How long are prenatals good for

Get the shot and not the nasal spray. At some point in your pregnancy, you might want to eat absolutely nothing. At another point, you might want to eat everything in sight. The registered dietitians at Novant Health WomanCare can help you develop a good pregnancy diet, and can answer your questions about good nutrition during pregnancy.

While pregnant, you are at a higher risk for food-borne illnesses. Wash hands and surfaces often, cook foods thoroughly, keep raw and prepared foods separate, and never eat refrigerated foods that have been allowed to get warm or cooked foods that have cooled outside of a refrigerator. Limit fish consumption to 12 ounces per week. Avoid tuna steaks, but up to 6 ounces of canned tuna can be eaten each week. Limit locally-caught fish to 6 ounces per week. Our Services Expand Navigation.

Prenatal vitamins Taking prenatal vitamins is one of the easiest ways to make sure you have the nutrients you need to support the healthy development of your baby. Exercise Exercise during a routine pregnancy is recommended to combat excessive weight gain, hand and foot swelling, leg cramps, varicose veins, insomnia, fatigue and constipation. During a routine pregnancy: Aim for 30 minutes per day of low to moderate intensity physical activity such as swimming, aerobics, yoga, walking, running or stationary cycling.

You can generally continue your regular exercise routine from before you were pregnant. Vitamin supplements can cause side effects, though this is unlikely to relate to their expiration. Anyone who experiences adverse effects of a nonessential supplement should stop taking it.

To ensure the maximum shelf life of vitamin supplements, it is best to store them in their original containers and in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. To reduce the risk of heat and moisture affecting the supplements, it may not be advisable to store them in the kitchen or bathroom.

However, it is crucial to read the storage instructions for each supplement — on the bottle, packaging, or leaflet — carefully. Instructions may be different for specific supplements. The same is true for probiotics: Some are best kept in the fridge, while others should not be refrigerated.

Disposing of expired vitamins incorrectly increases the risk of children or animals consuming them, which could have serious consequences. The FDA provide the following instructions for the disposal of unused medications. The same guidance can apply to expired vitamin or mineral supplements if there are no alternate instructions on their packaging:. This deters animals and children from touching or eating the unwanted supplements. Also, do not flush supplements down the toilet, as this can contaminate the water supply.

Vitamins and other supplements lose potency over time, and the expiration date can indicate when these supplements have lost a significant amount of potency. However, even then, they are not usually toxic. Even so, taking expired supplements may lead to deficiencies if people believe that they are ingesting more of the nutrient than they really are. It is a good idea to dispose of expired vitamins safely and purchase new products. Vitamins and nutrients are essential for good health.

Some people supplement vitamins, but is there an ideal time of day to take them? In this article,. Although a healthful diet and regular exercise can reduce fatigue, some vitamins and supplements can also boost energy. Learn which ones may have…. Many athletes look for safe and efficient ways to boost their performance.

In this article, we look at six vitamins and supplements that may help. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Request Appointment. Healthy Lifestyle Nutrition and healthy eating. Products and services. Is it OK to take prenatal vitamins if I'm not pregnant, and I don't plan to become pregnant? Answer From Katherine Zeratsky, R. With Katherine Zeratsky, R.

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Show references Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Department of Health and Human Services and U. Department of Agriculture. Accessed March 20, Dietary supplement fact sheet: Folate. Office of Dietary Supplements.

Dietary supplement fact sheet: Iron. Dietary supplement fact sheet: Calcium. Questions to ask before taking vitamin and mineral supplements. Nutrition during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Accessed June 12,