficacy of the UV light treatment is unpredictable. Exogenous exposure to oils (particularly common in cooks in hot kitchen) has known to worsen acne. Exogenous exposure to coal tar, dicophane (DDT), and polychlorinated biphenols also has known to worsen acne.

Some medications also can worsen acne. These medications include corticosteroids (both systemic and topical), androgen and combined oral contraceptive pills (COCP). Consult with the doctor who prescribed the medication if acne problems arise from usage of these medications.

So what should we do if we have acne?? Relax, acne is usually resolved spontaneously and it is not infectious. There are few methods to hasten the resolution of acne which includes conservative method, topical cream, and medications.

The conservative method is done by applying hot wet soft cloth on the face (simple alternative to facial sauna), followed by gentle rubbing in a plain soap, or diluted Savlon solution (an antiseptic solution). This will cause dissolution of comedone however they (particularly savlon solution) may cause considerable skin scaling and dryness. NEVER PINCH THE ACNE!! Pinching the acne will expose the acne to secondary infection and it is responsible for ugly scar on the skin.

Topical cream for acne is widely available nowadays. It is up to the consumer to choose which one is the most suitable. The best topical cream for acne should contain Benzoyl peroxide in concentrations of 1–10%, salicylic acid and vitamin A solution. So try to find out the best solution for your acne problem. Note: Benzoyl Peroxide may irritates the skin depends on your type of skin (for example oxy: picture below)

If both conservative method and topical cream are unsuccessful, consult your doctor for antibiotic. Commonly prescribed antibiotic for acne is tetracycline. However the treatment needs time, sometimes need months to take effect. Other alternative for tetracycline are erythromycin and co-trimoxazole.

Newly available treatments are UV light therapy, antiandrogen, and synthetic retinoids. However the efficacy of these treatments has yet to be determined.

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Payment

There are currently three (3) Payment options available includes:

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Everyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it that makes a difference

Don’t be afraid of new ideas. Be afraid of old ideas. They keep you where you are and stop you from growing and moving forward. Concentrate on where you want to go, not on what you fear

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to always be right by having no ideas at all

Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple, learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen

Ideas are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the desert waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny

Everyone is well equipped with an incredible potential for absorbing

knowledge.

Let your imagination, the key to learning and memory,

unleash that brain power and propel you along at ever-increasing

speeds.

It’s not an exclusive path with access granted only to those

with a special gift for learning. It is, instead, available to everyone

who has a brain. Anything’s possible."

On the other shore of sadness,
It is said that there is a smile,

Finally we arrived.
But what are we waiting for?
The purpose is not to run away,
It’s to chase after dreams

We should have gone out to travel
On that summer day so long ago
Even tomorrow, if you see it
Though there isn’t a sigh either.
Like a ship going against the current flow.
Right now, go forward, move ahead.

In a place worn down by sadness
something called a miracle, is waiting
Yet we are still searching
for the sunflower that grows at the end of spring

The warrior who awaits the morning light
before he can clasp it with red nails,
his tears glitter and fall

Even if we’ve grown used to loneliness
only relying on the light of the moon
We have to fly away with featherless wing
just go forward, just a little further

Even if it cuts through the rain and clouds,
The wet roads shine,
Only the dark will teach,
A stronger and stronger light,
Be strong, go forward, move ahead.

In the Holy Quran, God speaks about
the stages of man’s embryonic development:

We created man from an extract of
clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed.
Then We
made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the
alaqah into a mudghah (chewed substance)… ¹ (Quran, 23:12-14)

Literally, the Arabic word alaqah

has three meanings: (1) leech, (2) suspended thing, and (3) blood clot.

In
comparing a leech to an embryo in the alaqah

stage, we find similarity between the two²
as we can see in figure 1. Also, the
embryo at this stage obtains nourishment from the blood of the mother, similar
to the leech, which feeds on the blood of others.³

The second meaning of the word
alaqah

is “suspended thing.” This is what we can see in figures 2 and 3, the
suspension of the embryo, during the alaqah

stage, in the womb of the mother.

The third meaning of the word alaqah

is “blood clot.” We find that the external appearance of the embryo
and its sacs during the alaqah

stage is similar to that of a blood clot. This is due to the presence of
relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo during this stage⁴
(see figure 4). Also during this stage, the
blood in the embryo does not circulate until the end of the third week.⁵
Thus, the embryo at this stage is like
a clot of blood.

So the three meanings of the word alaqah

correspond accurately to the descriptions of the embryo at the alaqah

stage.

The next stage mentioned in the verse is the mudghah

stage. The Arabic word mudghah

means “chewed substance.” If one were to take a piece of gum and
chew it in his or her mouth and then compare it with an embryo at the mudghah

stage, we would conclude that the embryo at the mudghah

stage acquires the appearance of a chewed substance. This is because of
the somites at the back of the embryo that “somewhat resemble teethmarks in
a chewed substance.”⁶ (see figures 5 and 6).

How
could Muhammad
have possibly known all this 1400 years ago, when scientists have only recently
discovered this using advanced equipment and powerful microscopes which did not
exist at that time? Hamm and Leeuwenhoek were the first scientists to observe
human sperm cells (spermatozoa) using an improved microscope in 1677 (more than
1000 years after Muhammad ).
They mistakenly thought that the sperm cell contained a miniature preformed
human being that grew when it was deposited in the female genital tract.⁷

Professor
Emeritus Keith L. Moore⁸ is one of the world’s most prominent scientists in the
fields of anatomy and embryology and is the author of the book entitled The
Developing Human, which has been translated into eight languages. This book is a scientific
reference work and was chosen by a special committee in the United States as the
best book authored by one person. Dr. Keith Moore is Professor Emeritus of
Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. There,
he was Associate Dean of Basic Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine and for 8
years was the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy. In 1984, he received the
most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B.
Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He has directed many
international associations, such as the Canadian and American Association of
Anatomists and the Council of the Union of Biological Sciences.

In
1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Professor
Moore said: “It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements
in the Quran about human development. It is clear to me that these statements
must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was
not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must
have been a messenger of God.”

Consequently,
Professor Moore was asked the following question: “Does this mean that you
believe that the Quran is the word of God?” He replied: “I find no
difficulty in accepting this.”¹⁰

During
one conference, Professor Moore stated: “….Because the staging of human
embryos is complex, owing to the continuous process of change during
development, it is proposed that a new system of classification could be
developed using the terms mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah

(what Muhammad said, did, or approved of). The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and
conforms with present embryological knowledge. The intensive studies of the Quran
and hadeeth

(reliably transmitted reports by the Prophet Muhammad’s
companions of what he said, did, or approved of) in the last four years have
revealed a system for classifying human embryos that is amazing since it was
recorded in the seventh century A.D. Although Aristotle, the founder of the
science of embryology, realized that chick embryos developed in stages from his
studies of hen’s eggs in the fourth century B.C., he did not give any details
about these stages. As far as it is known from the history of embryology, little
was known about the staging and classification of human embryos until the
twentieth century. For this reason, the descriptions of the human embryo in the Quran
cannot be based on scientific knowledge in the seventh century. The only
reasonable conclusion is: these descriptions were revealed to Muhammad from God.
He could not have known such details because he was an illiterate man with
absolutely no scientific training.”

References

(1) Please note that what is between these special brackets ... in this web site is only

a translation of the meaning of the Quran. It is not the Quran itself, which is in Arabic.

(2) The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 8.

(3) Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, p. 36.

(4) Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, pp. 37-38.

(5) The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 65.

(6) The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 8.

(7) The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 9.

(8) Note: The occupations of all the scientists mentioned in this web site were last

updated in 1997.

(9) The reference for this saying is This is the Truth (videotape). For a copy of this

videotape, please visit this page

(10) This is the Truth (videotape), please visit this page

(11) This is the Truth (videotape), please visit this page