PROTECTION
As unpleasant as it is, some
researchers believe that
the nausea and vomiting
of “morning sickness”
experienced by two-thirds
of pregnant women is
Mother Nature’s way of
protecting mothers and
babies from food-borne
illness, and also shielding
the baby from chemicals
that can deform fetal
organs at the most critical
time in development.
In the June 2000 issue of
The Quarterly Review
of Biology, Samuel M.
Flaxman and Paul W.
Sherman reported that
NVP (which stands for
“nausea and vomiting in
pregnancy,” as morning
sickness is known in the
medical world) actually
serves a beneficial
function. The finding
helps explain why many
pregnant women develop
an aversion to meats, as
well as to certain vegetables
and caffeinated beverages,
in early pregnancy and
prefer bland-tasting foods
instead.
RESEARCH
“Morning sickness’ is a complete
misnomer,” says Sherman,
Professor of Neurobiology and
Behavior at Cornell and co-author
of the report, “Morning Sickness:
A Mechanism for Protecting
Mother and Embryo.” “NVP
doesn’t occur just in the morning,
but at any time during the waking
hours, and it’s not a sickness in
the pathological sense. We should
change the name to ‘wellness
insurance.” Flaxman, a Cornell
Biology graduate student, says the
analysis of hundreds of studies
covering thousands of pregnancies
suggests that morning sickness
and the aversion to potentially
harmful foods is the body’s way of
preserving wellness of the mother
at a time when her immune
system is naturally suppressed (to
prevent rejection of the child that
is developing in her uterus) and
has reduced defenses against foodborne pathogens.
HOW IT HELPS
By creating food aversion, NVP
also protects against toxins and
from microorganisms and other
fetal organ-deforming chemicals.
Sherman says. “At that same time,
in the first trimester of pregnancy,
the cells of the tiny embryo are
differentiating and starting to
form structures. Those developing
structures and organ systems - such
as arms and legs, eyes and the
central nervous system - at this
critical stage of a new life could be
adversely affected by the teratogenic
phytochemicals in some food
plants.” During pregnancy, women
with morning sickness are shielding
the developing unborn from the
harsh chemicals by vomiting and
by learning to avoid certain foods
altogether until the fetus
develops beyond the most
susceptible stage. H
TIPS TO HELP WITH NAUSEA
Eat plain and dry cereal in the morning. It’s easy
on your stomach, especially without the milk.
Eat something salty before a meal. It helps to
prevent vomiting if you’ve had trouble keeping
food down.
Eat more protein. Try small protein-rich snacks
like nuts.
Eat cold foods – they give off fewer odors.
Eat small meals every two hours. Having an
empty stomach will almost always make you feel
sick.
Eat and drink slowly.
Nap during the day. Morning sickness will take a
lot out of you and you’ll always feel tired.
Get out of bed slowly in the morning.
Get a good night’s sleep.
Cook and sleep in a well-ventilated room. This
will keep strong odors from sticking around, and
the fresh air will help alleviate symptoms.
(Credit: www.babble.com)
Mar/Apr 2016
17