Five Foods To Avoid Eating When Pregnant

When you are pregnant your whole lifestyle is going to have to change for the  safety of you and your unborn child. Everyday foods that you are used to eating without thinking twice about will all of a sudden take on a new meaning and be a threat to you and your developing baby. Don’t be put in a dangerous situation and know exactly what you can and can’t eat when you are expecting.

Seafood and Fish

You are able to eat some kinds of fish but it is important that you take special care when deciding what fish to eat and how much you consume. It is advised that you should not eat any shark, marling or swordfish when you are pregnant or nursing as they contain high levels of mercury, this can damage your baby’s nervous system. You should also limit the amount of tuna you eat (no more than 140g a week).

Undercooked Meat

You have to be extra careful with the meat that you eat when you are pregnant, you should cook all meat and poultry so that it is steaming hot and there are no signs of blood or pink in the meat. If you enjoy eating your meat rare, then this has to stop whilst you are pregnant as it can cause an issue related to toxoplasmosis which is very dangerous to your baby. To completely avoid toxoplasmosis you should wash all surfaces and utensils thoroughly after they have been in contact with raw meat.

Cheese

There are many different varieties of cheese you should avoid eating when you are pregnant, they are mostly mould ripened soft cheeses such as, brie, camembert and chevre. These types of cheeses are made with mould and can contain listeria which is can be harmful to your unborn baby.
You are still able to eat hard cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan and stilton. You should be careful when eating other types of cheeses to make sure they are made from pasteurised milk, this includes feta, cream cheese, mozzarella, cottage cheese, goat’s cheese and cheese spreads.

Peanuts

If you do enjoy eating peanuts or foods that contain peanuts (such as peanut butter) it is ok as long as it is part of a healthy balanced diet. In the past it was believed that peanuts can be a threat to the pregnant woman and the unborn baby, however in recent years research has shown that there is no clear evidence that peanuts can affect your baby. Just to be safe it is advised that you should reduce the amount of peanuts eaten.

Cured Meats

In some countries it is believed that cured meats such as pepperoni, salami, chorizo and parma ham can be harmful to pregnant women as there is a small risk that these foods harbour listeria which can cause toxoplasmosis. There are no official advisories or guidelines in the UK telling women to avoid cured meats, however if you are worried about it you can choose to avoid eating them during pregnancy.



Jayne is a pregnant and follows the expert clinical advice given to her. She likes to share this advice to help others, she gets all her helpful information from http://www.glowm.com/

Seven Tips On How To Minimize Weight Gain During Pregnancy

If you’re pregnant and you want to stay skinny, I've got some bad news for you, it’s never going to happen. Pregnant women put on weight, there’s no way around it. The good news is that you can keep a limit on the amount of weight that you put on. Provided you watch what you eat and continue to exercise on a regular basis, there’s no reason why you can’t still look great. It’s also worth noting that the less weight you put on while pregnant, the less you are going to have to lose once you finally have your little bundle of joy. Here are seven simple tips for staying in shape while pregnant.

You Are Not Eating for Two
The phrase “eating for two” is popular but completely misleading. A pregnant women only actually needs to consume around four hundred extra calories per day. Eat any more than that and you’re treating yourself, not your baby.

Don’t Use Pregnancy as an Excuse
Many pregnant women use pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever they like and this is a very slippery slope to go down. Splurging on junk food might be comforting but it isn't going to benefit your baby or your waistline. Pregnancy is a great excuse to eat larger portions but it’s no excuse to start frying everything.

Eat Healthily
Eating healthily becomes even more important when you get pregnant. If you’re not already familiar with healthy dietary habits, it’s important to get acquainted with them. Here are a few foods that will allow you to increase your calorie intake without increasing your weight.

• Fruit and vegetables
  
• Lean meat and fish
  
• Wholegrain bread and rice
  
• Potatoes, without the butter
  

Drink Plenty of Water
As you are likely aware, keeping yourself hydrated is an important part of keeping weight off. The reason is simple, dehydration feels very similar to hunger and our bodies often confuse the two.
Drinking plenty of water is even more important for pregnant women. Not only will it help you to avoid overeating, it also helps to fight the constipation that typically comes with being pregnant.

Exercise Regularly
Just because you’re pregnant, that doesn't mean that you cannot continue to exercise regularly. Talk to your doctor about exactly what exercises you can and cannot do. You might be surprised to learn just how many exercises are not only harmless but can actually benefit you and your baby.

Never Skip Breakfast
Some pregnant women believe that snacking during the night is important for their babies health but this is actually complete nonsense. What’s not nonsense however is the importance of a solid breakfast.
Not only is skipping breakfast completely ineffective when it comes to keeping off the pounds, it can be genuinely harmful for your baby. After a long nights sleep, your baby needs a little food in the morning.

Avoid Alcohol Completely
Finally, there are still many women who believe that they can enjoy a few drinks while pregnant. Unfortunately, alcohol can not only lead to unnecessary weight gain, it has been proven to significantly increase the likelihood of birth defects. Of all the tips on this list, avoiding alcohol is therefore the most important one to follow. For a tasty, albeit less enjoyable, alternative, simply mix sparkling mineral water with fruit juice.



Kayla Sanders, the author of this article is a very warm a person. She works with the Bay City Strollers, who help newbie mom's to exercise after pregnancy and shed the extra weight they gained.

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Should You Exercise During Pregnancy?

One of the biggest debates around is whether you should exercise during pregnancy or not. The issue here, however, is not whether you should, but what type of exercise to do. Yes, you do have to move around just as much when pregnant as you do when not pregnant, but there are some things to know before you start planning that 5K.

Doctor Approval Required - each woman is different and every pregnancy is different. Thus, you cannot just read up on exercise during pregnancy and make your own plans. Only you and your doctor will know what is best for you, and the two of you can then make the best plans;

First trimester is tricky - you feel and look the same (apart from the morning sickness) so why can't you still do the horseback riding, the soccer, or the skiing that you normally do? This is because there is always a risk of trauma during rigorous exercise, and your body's initial reaction to any trauma may be catastrophic to a pregnancy. Don't take risks just because you feel the same;

Consider overheating - the main reason that so many women are advised about exercise during pregnancy is because they overheat their bodies. This may not seem like a big deal, but just think of what that does to the body. When we increase the body temperature by two degrees the outermost blood vessels in the skin will dilate. This shunts all of the blood away from the "core" of the body, and outward to the surface. That means that the developing fetus is not getting the same amount of blood and oxygen. While there is no documented evidence that a hot workout is harmful...why risk it?

Specific exercises are better - if you are someone who must workout, the following list of exercise during pregnancy should be used:

Yoga for pregnant women - this not only keeps your lower back from feeling the increasing pressures of a growing baby, but it is a great way to learn about breathing and the use of the pelvic floor. This will come in very handy when you are in labour and delivering the baby;

Walking - if you are a runner, take heed and slow it down. The jarring of jogging and running is just not a good call for someone who is pregnant. Let's not overlook the fact that runners experience falls a lot more often than the average walker. If you get good sneakers, do some warm up and cool down stretching, and walk for 30 minutes or more each day, you and the baby benefit greatly (just pay attention to outdoor temperatures and keep it cool);

Swimming - this is good up until the end of the pregnancy. You will want to speak with your doctor about the time you need to stop swimming, but many pregnant women enjoy the cardio workout and the way that gravity is erased when they step into the water!

You can exercise during pregnancy, just follow the guidelines above and you should remain healthy and happy right through to delivery.

Valerie Johnston is a health and fitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running a marathon and writing for Healthline.com ensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news.

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Staying Fit and Healthy During Pregnancy

My first pregnancy I did everything wrong.  I was a small person to start and was used to eating whenever I felt like it.  So when I topped out at gaining 50 pounds (a lot on my small 5’2’’ frame) and wondered if the mountain dew, jalapeno chips and popsicles were contributing to my weight gain, I knew my next pregnancy would be different.  And boy was it.
When I became pregnant with my daughter, I was determined to do things better.  I wanted to be healthy and have an easier delivery.  Below are ways I was able to achieve that goal, and manage to only gain 22 pounds that time around.

 

Stay Active
I was working out at a gym when I found out I was pregnant.  That didn’t mean I had to quit.  I kept working out (although switched to the Elliptical instead of the Treadmill) until I was 33 weeks along.  It kept my muscles in shape and helped keep my endurance up.  Two things that are invaluable to getting through a long labor and for bouncing back after you have your baby.  Plus I just felt so good.

Eat Fresh
I still had massive cravings throughout my pregnancy, but I made sure that I ate fresh food and not prepackaged or processed.  I cooked dinner every night and always made sure to eat breakfast.  

Treat Yourself
Everyday I allowed myself a small indulgence.  Usually it involved chocolate.  Whether it was a small chocolate truffle after lunch or a decaf chocolate almond Americano in the morning, I let myself have one thing a day that I loved. 

Massage
If you can afford it or have insurance that covers it, pregnancy massage is one of the greatest things ever invented.  Carrying around all that extra weight does a number on your neck and back.  Taking the time to get a massage loosens the muscles and really helps you relax.  Even if you can only go a few times during your pregnancy it’s definitely worth it!  

Be Social
Even though I was pregnant, it didn’t stop me from getting out and being social!  From throwing dinner parties to attending events, I didn’t let my growing belly stop me from having fun. It’s important to get out otherwise you can feel isolated and lonely.  So grab your mate and do some fun and new things!  It will help keep your morale up, I promise. 


Lisa Coronado is a content writer for a Downtown Seattle Chiropractor.