Herbs and your Pregnancy Diet

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Pregnancy brings about a lot of changes and adjustments for you. It is very important that you take care of yourself and lead a healthy lifestyle. One of the precautionary measures you need to do during your pregnancy is to watch what you eat since it will affect your baby”s development.

While most herbs are good for the human body, there are some that may cause problems for your pregnancy. Some of these herbs should be avoided because they can have a bad effect on reproductive organs or simply because of naturally occurring substances found in them that can be harmful for your pregnancy.

  • Anthraquinone Laxatives such as aloe, docks, and senna herbs stimulate muscles including the uterus, which can possibly cause miscarriage. They also stimulate the colon which can also have the same impact on the uterus
  • Emmenagogues herbs like poke root, periwinkle, and licorice help regulate and promote menstruation, which must be avoided during pregnancy.
  • Oil containing herbs should never be taken internally especially during your pregnancy as they can have harmful effects on the placenta and fetus. Some herbs that contain essential oils that you should avoid include wild celery, yarrow, sage, and nutmeg.
  • Culinary herbs like basil and oregano used for cooking are usually same in small amounts but not in larger portions like that found in teas.
  • Alkaloid herbs are the most potent of all since they produce a wide variety of pharmacological effects. Examples of which are ginseng, golden seal, coltsfoot, bloodroot, and barberry.

Uterine stimulant like mayapple, mistletoe, passion flower, and worm wood should be avoided for the same reason as that of anthraquinone laxatives.

While herbs provide a lot of medicinal benefits as well as flavor in your cooking among other benefits, it is safe to say that as much as possible, stay away from herbs until you give birth in order to make sure that it will not affect your pregnancy. Just stick to vegetables and some spices and you’ll be good.

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