It’s not news that drinking lots of coffee when you’re pregnant isn’t a good idea. But doctors have long been divided about what’s safe and what’s not when it comes to coffee and pregnancy.

Many doctors tell their pregnant patients that one or two 6- to 8oz cups of coffee, tea, or soft drinks with caffeine a day won’t harm the baby but now one new study involving interviews with more than 1,000 pregnant women, suggests that 200mg or more of caffeine (that’s about 2 cups of regular coffee or five 12oz cans of caffeinated soft drink) per day makes it twice as likely that a pregnant woman will miscarry. A quarter of the women who had 200mg or more each day had a miscarriage, versus the 12.5% of women who miscarried and said they hadn’t had any caffeine during pregnancy at all.

 

The study by US Kaiser Permanenate and recently published online in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found a strong link between caffeine found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate and miscarriage and the results of the study led the researchers to suggest that women should cut out caffeine or have no more than one cup, especially during the first few months of pregnancy, when most miscarriages happen.

 

My recommendation would be to have none at all for both the man and woman as we know that caffeine can not only increase the risk of miscarriage but drinking as little as one cup of coffee a day can halve the chances of conceiving and one study showed that problems with sperm: sperm count, motility and abnormalities, increase with the number of cups of coffee consumed each day.  (For more information on this and other dietary and lifestyle recommendations for fertility and miscarriage see my new book ‘Getting Pregnant – Faster’, see the Resources Page).

The nights start to draw in; energy levels drop and with them go our good health. If this all sounds familiar you need to give yourself a winter energy makeover and add some zest back into your life by following these simple energy boosting tips:

• Eat well: You’ve probably heard it all before but the truth is very few people who complain of being tired are eating enough good quality fuel to stay healthy, much less energetic. So make sure you eat breakfast and lunch every day and start snacking. Never go without eating for more than three hours. Eating huge amounts at meal times can deplete your energy. Snacking is less stressful and it also keeps your blood sugar constant so you have a constant flow of energy throughout the day. To boost your energy make sure you have a fist sized portion of wholegrain carbohydrate such as oats or rice with every meal. Wholegrain supplies the B vitamins and doesn’t get broken down too fast so you have a slow release of energy. Also make sure you have some energy giving protein – nuts, seeds, oily fish –with every meal.
• Boost your immune system: A stronger immune system is the key to feeling good and staying well. If it’s neglected, we open ourselves up to illness (especially colds and flu), tiredness and depression. Boost yours through a healthy, mostly organic wholegrain diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and oily fish. Many natural herbs have incredible immune-boosting powers. To avoid illness, drink aloe vera juice (check that it is free from benzoates), eat plenty of naturally yellow, orange, red and green foods and try to have raw garlic daily (or take a good garlic supplement like Aged Garlic). If you’re feeling run down, drink cat’s claw tea and take the herb echinacea (liquid echinacea in a capsule) and if you end up with a cold or flu see my fighting infection naturally tips
• Sleep like a baby: Your body really needs sleep, especially at this time of year when the nights draw in. To ensure good quality sleep experts say you should treat yourself like a baby. Babies need a lot of sleep and most adults need more than they are getting. The ideal is to aim for around 6-8 hours every night. Babies need a restful, stress free routine, such as a warm bath and a story before bed. Adults who are e-mailing or watching TV or chatting on their mobiles are keeping their brains active and too stimulated for sleep. What they need is a relaxing ten minutes in the bath and a quiet read. And finally babies sleep best in a dark room. As a species we evolved to sleep in total darkness and even a tiny amount of brightness can keep us awake. Light in the hallway shouldn’t enter your room, turn the alarm clock to the wall and don’t fall asleep with the TV on. Blackout curtains are recommended if street lamps are bright.
• Fresh air: The decline in hours of sunlight during the winter months has a direct effect on our energy levels. Try to make the most of the sunlight we do have by taking a decent walk at lunchtime and exposing yourself to plenty of fresh air. And although it’s tempting, don’t crank the heating up too high – it leads to lethargy and poor concentration. Place draft excluders by each door and invest in some good curtains to keep your rooms cosy, and then set the heating at a moderate temperature.
• Getting more light: If you notice a massive swing in your moods when the nights start drawing in, you could be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) the best way to combat this is by investing in a light box, making the most of the light hours we do have, or splashing out on a sunny holiday. You should also try to introduce as much light and colour to your environment as possible and cheer yourself up with fresh flowers and lots of plants to improve the quality of the air you breathe.
• Exercise: Research shows that we perceive exercise as an energy zapper but exercise is one of the first things you should do when you feel under pressure because it boosts energy and also helps us calm down and deal with pressure. It also improves the fat content of the blood, strengthens the heart, decreases resting pulse rate and – best of all – produces the hormone-like chemicals, endorphins, that make us feel happy and full of energy. Aim for 30 minutes of gentle exercise, for example a brisk walk, at least 5 times a week.
• Drink enough water: Between 6 and 8 glasses a day – not including alcohol and caffeine. While it may give a quick boost, a lot of caffeine daily actually ends up having a negative effect on your energy level. You might even try substituting a couple of cups a day with an herbal tea, such as sage to raise spirits, peppermint to aid digestion or chamomile to enable you to unwind.

Flagging vitality can lead to low energy warning signs such as fatigue, insomnia, irritability, poor concentration, lowered immunity (you keep getting colds all the time) and low libido which are debilitating enough in themselves but can also increase the risk of a whole range of illnesses, including extremely distressing ones such as depression and ME or chronic fatigue. Therefore doing all you can to keep your energy levels at their peak is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to maximise your chances of good health and happiness.

So what should you do when your energy levels are flagging? First of all you shouldn’t do what many of us do and grab a coffee and a chocolate bar. As well as depleting your body of vital nutrients and unsettling your blood sugar levels which can trigger fatigue, caffeine has a nasty way of masking how tired you really are.

This is why some people feel even worse after gulping down a few mugs of coffee. Drinking coffee at night has also been known to cause many cases of restlessness and insomnia and as for chocolate here’s a quick fact: sugar puts you to sleep. It does not, as most people think, give you more energy. So first of all cut out all those caffeinated drinks, sweets and chocolates, and start eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds instead when you need an instant energy boost.

Listed below are my top 20 natural energy boosters. Try them every time you feel drained or in need of a boost. Bear in mind that sometimes a persistent lack of energy can be due to an underlying medical condition, such as thyroid dysfunction, anaemia or diabetes, so consulting your doctor is essential if you feel chronically tired.

1. Exercise. The more you exercise the more energised you are likely to feel because exercise and energy production in your body are closely linked. Aim for 30 minutes of activity on a daily basis but you don’t have to join a gym any activity that leaves you feeling warm and slightly out of breath, dancing, DIY, housework, gardening, swimming, cycling, walking, is doing you a lot of good.
2. Eat Grapes. The energy boosting value of grapes is due to their high magnesium content. Magnesium is essential for energy production and deficiency has been linked to fatigue and muscle weakness
3. Try hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are power packed with the essential fatty acids needed for energy production. They are needed to make prostaglandins, a hormone like substance crucial for metabolism (fat burning) and stamina.
4. Eat broccoli. Broccoli contains a range of B complex vitamins and the energy boosting nutrients, magnesium and iron can be found in fresh green (preferably raw) vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus and kale. Deficiencies in B vitamins, magnesium and iron are associated with energy slumps. Broccoli is also a good source of co-enzyme Q10, a remarkable metabolism boosting nutrient involved in energy production.
5. Try yams. Yams are packed with the energy boosting minerals – calcium, for strong bones, magnesium and potassium for energy production as well as folic acid and the antioxidant immune boosting vitamin C. Their complex carbohydrate and fibre content also has a steadying effect on blood sugar ensuring that your energy supply is constant throughout the day.
6. Eat regularly. Many of us tend to neglect our eating patterns. We should be eating, on average, four to five times a day, with interspersed snacks here and there. This isn’t just to keep your body supplied with a regular input of energy boosting nutrients; it will also help balance your blood sugar and blood sugar swings are a major cause of fatigue.
7. Deep breathing. Breathing from your stomach instead of your chest increases your oxygen intake and hence increase energy levels. The easiest way would be to sit comfortably in your chair, close your eyes, and begin concentrating on your breathing. Make sure to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, in order to maximize oxygen intake and carbon dioxide expenditure.
8. Water. The source of life is also one of your best sources of energy so make sure you drink between seven and eight glasses a day.
9. Take a good quality multi vitamin and mineral supplement. This will give you a good combination of vitamins and minerals that are essential for energy production including the B vitamins and zinc.
10. Take a nap. This may be hard for most busy women, but napping in the afternoon will energise you more than you think. The trick here is to avoid napping for too long. Usually 20 minutes is enough, but don’t exceed an hour. You’d be surprised to hear that napping is common practice in most European countries and is commonly referred to as a siesta.
11. Laughter. If you really need to cheer up and increase your energy, then watch a sitcom for half an hour, or better yet, get tickets to your favourite comedy club. Laughter has been proven time and again to be the best therapy for depression and lack of energy.
12. Tea for me. Drinking tea regularly every day has been found to increase one’s stamina. However, the type of tea you drink is very important. You should stay away from tea that contains high levels of caffeine e.g. black tea. Instead, use peppermint, camomile and Rooibosch (red bush). When you can use dried herbs rather than bagged ones.
13. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries as a therapeutic aid for weakness, sleep deprivation, depression, and other psychological ailments. Try using the following essential oils to burn in your house: rosemary, lemon, orange, and cinnamon. These scents are known for their rejuvenating properties. If you don’t have a scent burner at home, you can put a few drops of the essential oil into a handkerchief or tissue, and constantly inhale it throughout the day.
14. Breakfast. They don’t call it the most important meal of the day for nothing. A sensible breakfast will give you the boost you need each morning to last you through the whole day.
15. Visualise an uplifting colour. Orange is good for lethargy or tiredness. Sit or lie comfortably and imagine the colour seeping through every part of your body as you inhale and exhale deeply. Open your eyes and feel more awake.
16. Think positive. Research has shown that those people with the most mental energy and the least stress related illnesses tend to have a strong sense of self-belief.
17. Sleep. Ensure you get at least seven hours unbroken sleep a night – your bedroom should be comfortable, quiet and dark. Avoid too much caffeine in the day and do not eat a big meal or exercise vigorously in the evening.
18. Fresh air. If you spend a lot of time indoors, try to get outside more. Walk around the block at lunchtime and if it’s raining bring an umbrella – the exercise and fresh air will invigorate you while daylight has beneficial effects on your brain function, making you feel refreshed.
19. Instant energy boost. Grab a snack that can give you an instant lift such as a banana, a handful of Brazil nuts, dried mango or raisins.
20. Head massage. Give yourself a quick head massage to life your spirits. Rub your scalp briskly then lightly tap all over your head with your fingertips. Pull your fingers through your hair; shaking away any negative thoughts.

(See next month’s issue for my advice on energy boosting herbs and supplements)