Drastic changes occur in a woman’s body right from conception to delivery. The most notable difference is weight gain. After giving birth, the majority of women would love to have back their pre-baby bodies. However, how to achieve such results remains a nightmare.
True t itself, it isn’t easy. Breastfeeding mothers get hungry faster. The more they eat, the more they gain weight. Weight loss cannot occur magically overnight. Remember, you did not gain weight overnight. The only way out is to craft a workout plan that works with you. Mostly, doing some physical exercise in conjunction with weight loss pills.
Breastfeeding mothers have to be careful, especially when using the dietary pill for weight loss pill. A pill without adequate scientific evidence to back its efficacy should be avoided. Again, drastically losing weight can affect the breastfeeding process. Experts advise that a nursing mother should lose a maximum of 750 calories per week.
Garcinia cambogia is the most known weight loss natural compound. Fruits can be eaten when ripe, or dried and crushed into powered then used to flavor food. Users purport that it can cut weight by reducing appetite and inhibiting an enzyme that converts sugar to fats.
The use of dietary supplements such as Garcinia Cambogia may seem a simple solution, but the results might be more harmful. It is important to note; this supplement contains substances that may pose a risk to the mother’s body through unhealthy interactions. This may be interactions with postpartum medication and causing undesirable changes in the metabolic pathways, which will, in turn, affect nutrient supply.
Is Garcinia Cambogia Safe for Breastfeeding Mothers?
While Garcinia Cambogia can cause weight loss, medical experts advise that breastfeeding moms should not use it. Currently, there is no sufficient medical evidence or experienced published. This is reason enough to avoid the use of Garcinia Cambogia during breastfeeding a newborn or when expectant. Healthtrends.com indicates that babies may experience some side effects such as high metabolic rates, loss of appetite, and fluctuating sugar level.
The journey to losing weight can be daunting. However, with the right plan, it is achievable. It is worth noting that breastfeeding itself causes weight loss.
Yes, you heard that right!
Precisely, if you breastfeed correctly, you can lose up to 500 calories in a single day on average. However, this will depend on the frequency of breastfeeding, baby’s age, and how much milk you make.
Here is the deal:
- Exclusive breastfeed causes more weight loss than combining breastfeeding and formula milk
- Secretion of abundant breast milk causes more weight loss
- Breastfeeding a younger baby burns more calories than breastfeeding an older baby who can get other sources of nutrition.
It is against this backdrop that nursing mother can determine how to lose weight. For some, the process can be painfully slow. That is why they may opt to use Garcinia Cambogia.
Medically speaking, a nursing mother should only take drugs or supplements under doctor’s instructions. Studies indicate that Garcinia cambogia is a potent weight loss supplement working alone or in combination with other supplements. Evidence points to the fact that the supplement can cause short term weight loss; however, there is a need for more research.
What is Garcinia Cambogia?
Also called Malabar tamarind, Garcinia Cambogia is a supplement that is believed to have massive medicinal value, mostly weight loss. The most studied part is fruit. The most prominent extract of this fruit is hydroxycitric acid (HCA).
HCA is marketed as a weight-loss supplement. It shades off extra pounds in the following suggested ways:
First, inhibiting enzyme adenosine triphosphatase-citrate-lyase, which the body usually uses to make fats,
Second, Boosts the level of serotonin in your brain which results in appetite suppression, and
Lastly, HCA inhibits pancreatic alpha-amylase and intestinal glucosidase, which in turn leads to a reduction in metabolism of carbohydrate.
While these suggestions seem viable, they come with an equal measure of risks and side effects. Doctors’ advice caution while taking this supplement.
Garcinia Cambogia and breastfeeding
There are no specified lactation related uses of Garcinia. This product is more often used to promote weight loss in other groups of individuals. While some studies indicate that, infants breastfeeding might be affected, others studies indicate no data is available to prove this information. In essence, such reviews say that no data exist about excretion of extracts of Garcinia into breast milk.
Benefits of Garcinia Cambogia
Apart from losing weight, other advantages include:
Garcinia cambogia promotes the use of glucose by the body. Glucose is a source of energy. Studies with mice indicated that mice with Garcinia had little insulin as compared to those without.
Other studies indicate that Garcinia has the potential to lower bad cholesterol and elevate good cholesterol. This improvement in your cholesterol level dramatically affects blood pressure. If you are on cholesterol medication, do not take Garcinia.
Is Garcinia Cambogia safe for diabetics and high blood pressure?
Garcinia cambogia is purported to help the body of people with diabetes utilize sugar in the right way. Some mice studies indicated a reduced insulin level. A summary below gives insight.
Similarly, the extract can improve cholesterol levels by lowering bad cholesterol and elevating good cholesterol.
Why breastfeeding mother must avoid Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia cambogia weight loss pills are not safe for breastfeeding mothers because;
Destabilizes the mother’s body through its interactions, e.g., elevated metabolism, which alters milk synthesis. Still, HCA will adversely affect the mother’s sugar level.
Drastically reduces breastfeeding mother’s appetite, which is not advisable by the doctors. Reduced appetite means less food intake hence fewer energy levels.
There is no such scientific proof that Garcinia Cambogia is safe for breastfeeding moms and infants. Research is required to show the exact amount of the extract found in breast milk. Using such a dietary supplement can be harmful to the infants.
How to lose weight while breastfeeding
Using Garcinia while breastfeeding is out of the question, but you have to lose weight. Much as breastfeeding itself causes weight loss; nursing mothers get hungrier. To satisfy their cravings, they eat a lot of carbohydrates. The result is weight gain. The best ways to lose calories include:
Aim at cutting calorie intake
Sounds crazy, but it helps. The cravings may be too much. Try to control them by eating a wide variety of foods. However, do not let your daily intake of calorie go below 1800.
Craft a workout plan
Exercise is perhaps the most potent way of losing weight for anyone. Nursing mothers have a challenge. Their body must completely heal for them to take part in a workout plan. This should be after eight weeks. Otherwise, the workout, especially if it is strenuous, it might cause more harm than good. Strive to do a moderate exercise.
Postpartum exercise can be put into categories, i.e., cardio and weight-bearing exercises. Each of the plans come with benefits.
Cardio exercises are exercises that raise your heartbeat — such exercise re carried out within a period 15 to 20 minutes. Engaging in cardio, you boost the well-being of your circulatory system, lungs, and the heart. If you want to strengthen your bones and muscles, then weight lifting exercises are the one to choose.
For an exercise program to yield results, it must be accompanied by a proper diet. Remember, you are breastfeeding. So, you’ll need to maintain the milk flow. Find the right food to synthesize the right amount of milk for your baby. For example, eating half of the baked potato before engaging in an exercise maintains your milk supply.
Eat smaller meals, but frequently
A delay in taking meals affects the process of milk synthesis. This is a complex process that affects a series of hormones. When hormone prolactin is affected negatively, less milk is produced. In such cases, you always feel starved. Such feeling leads to eating foods that might lead to unnecessary weight gain. The best advice is to spread your meals for six meals. This should cover the whole day.
Eat a balanced diet
Plan your meals ahead of time. This helps you to maintain a healthy diet. Your diet should be well-balanced. It must contain enough calories to cover exercising and breastfeeding. Necessarily, your total consumption of calories must be between 2200 and 2500.
The primary source of calories should be fruits and vegetable. Start your day with a vegetable and fruit smoothie. Incorporate lean proteins and healthy fats in the right amounts also. Lean protein can be fish, chicken, and beans to name but a few.
Healthy fats, on the other hand, are sourced from nuts, e.g., walnuts, almonds, olives, and coconut, etc.
Take plenty of water
This sounds obvious. But many breastfeeding moms do not adhere to this rule. Water has numerous functions that aid in weight loss. They include but not limited to:
- Necessary for the well-functioning of muscles
- Outstanding in body processes like digestion, circulation, excretion, temperature regulation and milk production
- Make it easier for the kidneys to flush out the toxin
Nutritionists advise that you should take at least 8 cups of water per day – 2 cups of water each in the morning, lunch and dinner, and finally, sip water though out the day. This makes the last two cups.
Conclusion
Breastfeeding mom should not take any dietary supplement without enough evidence of its efficacy. Though the Garcinia Cambogia fruit is packed with some proved benefits, the research remains inconclusive. If you must lose Weight using the dietary pill, it is essential to look for other types of products that are known to have no harm.