As the holiday’s approaches, a study alerts drinkers that drinking outside of meals may be setting them up for high blood pressure.

The study, published in the journal Hypertension, has shown that consuming alcohol mostly without   food is a significant risk factor for developing hypertension. The effect was present even in people with light-to-moderate alcohol intake, according to lead researcher.

These findings support the notion that in addition to amount, the way in which alcohol is consumed   may have important implications for health and in particular, for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this point out that drinking without food may counteract any benefit to the cardiovascular system associated with moderate alcohol consumption.

Exercising while you’re expecting is important for a number of reasons. You’ll sleep better, avoid fatigue, and enjoy an easier pregnancy. There are many types of activities you can do to stay in shape as a mother-to-be. Among them, walking and swimming are ideal. Both are cardiovascular, which means they will improve your body’s use of oxygen; that’s good for both you and your little one. Plus, both are low-impact. You’ll enjoy developing muscle tone and keeping excess weight off while avoiding putting undue stress on your joints. Below, we’ll provide some tips that you can use to walk and swim to stay fit throughout your pregnancy.

The First Three Months

If you don’t normally exercise, start slowly. It’s less exerting to swim, so you can safely do so for a half hour each day. A lot of moms-to-be enjoy doing it in the morning because the weightless sensation of being in the water helps to curb nausea. Plus, working out in the morning gives you an energetic boost to get through the rest of the day.

When you walk during your first trimester, you’ll need to take more care, especially if you’re doing so in the sun. Use sunscreen, wear a hat, and have plenty of drinking water available. wear loose fitting maternity clothes or extra comfort. If your body suffers dehydration, it can trigger contractions. If you rarely exercised before getting pregnant, start with a 20-minute lazy stroll. Then, increase your speed as your body grows accustomed to the activity. (more…)