Nutrition: Balance Diet & Healthy Food for Optimal Health

Introduction

Nutrition is fundamentally about eating a balanced diet and healthy food to get the required nutrients. Proper nutrition is one of the essential aspects of human health, balanced diet combined with physical activity promotes a healthy weight and reduces risks infections. Proper nutrition is necessary for the general population; however, pregnant patients require special care and nutrition to protect herself during pregnancy and encourage proper development of the baby. Food substances such as vitamins, calcium, folic acid and iron are crucial for pregnant women. Martial nutrition in gestation period has significant impacts of foetal and placental metabolism, growth and development. Overnutrition and undernutrition are some of the concepts involved in nutrition and pregnancy; they pose critical problems. The effects of overnutrition during pregnancy has been highlighted by many medical research studies as a considerable factor causing severe metabolic outcomes on children later in life (Geraghty et al., 2015). Malnutrition and the composition of diet have a significant impact on fetoplacental metabolic patterns and growth.

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Periconceptional nutrition is another concepts of concern during pregnancy period. The periconceptional period is one of the critical stages in pregnancy that influences later period of pregnancy and infant development. Pregnancy physiology also plays a vital role in pregnancy, and pregnant women undergo significant physiological and anatomical changes during this period to allow proper growth and development of the foetus. Poor nutrition during the periconceptional period and pregnancy period can result in adverse metabolic processes of the foetus leading to saver health conditions later in offspring's life (Walsh & McAuliffe, 2015). Proper food intake, including a balanced diet, is critical at pregnancy period to meet the emerging physiological statuses. Maternal nutrients during pregnancy provide are essential because of the developing physiological and metabolic processes that require an adequate supply of specific foods substances. This paper, therefore, defines some of the critical concepts of nutrition and pregnancy and the importance of balanced diet among pregnant patients.

Concepts Related to Nutrition and Pregnancy

Periconceptional Nutrition

The periconceptional period is one of the critical stages in pregnancy, and it is defined as 5 to 6 months period of women embracing oocyte fertilization, growth, conception formation up to the 10th week of gestation (Geraghty et al., 2015). Periconceptional nutrition is one of the concepts in nutrition and pregnancy that has not been given adequate consideration. It is, however, crucial and requires considerable nutritional attention to sustain developing epigenetic modifi9cation and other metabolic functions. Most of the pregnancy failures originate from this period, and they are influenced by nutrition and lifestyle. Pregnant patients need to consider eating a balanced diet and engage in proper lifestyle activities to promote healthy foetal development and reduce the risks of reproductive failures. There are several food substances required to meet appropriate nutritional requirements during this period. One of the leading food supplementations is periconceptional folic acid.

Pregnant patients and caregivers need to ensure that folic acids form part of the diet. Nutritional status before and during the early stages of pregnancy play a significant role. Research studies show that poor nutrition during the periconceptional period may lead to neural tube defects (Geraghty et al., 2015). This condition is critical and may cause adverse health conditions later in the life of the offspring. It is crucial to highly consider proper nutritional interventions to reduce the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Congenital malformations or congenital disabilities are functional and abnormalities that present from birth. It essential to understand that this may be as a result of micronutrient deficiencies involved in the periconceptional period. Neural tube defects like spina bifida is one of the most common health condition related to lack of proper periconceptional nutrition (Walsh & McAuliffe, 2015). Folic acid supplements, therefore, serves a critical role during the periconceptional period. Nutritional supplies at this period ensure are meant to prepare for the rising demands of foetal growth and development later during pregnancy.

Undernutrition during Pregnancy

Undernutrition during pregnancy is defined as a state of maternal nutrition where micronutrients or macronutrients intake is less. It implies that food stored for foetal development and other body functions for a pregnant woman is insufficient. Inadequate intake of nutrients and energy required to meet positive pregnancy outcome of a mother and the baby is one of the nutritional problems facing women. Most of the research finding shows that pregnant patients with undernutrition problems during the periconceptional period have increased risks of metabolic disorders such as gestational diabetes. They are at risk of experiencing critical complications during childbirth (Ho, Flynn & Pasupathy, 2016). Maternal undernutrition may adversely affect the development of the foetus. At the periconceptional period, pregnant patients should consider taking adequate nutrients and ensures a balanced diet to reduce risk of undernutrition-related problems.

Malnutrition increases the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes including low-birth-weight infants, premature birth, postpartum haemorrhage and obstruction labour. Proper nutrition is crucial for pregnant patients at all stages of gestation (Walsh & McAuliffe, 2015). Effects of malnutrition in pregnancy are severe, the quality (balanced diet) and the quality of food intake play a significant role in the prevention of health condition such as hypertension and miscarriage.

Pregnancy Physiology

Pregnancy consists of a series of physiological changes that take place with the body of the mother to adjust into the new condition to provide a conducive environment for nurturing the developing foetus as well as prepare a mother for childbirth. Some of the physiological changes impact average biochemical and metabolic values, while others mimic or influences symptoms of medical conditions. Pregnancy physiology, therefore, describes physiological changes that occur during pregnancy and helps t differentiate these changes from abnormal adaptations. Pregnancy is considered as a physiological event by itself because it is a complex process which involves critical physiological changes. Some of these changes are associated with frequent change in moods, ambivalence, fatigue, depressive reactions, exhaustion and sleeplessness.

For a present patient to adjust to these changes effectively and encourage positive pregnancy outcomes, it is essential to consider eating a balanced diet. Most of the research studies show that energy and protein metabolism facilitates proper adjustment to the physiological changes (Ho, Flynn & Pasupathy, 2016). For instance, by the second through the last quarter of pregnancy, foetal demands are high, and the physiological adaptation ate these time allow nitrogen retention. Therefore preprint nutrition influences energy availability for the proper foetal development.

Balanced diet before and during pregnancy is essential to boost energy reserves and maintain basal metabolic rate. Most of the pregnant women tend to change patterns of food intake, and this may influence physiological adjustments. However, taking a balanced diet helps to regulate the appearance of these changes as a result of physiological adaptations. Failure to maintain proper food intake would affect the growth and development of the foetus more adversely than the mother's physiological condition and health. It is, therefore, crucial to maintaining a balanced diet to ensure that a pregnant woman can manage easy physiological adjustments and cope with the new changes. Nutrient adjustments in terms of supply and the amount of each of the food substance are essential to consider to influence proper physiological changes.

Energy Restriction and Proper Weight Gain in Pregnant Patients

Overnutrition before and during pregnancy have long-term effects on offspring and health complications among pregnancy patients. Energy restriction intervention is used to promote healthy food intake and proper weight gain. The process of restricting food intake in terms of quality and quality is referred to as energy restriction.

It is a crucial concept in nutrition and pregnancy to ensure that the foetus and the mother have adequate energy and avoid inappropriate or excessive food intake (Ho, Flynn & Pasupathy, 2016). Obese and pregnant women must consider eating a balanced diet. It is essential to have an average weight gain during pregnancy; energy intake requirements must be highly restricted to avoid overweight.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Gestation period involves numerous psychological and somatic events. Nutrition during pregnancy is very critical; a pregnant woman requires special nutritional attention. Pregnancy consists of a series of physiological changes to adjust to the new conditions resulting from fertilization and foetal growth and development. Pregnant patients require. Different concepts need to be put into consideration, as discussed in the above sections. All these concepts serve a critical role in ensuring that the mother and the developing baby are in good health. Balanced diet the main point of concern in the nutrition of the pregnant patient. All the necessary food substances must be provided for the pregnant patient to increase their ability to adjust to the dynamic physiological status.

The periconceptional period has been identified as one of the critical stages in the gestation period. Nutritional requirements at this stage are crucial, and a patient must consider taking the recommended food before and during the early stages of pregnancy. It is vital to make a balanced diet a routine to ensure that the body is at an excellent position to support foetal development and maintain the good health of the mother. Exposure to overnutrition during pregnancy is inappropriate because it would increase body weight beyond the average, leading to obesity in later pregnancy. Weight gain is highly associated with food intake, and it depends on individual health condition and energy intake. It is normal to have weight gain during pregnancy, but this should be controlled to avoid the obese state, energy restriction, therefore, is useful in maintaining proper weight gain.

All pregnant patients should consider taking balanced diet before and during the gestation period. Folic acid and other nutritional contents are essential in preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes and health conditions such as neural tube defects. Pregnant patients should get adequate advice and guidelines about dietary requirements before and during pregnancy period. Martial nutrition during pregnancy period can influence the health condition of the offspring after birth. Besides, there are other complications associated with improper nutrition during pregnancy. Physiological adjustments require proper nutritional guidelines and proper food intake as well as proper lifestyle activities. Besides nutritional requirements, pregnant patients should be given enough psychological support to prevent stressors and other psychological factors that may alter the work of energy intake.