IN YOUR DAILY DOSE: you’ll discover why vaccinations during pregnancy are NOT recommended and why you may feel more sick from the same cold.

MAKING CHANGES: Staying healthy during pregnancy is just as important to your health as to the health of your growing baby, but despite what the pharmaceutical industry would like you to believe, vaccinations during pregnancy are not advisable.

FACT OR FICTION: Have you ever seen a pink lake?

In The News

During pregnancy, your immune system is naturally suppressed as your baby may be perceived as a foreign object, with foreign DNA. For this reason, a pregnant woman may have more symptoms with a common cold, or get much sicker with the flu.

Research finds that when women are exposed to a flu strain it can also rapidly mutate into something more virulent because of a dampened immune system. In response to the fear the flu may harm a growing baby, the CDC and the World Health Organization made it a priority to vaccinate pregnant women.

Unfortunately, this may inadvertently increase risk to mother and baby, despite reassurances that the vaccinations are safe. Vaccines are built using weaker viruses - but in the body of a pregnant women, whose immune system is already compromised - a vaccine may also do irreparable damage.

Thankfully, at this time, whether you choose a vaccination or not continues to be your choice. If you are planning a pregnancy and believe vaccinations are effective, then it’s in  your best interest to attempt to get the vaccination prior to becoming pregnant.

SOURCE: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170308145347.htm

Daily Health Tip

Your immune system protects you from illness and disease. Today is the day to start taking it seriously BEFORE you get sick.

Making Changes

Supporting your immune system may well help prevent you from developing colds, flu and other immune mediated diseases, such as lupus or neurodegenerative disease. You immune health begins in your gut and is affected by stress. Start with these strategies to protect your health:

1. Consider using a quality probiotic and prebiotic supplement - the first to add a diverse microbiome to your gut and the second to feed them.

2. Reduce or eliminate your sugar intake, smoking and alcohol consumption as each negatively affects your gut bacteria, your immune system and your heart health.

3. Increase the amount of non-carbohydrate fiber you eat daily as it feeds your good bacteria and found in vegetables.

4. Reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat each day as these foods metabolize into sugar in your body.

5. Get 8 hours of sleep a night. When exhausted, your brain does not function as well. You will have more problems with focus and with the ability to think through problems. In fact, when tired, your brain functions as if you have been drinking alcohol with reduced reaction time and processing speed.

6. Get 20 to 30 minutes of sunshine each day. Sun is a great way for your body to manufacture vitamin D, but it also affects your brain and your mood. If you can’t get outside, use a light bulb in the house designed for people with seasonal affective disorder. All of us benefit by being in the sun!

7. Exercise every day. Whether you are walking after lunch and dinner or working out for an hour at the gym, get some exercise. Your digestive system works better, your arteries will be healthier and your mood better too.

8. Drink enough water to stay hydrated. Your urine should be light straw color. If it’s darker then you aren’t drinking enough and if it’s lighter you are drinking too much.

9. Find what works best for your stress reduction. Some people practice yoga, others just exercise and others find that prayer helps to relieve their stress of everyday living. However you choose to manage stress, it’s important that YOU manage stress and not that the stress in your life manages you.

Daily Affirmation

Instead of allowing my fears to be in charge, I control my body and mind.
I have the power to stop fear before it takes over. I put together a list of all of my fears so I can be on the lookout for them and stop them in their tracks.

Fact or Fiction?

Pink lakes: The Chicago River is Green, the ocean blue but Lake Hillier in Australia is pink!  It’s a saline lake (lakes are normally fresh water) on the edge of Middle Island, off the coast of Australia. Interestingly, scientist still don’t know why the water is pink.

Have a wonderful day!

Your Healthy Life America Team