Preventing
preeclampsia
http://www.empoweredchildbirth.com/...eeclampsia.html
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"What ifs?"
What if my blood pressure
goes too high?
Higher blood pressure readings during pregnancy are usually
perfectly normal. As our blood volume increases, our circulatory system works
harder than ever to move the blood around. For most of us, this is no big deal,
but for somewhere between 5-10% of pregnant women, the numbers creep high enough
to cause concern. Normally, any reading above 140 (mm Hg in medical terms,
points for the rest of us) systolic and/or 90 mm Hg diastolic is considered high
blood pressure but for those women who normally run BPs either very low or
borderline high the increase of 30 points systolic and/or 15 points diastolic is
enough to cause some concern.
There are 2 basic concerns when the numbers
get high. The first and statistically least likely problem is purely circulatory
in nature. Your blood vessels are struggling under the stress of your increased
blood volume. In this case you would look for options that will either
strengthen the blood vessels or reduce the heart rate. In other words, eat more
green leafies, fruits and vegetables and relax, meditate and de-stress your life
(I know, easier written by me than it is to actually do, but you're worth
it).
The second and by far more likely and more widely promoted is a
condition known as pre-eclampsia or toxemia of
pregnancy. It is a widely studied and much misunderstood condition that requires
a discovery of protein in the urine combined with the above mentioned high blood
pressure reading in order to diagnose it. OBGYN.net has a page outlining the
various definitions of the symptoms of this disorder but current research is
showing that the roots of pre-eclampsia are developing by
the 8th week so let's not bicker about how to diagnose it, let's learn to
prevent it, OK?
Michel Odent has a wonderful paper on his more holistic
approach to pre-eclampsia (you might have to
register on MedScape in order to read it though). He writes:
"Theoretically, the most direct way to prevent preeclampsia would be to
consume sea fish that is rich in n-3 polyunsaturates and also in minerals that
are essential nutrients for the brain (eg, iodine, selenium, and zinc). This
conforms with the geographical variations in the rates of preeclampsia and with
the results of our encouragement of pregnant women to eat fish from the sea. In
order to reach significant conclusions, large studies of this kind are needed in
countries where the rates of preeclampsia and eclampsia are high."
"Until
now, all studies have been conducted in wealthy countries with very low rates of
preeclampsia, such as Scandinavian countries. ... For example, a Danish study
involved 533 healthy women randomly assigned in a ratio of 2:1:1 to receive,
after 30 weeks pregnancy, either fish oil, olive oil, or no oil
supplementation.[28] The objective was to evaluate the effects of fish oil on
the duration of pregnancy. There was no mention of the rate of preeclampsia or
eclampsia. ... it was mentioned only in the detailed text that no preeclampsia
occurred in the fish oil group vs 5 cases in the control group."
"In
conclusion, preeclampsia may be understood as the price some human beings must
pay for having a large brain when they are more or less separated from the sea
food chain."
So, eat foods from the sea or supplement with fish oils. I'd
add to that, stop buying salt from mines and increase your intake of unprocessed
salt from the sea. Natural salt is damp and grey, not white and dry. Links on
the subject all seem to be tied to commercial sites but I've posted some
information on why refined salt is no better for the human body than refined
sugars and refined flours.
Dr. Tom Brewer has made a crusade out of
prenatal nutrition and the connection between a poor diet and pre-eclampsia. I offer his page
here as a suggestion for healthy food choices not as a "diet".
High
levels of protein, plenty of water, moderate exercise and calcium/magnesium
supplements are the typical "wise woman" recommendations.
If you're
reading this page because your blood pressure's already too high there are a
couple of "toxin-flushing cocktail" recipes floating about the Internet, many
are here. Because toxemia is hard on the liver you'll want to drink plenty of
water and possibly add some liver supporting herbs or remedies to your diet if
you start spilling protein into your
urine.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nina
writes:
The best way to avoid toxemia is to eat lots of protein,
80-100grams a day is what was recommended to me. And drink at least 10 8-ounce
glasses of water each day. Also, do NOT cut salt intake. Of course don't load up
on sodium but don't eliminate it from your diet
either.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Judith
writes:
There's a lot they don't know about toxemia, or pregnancy-induced
hypertension, including whether they are the same thing, as well as what causes
them. I think really good nutrition and avoidance of toxic substances is
key.
Now as to what really good nutrition means...well, Dr. Tom
Brewer has gained a lot of prominence though promoting a high-protein,
high-nutrient diet, often heavily dependent on milk, eggs, and meats, and a lot
of natural birth folks totally swear by the Brewer plan. I personally got pretty
sick trying to cram all that food down when pregnant and I'm someone with a
pretty healthy appetite. I lean more toward what the Farm Midwives always said,
which was that in their experience vegetarians who got their protein chiefly
through beans, soy products, and veggies don't seem to get into trouble with
toxemia at nearly the rate of meat-eaters.
Since magnesium metabolism
seems to be key in treating or preventing toxemia, I'd see about taking a
balanced calcium-magnesium supplement, and adding magnesium-rich foods regularly
such as; brown rice and other whole grains, leafy green vegetables (which are
really important to a good pregnancy diet anyway for the B-vitamins, especially
folate, and other factors, including plant protein), a little bit of shrimp or
scallops if you like seafood and tolerate it well, and tofu made with nigari
(the natural coagulant, which is magnesium chloride and other mineral compounds
from sea water). You can try it stir-fried rice with broccoli or Chinese veggies
or both and other vegetables you like.
Eat lots of salads, nature's
diuretic, with many different kinds of tender greens.
I'd also take a
good B-complex supplement. I found I could do better than most prenatal vitamins
by putting my own combos together and reading the label.
Oatmeal is
wonderful as a tonic food to help regulate blood pressure. It's good for nursing
mothers too. If you can't hack it as cereal (I sometimes eat it savory-style,
with a little salt or soy sauce instead of milk and sweeteners), there are
always oatmeal cookies.
If you find you are craving
chocolate....that's often about magnesium as well. Some of these high-mag foods
might help. If you tolerate chocolate okay (sometimes, unfortunately, it's the
worst thing if you have acid reflux, which is common in late pregnancy with the
baby kicking against your belly) ...go ahead and indulge. When the weather is
warm, I sometimes make a yummy vegan ice "cream" soda of chocolate Soy milk or
sorbet with high-calcium sparkling mineral water (any sparkling water will work
if you can't get one of the naturally high calcium brands like Gerolsteiner or
mendocino Eater or San Pelligrino.)
Drink plenty of water, even (or
especially) if you are a little swollen...it will stimulate your kidneys to help
eliminate excess swelling, believe it or not...and fresh fruit and vegetable
juices if you can get them. Carrot juice straight, or mixed with fresh orange or
apple juice or some other vegetable juices is a wonderful source of minerals and
vitamins, including huge but totally safe supplies of beta-carotene. If you have
an extra $200, a Champion juicer is a wonderful thing...sometimes they are sold
cheaply used too, check on-line auctions and bulletin boards, like at the
natural foods stores.
Try adding nutritional yeast as a
supplement too...we've come to like it as an additive to popcorn...toss our
popcorn with a little butter and/or olive oil mixed with natural soy sauce, then
sprinkle the flake yeast on...a real good savory.
Frozen
bananas...good source of potassium and magnesium too... can go through a
Champion juicer too and make a great ice cream substitute, or you can put them
through the blender or food processor with a little milk or soy milk and maybe
some nuts or flax seeds. A yummy treat that kids love too.
Okay, I'd also
recommend yoga and other gentle movement programs based on balance, other mild
to moderate exercise, gentle bodywork by someone experienced at working with
pregnant women.
Now, about avoiding toxic substances.
Look out for paint fumes, gasoline, solvents, too much car exhaust (especially
diesel), environmental tobacco smoke...if someone around you smokes...get them
to quit if you can, or take all the fresh air breaks you need to take if they
won't go outside. All that stuff is hard on your liver and kidneys. I'm
chemically sensitive and avoid most scented laundry and cleaning and personal
care products, air "fresheners", and almost everything that comes out of an
aerosol can.
I've been researching high-mineral herbal
combinations, here are some of the suggestions I've read:
alfalfa
leaf (claimed to be high in magnesium and many minerals)
chamomile
(soothing, good at helping absorb calcium)
borage (helps with milk
production, also an ingredient in calcium tea)
chickweed (a good source of
natural calcium...grows as a wild "weed" almost everywhere...delicious! I gather
it for my tortoises, too)
miners' lettuce (the same; does it grow where you
live?)
oat straw (good source of natural silicon and helps absorb calcium)
watercress (many trace elements...remember to make sure it's growing in a
CLEAN stream if you harvest your own in the wild...people have been poisoned by
watercress from a polluted stream.)
Even the medical profession recognizes a
condition called White Coat Hypertension, where your blood pressure gets higher
just seeing the nurse or doctor walk in! (and being judgemental,
often...)
It's not expensive or difficult to get your own
equipment and learn to take your BP yourself..about $25 will get you a cuff and
a stethoscope (which you can also use to listen to the baby without ultrasound,
something big brothers and sisters often enjoy doing too). If there's a big
difference between what your doctor or whoever finds and what you get at
home...you've got White Coat Hypertension, and you get it from your doc! Treat
it like allergies, avoid the circumstances that make it go up, like prenatal
visits....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://gentlebirth.org/Midwife/pih.html
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 6:30
PM
Subject: [ozmidwifery] Fw:
Pre-Eclampsia
Wise women & Men,
I need a little guidance. My best friend suffered
from an attack of Pre-eclampsia at 33wks pg last pg and due to the medication
causing further seizures even though meds where given for that she mad a
Emergency c/s with a premmie baby. She is considering more children know &
cant make heads or tails of the info. There seems to be lots of conflicting
info. What are the chances of tis reoccurring & where can she get some
good info on the disease?
Thankyou in advance for your help.
Philippa Scott
Birth Buddies
Supporting
Women ~ Creating Life
President - Friends of the Birth Centre
Townsville
