Provincial Health Director Sarıkaya: “Pregnant women should drink 12-15 glasses of water a day in summer”

Providing information about the issues that pregnant women should pay attention to in nutrition in the summer season, Çankırı Provincial Health Director Dr. Hüseyin Sarıkaya said, “12-15 glasses of water should be drunk every day. Although it is believed that carbonated drinks cool down in hot weather, they can have a blood pressure-raising effect, so homemade compote juices and lemonade will be more preferable.”

Increasing temperatures in the summer season can bring health problems, especially in pregnant women. Water consumption and nutrition preferences of pregnant women in the summer season are of great importance in protecting their bodies. Stating that foods containing caffeine such as tea and coffee should be avoided, experts draw attention to the importance of consuming natural products. Çankırı Provincial Health Director Dr. Hüseyin Sarıkaya also gave information about the issues that pregnant individuals should pay attention to in the summer season. Stating that pregnant women should prefer fresh foods, Dr. Sarıkaya said that attention should be paid to the expiration date and content of packaged foods.

“Tea and coffee should not be drunk one hour before and one hour after meals”

Stating that pregnant individuals should drink 12 to 15 glasses of water every day, Dr. Sarıkaya said, “It is known that cravings during pregnancy occur as a result of hormonal effects. For this reason, not every food should be consumed, but those necessary for the body should be consumed in moderation. During pregnancy, weight gain should be controlled to gain a total of 7-14 kilograms, 1-1.5 kilograms each month. Due to the duration of summer days, you should not starve for a long time, and a meal plan should be determined as 6-8 meals a day. Fluid need increases during pregnancy, and it is known that the increased fluid need increases even more in the summer months. To meet this, fluid intake should be increased by consuming more water or milk, buttermilk, summer fruits or freshly squeezed fruit juices. Drink 12-15 glasses of water every day. Although it is believed that carbonated drinks cool you down in hot weather, they can raise blood pressure, so homemade compote juices and lemonade would be preferable. Natural mineral water should not be drunk more than 1 bottle a day. Tea and coffee consumption should be minimized. Tea and coffee should not be drunk one hour before and one hour after meals. It is important that the food consumed is obtained from natural sources. Daily consumption of milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables should be safe in terms of food additives and pesticides. In order to remove potentially harmful residues in agricultural products, foods, especially vegetables and fruits, should be washed very well before consumption.”

“Fresh foods should be preferred”

Stating that the expiration date and content of packaged foods should be paid attention to, Dr. Sarıkaya said, “It is necessary to soak the food in a bowl of water for 5-10 minutes, repeat this process several times and then wash it in plenty of water under a tap. At least 2 cups of milk or yogurt should be consumed every day. In addition, it would also be beneficial to consume 2 slices of cheese or 1-2 spoons of cottage cheese. Since raw milk and cheeses made from it contain harmful microbes, pasteurized milk and cheeses made from this milk should be preferred. In addition to what they eat in the normal period, pregnant women should consume one egg or as much meat, chicken and fish as eggs. If these foods cannot be consumed, care should be taken to consume legume dishes, lentil or chickpea soups and salads. This group is also an effective consumption option against anemia. In addition to legumes such as beans, chickpeas and lentils, salads with plenty of lemon, fresh onions or fresh fruit rich in vitamin C should be consumed. Fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins should be consumed regularly at every meal. Fresh foods should be preferred when buying. Boiling and cooking water of vegetables and legumes should not be spilled as this causes loss of vitamins and minerals. Liquid oils should be preferred in meals. Care should be taken to consume olive oil during the day. However, frying and roasting methods should be avoided. Iodized salt should be used in meals. This will protect the baby from goiter and mental retardation. Iodized salt should be stored in a dark glass jar and protected from light, sun and humid environments. This prevents loss of iodine. If you have high blood pressure (hypertension), meals should be cooked without salt or with less salt. Excessively salty foods should not be consumed. Pay attention to the expiration date and content of packaged foods. Foods with unknown ingredients should not be consumed during pregnancy. All pregnant women should go out in the sun for 10-15 minutes a day to meet their vitamin D needs. In summer, half an hour-45 minute walks can be taken outside of 11.00-17.00 hours.”