Fatigue during your pregnancy: how to increase your energy

Find out everything you need to know about pregnancy fatigue in this article written by our orthomolecular therapist; Mariella Wehman. 

One of the most well-known pregnancy symptoms is indeed extreme fatigue. This extreme  tired feeling could definitely be one that you have never felt before as a lot of women do recognise this symptom if they have been pregnant before. If your suspicions are confirmed by a pregnancy test – congrats!

How can you support yourself and improve your energy?

Why am I so tired?

Most women experience tremendous fatigue in their first trimester which is completely normal. During the first three months of pregnancy, all the fetus’ organs are being formed and the construction of the organs and the extra production of red blood cells require a lot of energy. On top of that, you are also experiencing fatigue due to hormonal changes. The hormone progesterone ensures that your pregnancy is maintained and has a calming effect on the body of a pregnant woman which also causes fatigue. You can, however, support your hormones before, during and after your pregnancy in many different ways. Such as eating healthy and unprocessed foods, getting a lot of rest and exercise, but also by taking natural adaptogens maca, dandelion and milk thistle. All which are incorporated into our BALANCE supplement.

Peace

In addition to adjusting your daily activities and resting more than usual, pregnancy also requires an increased intake of nutrients. The next nine months of your pregnancy focuses on the growth of your baby as well as the maintenance of your personal vitality, both tasks which your body takes on. Allow yourself to really listen to your body’s needs and make sure you plan moments to rest. Naps are also very beneficial as they can contribute to the growth of your unborn child and enable you to recharge.

New life requires extra nutrients

You cannot prevent fatigue during pregnancy from happening but the right nutrients can help. Your body’s needs for nutrients, such as B vitamins, C, D, iron, zinc, magnesium, iodine, calcium and essential fatty acids, increases. It is advisable to eat three to four balanced meals a day with sufficient proteins (organic eggs, meat, fish, nuts), essential omega 3 fatty acids (extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts, wild fish or herring) and good carbohydrates and fibers (vegetables, fruits, whole grain products) for energy.

These nutrients support a good hormone balance and they also stabilize your blood sugar. A fluctuating blood sugar is caused by eating too often and too many fast carbohydrates (processed, sugary food). This causes fatigue and a dip after your meal. An unstable blood sugar also causes stress in your body. Avoid stress as much as possible during your pregnancy, it has a negative effect on your intestinal flora and immunity, among other things.

A pregnancy multicomplex gives energy and limits complications during pregnancy!

The advice is therefore to significantly increase your intake of B vitamins, such as B6, active folic acid (folate) and B12. Through a pregnancy multivitamin complex you get the right amount of bioactive vitamins and minerals to support you and your unborn child. A good multi contributes to energy and vitality, it is less known that it also contributes to limiting complications during pregnancy such as fatigue (B vitamins, iron, iodine), reducing nausea (B6), limiting (repeated) miscarriages (B6, B11, B12 and C) and reduced immunity of the pregnant woman (C, D3, selenium, zinc). SUPS has developed the supplement MOM TO BE that provides pregnant women with these daily needs in this important phase of their lives.

A probiotic cure is very wise

Take good care of your intestinal flora and your digestion. Under the influence of increased progesterone and estrogen, the gastrointestinal system changes. Get plenty of fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables, and ensure proper hydration by drinking 2 liters of water daily.

A targeted probiotic treatment such as ALIVE from SUPS is a sensible idea and is completely safe during your pregnancy. This “broad spectrum” of good bacteria ensures a healthy intestinal flora and a good absorption of nutrients from your diet

Tips against fatigue

Orthomolecular nutritional advice during your pregnancy: energy assured!

  • Increase your iron intake: green (leaf) vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli or raw beets. The consumption of iron supply is high for sufficient production of red blood cells for the blood of the fetus and mother.
  • Make sure you have the right carbohydrates: these are vegetables (!), and to a lesser extent grains (although you certainly don’t have to avoid them). Preferably think of gluten-free grains, such as oatmeal, buckwheat, a basic muesli, sourdough bread and brown rice.
  • Ensure an increased intake of green leafy vegetables so that you increase your intake of folate (= active folic acid), iron, calcium and fiber. Preferably 500 grams of vegetables and 2 to 3 pieces of fruit per day. If you make a green smoothie or juice in the morning, you already have more than half of it. 
  • An example of smoothie ingredients could be with spinach, beets, avocado, banana, linseed, steamed broccoli, blueberries. Rich in fats, iron, folate, carbohydrates, vitamin C and antioxidants  and fiber! Try to vary when buying your fruits and vegetables. Change up your routine and pick different ones, this way you enrich the intake of different nutrients. Green vegetables such as bok choy and leaf lettuce for example, lend themselves very well to a vegetable smoothie. 
  • Take a daily SUPS REVIVE capsule with your meal. This way you already have 2.5 servings of fruit and vegetables rich in antioxidants that protect the cells of you and your fetus. This is especially advisable if you are concerned that you will not be able to get enough nutrition due to pregnancy sickness.
  • Eat proteins: true building materials for the mom and the baby. In the last months of pregnancy you need even more. Oily fish, such as wild salmon or herring (safe during your pregnancy), eat an egg or vegetable omelet very regularly, organic full-fat yogurt with bacterial culture, and unroasted nuts.
  • Add healthy fatty acids to your diet: for the development of the brain connections of the fetus and maintenance of the mother’s cognitive functions (counteracts so-called pregnancy dementia). It is advisable that you supplement omega 3 fatty acids daily with a supplement containing at least 500-750 mg DHA per day.
  • Zinc is also needed for the baby’s development and the immune system function of the  mom. And also contributes to beautiful skin because it counteracts inflammation in the skin.
Persistent fatigue solutions: MOM TO BE, BALANCE, REVIVE and ALIVE

It really isn’t that  strange that you are tired during your pregnancy! As you have read, many new physical processes are taking place: the development from embryo to baby is great! Good self-care for the mother-to-be is an advantage: sufficient rest, gentle exercise, fresh food for sufficient vitamins and minerals and high-quality supplements make a wonderful contribution to the physical and mental health of the mother-to-be and her unborn child. SUPS has developed premium supplements to empower you before, during and after your pregnancy. A valuable solution for energy and vitality. 

Read here about the benefits and ingredients of this total solution MOM TO BE, BALANCE, REVIVE and ALIVE: PREGG + GUT HEALTH.

If the fatigue persists or becomes too severe and therefore hinders your functioning, it may be wise to contact an obstetrician or doctor to have your blood values ​​checked.

By means of:

Mariella Wehman – SUPS Health Expert and Orthomolecular Therapist

In her Atelier Vitaal practice, she supports women during pregnancy and advises them on how to experience more energy during this phase. As a mother of four children, she felt very vital during her third pregnancy, with her twins, thanks to the use of her orthomolecular knowledge about nutrition and supplements during pregnancy.

www.ateliervitaal.nl

Hormonal balance: here is how you can get that hormone balance back in order!

You’re re reading this blog because you already know about our supplements orare here after a Google search on the word “hormonal balance” Whether you have been consciously working on your health for some time or are at the start of a search for a remedy for less energetic periods, the answer may well lie in a disturbed hormonal balance.

Do you think you might be experiencing  a disturbed hormonal  balance? If so, please pay attention to this, as a disturbed hormonal balance can seriously lead to health problems. This  is why it is important to understand how female hormones work and how you can restore and maintain their balance. 

Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-way solution to restore and balance back  your hormones . It’s a complex subject and we think it is very important to go a bit more into detail for you to get the full picture. 

What is Hormonal Balance?

Hormonal balance is the correct ratio of hormones that you have in your body. . It’s a topic we often hear and talk about , but what actually are hormones ? Here’s what Van Dale says about it:  

hor·mone (plural: hormones) substance secreted by glands and of great importance to the organism

More specifically, hormones are all the chemicals produced by glands in our body which are then  carried through the bloodstream to other parts of the body to regulate various processes. Hormones play an important role in many bodily functions, such as metabolism, growth, reproduction and mood. As you can see hormones have quite an important role, hence the importance to talk about it. 

Disturbed hormonal balance

We have just touched on it: a disturbed hormonal balance can lead to health problems. Your hormones can become unbalanced for various reasons. Think of (too much) stress, age, illness, little sleep or wrong nutrition. This can result in countless complaints such as fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, depression, acne and irregular menstruation. In short: a hormone imbalance  manifests itself in various annoying ways.

Hormonal balance for women

“It must be my hormones.” It’s a statement you’ve probably heard – or said yourself.

Women experience various hormonal changes throughout their lives. This means that the body needs different attention in different phases of life. The balance of hormones in women is partly influenced by the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause.

During the menstrual cycle, estrogen production increases, leading to ovulation and subsequently progesterone production. A lack of estrogen can lead to irregular periods and symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings.

During menopause, estrogen production decreases, which can lead to symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and fatigue.

Because hormonal imbalance can arise due to many different factors, it is important that hormones function as they should. Once balanced, they increase your well being via enabling you to get more energy, your mood, sleep and overall your complete well being. 

Restore hormone balance

Restoring your hormonal balance can be done in different ways. It is of course important that you have the healthiest possible lifestyle. Try and think of;

  • A balanced diet with as many pure and fresh products, vegetables and fruit as possible
  • Sufficient daily exercise
  • Enough sleep
  • A lot of water
  • Various relaxating moments

Why not give  yourself an extra walk when the sun is shining, that shopping session in an organic store you’ve been thinking about ,or even going to bed that one hour earlier. All of these things can  actually be very  helpful for improving your hormones’ levels.

Supplements for your hormonal balance

We have good news! Specific supplements help restore your hormone balance. At SUPS we know how important hormonal  balance is. That’s why many of our supplements for women are designed to balance and maintain hormones in various ways.

For example, the Balance – mood & hormones is the ideal  supplement if you feel unbalanced, you are attacked by mood swings and could use some hormonal balance. Maca (an important herb that we will discuss later) and B6 are the main ingredients.

Do you really want to boost your endocrine system? Our Female bestseller, hormones + mood support and destress sets are your route to success. We receive many positive reactions to our products from women who finally feel calm in their bodies again, are happier and have fewer complaints about their cycle.

View the full overview of our hormones + mood supplements and discover which set is most suitable for you.

Which herbs help with a good hormone balance?

The Peruvian plant Maca has hormone-regulating properties. The adaptogenic herb has been used for thousands of years to help manage  women’s complaints. Today, it still reduces menopausal symptoms and improves fertility. There are several studies that support the effectiveness of maca in restoring hormone balance, which is why we thought Maca was an important ingredient for our supplement Balance – mood & hormones supplement. 

Hormone-disrupting substances: which substances should you  avoid?

We now know which supplements, herbs and  habits are helpful when you strive for a good hormone balance, but surely  you also would like to know which hormone-disrupting substances you want to avoid.

We come into contact with foreign chemicals every day. These substances can disrupt your hormonal balance. The RIVM reports that much is still unknown about the consequences of coming into contact with endocrine disrupting substances. Yet there are many concerns about exposure to these substances, especially during pregnancy or for babies. According to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, the harmfulness of  substances  depend on the amount you ingest and in which phase of your life you are.

Although you’re probably expecting a  list of substances to avoid permanently, we can’t give you a complete list. It is however known that a large amount of the following substances can be endocrine disrupting:

  • Phthalates (this is used to ensure that plastic is not too hard)
  • Bisphenols (this is used as a base to make plastics and some of them are endocrine disruptors)
  • Different ingredients in the contraceptive pill

Do you have doubts about your health? Always consult a doctor. Would you like to know which supplements suit you best? We lovingly created a page where you can link your complaints to our problem-solving supplements. Are you stuck? Feel free to contact us.