There are some women who say they just “feel” and “know” exactly the moment when they become pregnant. And then there are others who don’t know or feel they might be pregnant, some not experiencing recognizable symptoms even up until the point of a very unexpected and surprising delivery of a baby they didn’t know they were carrying.  Truly, there is a wide assortment of pregnancy signs and symptoms, making it rather difficult for women to use one common, or even a few common signs and symptoms to identify the start of a pregnancy.
Aside from going to the doctor to take a pregnancy test, which is by far the most generally accepted way to establish a pregnancy, understanding the female body and the changes it undergoes while pregnant can help one pick up on subtle clues that might indicate a pregnancy.

For women who have normal menstrual cycles, a missed period is a tattletale sign of pregnancy. But for others with irregular periods, a missed period or a late menstruation is of no concern. Spotting that is associated with implantation of the fertilized egg may resemble a light period, and cause a woman to dismiss the thought of a possible pregnancy.   A missed or late period can be the result of many other things including change in diet, medication, or stress.  Therefore, the lack of a period may be a symptom of early pregnancy for some but not others.

Another big sign of potential pregnancy is changes in the breasts.  Changes in a woman’s breasts often indicate a change in the body, especially changes related to child bearing. Early in the beginning stages of pregnancy, the breasts undergo important changes, telling the body that something is happening. They begin to feel tender to the touch and some become painful and overly sensitive to stimuli. However, this alone is not solid proof of a pregnancy because the same changes are experienced in a menstrual cycle.  Some women are sensitive to certain foods or medications that can facilitate changes in the breast as well.

Morning sickness is another sign of early pregnancy and is often exhibited by nausea and vomiting.  It is a classic pregnancy symptom in which a woman will suddenly experience a severe aversion to the scent or taste of food that previously had no effect upon her before. It also occurs any time of the day but it can sometimes be easily resolved with a few saltine crackers and room temperature glass of water.

Another sign of early pregnancy is extreme tiredness.  Normal activities that didn’t wear a woman out before suddenly do after she’s become pregnant.  She might even find it hard to keep her eyes upon or insist she needs a nap in the afternoon or evening.   Some women experience increased trips to the bathroom while others report feelings of bloating or cramping that resembles discomfort from menstruation.  These are all common signs of early pregnancy, but are not definitive alone because tiredness or nausea or frequent urination and belly cramps can easily be associated with a number of other health concerns.

The early signs, the first signs, of pregnancy are a combination of personal experiences that go hand in hand with subtle changes in the body.  A simple pregnancy text at home or the doctor’s office remains the most credible and recognizable way to confirm a pregnancy and help ensure that the symptoms of missed periods, breast tenderness, nausea, fatigue and other similar things are indeed pregnancy related and not the result of some other medical issue.

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Originally submitted at Teavana

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(legalese)

Vitamin D is referred to frequently as the “sunshine vitamin” because the body can produce it only when exposed to sunshine. It takes only about 15 minutes a day to make enough vitamin D. This should be done without sunscreen, but only for 15 minutes without sunscreen so as not to be over-exposed to the harmful rays.

Those most at risk for a deficiency in vitamin D were older,female, obese and consumed milk less than once a week. African-american females are most at risk because the melanin in the skin prevents the skin from absorbing as much vitamin D.

The sedentary lifestyle of our youth has also contributed to this. Those who spend 4 hours or more a day watching television or playing video games or on a computer are also at risk.

In a study done by the researchers at Johns Hopkins University, over 3500 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 were investigated and those with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to have elevated blood sugar levels ( a condition that is a precursor for diabetes) and high blood pressure than those with normal levels, despite their weight.

Parents should be pro-active and adopt the three-pronged aproach suggested by Dr. Melamed ofcAlbert Einstein College of Medicine. This approach includes a well-balanced diet, vitamin supplements that include vitamin D, and 15 minutes of sun exposure daily- without sunscreen, but being careful to apply the sunscreen after the 15 minutes. If a child is in a group that is at high risk for deficiency (older, female, obese, drank milk less than once a week, and spent more than four hours a day watching TV, playing video games, or working on a computer, or darker complexioned) they should be screened to check for low levels of vitamin D.