Many women suffer from morning sickness. When trying to understand it, it helps to know: where does morning sickness come from, why must we endure it, and how can we make it go away?

Dr. Sherri J. Tenpenny, physician and director and founder of Osteomed II, a Cleveland, Ohio clinic established for traditional, complementary and preventative medicine, says morning sickness is caused by the sudden increases or changes in hormone levels. "It's common in first trimester because your body is doing a lot of changes," says Dr Tenpenny. "By that time the rapid changes have leveled out (usually at the beginning of the second trimester), you've gotten more used to the changes."

Diet is the best tool to minimize discomfort, she says. Perhaps the simplest techniques are frequent snacking and drinking lots of water. Many women find small doses of bland foods to be helpful. Suggestions include crackers (especially whole grain), soup or chicken broth. Dr Tenpenny even suggests an almond butter that is available at most health food stores.

It helps to avoid rich and fatty foods because they are harder to digest, says Dr Tenpenny. Likewise, caffeinated beverages can further irritate nausea. Herbal teas like peppermint and ginger can be calming in reasonable and small doses, she suggests, but cautions women to avoid other herbs that may have unknown side effects.

While prenatal vitamins have their pros and cons, an additional supplement of vitamin B6 and magnesium might also be helpful. If vitamins are making you feel icky, Dr Tenpenny suggests taking them with food in the middle of the day.

While some health care providers frown on the practice, my obstetrician says I can replace the iron-heavy prenatal vitamins with regular vitamins and a diet rich in iron. (Did you know that Grapenuts cereal served with raisins has nearly 50 percent of the daily recommended dose of iron?) Prenatal vitamins made me so sick that my nutrition suffered. With regular multivitamins, I eat a balanced diet, which my doctor considers healthier for mom and baby. Though this works for me, consult your health care provider before trying it.

While medical experts have good, solid advice to offer, some of the best tips for beating the burden of trimester one come from the voices of experience. Their solutions don't always make sense to the medical community, but many moms cling to them for comfort.

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