Healthy Pregnancy

Using a nut-based flour is a great way to experiment with gluten free and wheat free baking.  Nuts are a great source of protein and healthy fat.  Almonds and pumpkin seeds add omegas, vitamin E and zinc; goji berries are fabulous antioxidants. Experiment with adding seasonal blueberries, raspberries or blackberries for even more antioxidants.

2 eggs
¼ cup melted clarified butter
2 cups almonds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup agave syrup
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup goqi berries

Grind nuts and pumpkin seeds until smooth. Beat eggs.  Add clarified butter and agave nectar.  Mix fully, and then fold in nuts and baking soda. Spoon the mixture into muffin tins, lined with paper cups.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Muffins will have a golden brown top but will not rise.  Makes 9-12 muffins.

People who are allergic to wheat, may also find dairy difficult to digest.
Clarified butter or ghee is butter that has had the milk solids removed, which makes it a lot easier for our bodies to digest. One advantage is that it has a much higher smoke point, so you can cook with it at higher temperatures without its browning and burning. It can be kept for much longer than regular butter without going rancid.

8 tablespoons butter = 6 tablespoons ghee

Melt the butter slowly. Let it sit for a bit; it will separate. Skim off the foam that rises to the top, and gently pour the butter off, discarding the milk solids that have settled to the bottom.

Experiencing any of the following: bloating, gas, constipation, irritability, depression, fatigue, arthritis, psoriasis or eczema?  Would you believe all of these symptoms can be caused by a simple food sensitivity? Though often considered a healthy whole grain, wheat is actually one of the eight most common allergens. One of the best ways to discover if wheat is an issue for you is to remove it from your diet for one month and see how you feel. Many people, including myself, have noticed significant improvements in their health and well being after removing wheat from their diet.

It is important to note that having wheat sensitivity is different than being diagnosed with gluten intolerance. Celiac disease is a chronic intestinal malabsorption disorder caused by an intolerance to gluten.  If you have been diagnosed with gluten intolerance or Celiac’s disease, please also avoid the products marked (G).  When shopping, it is safe to purchase products marked gluten-free as you are assured they will not contain wheat.

Whole Grains
•    Amaranth
•    Barley (G)
•    Buckwheat
•    Flaxseed
•    Kamut* (G)
•    Millet
•    Oat (Gluten free varieties available)
•    Quinoa
•    Brown Rice
•    Rye (G)
•    Spelt (G)
•    Sprouted Wheat
•    Teff

Flours
•    Almond
•    Buckwheat
•    Tapioca
•    Chestnut
•    Chickpea
•    Hazelnut
•    Jerusalem artichoke
•    Kamut* (G)
•    Sorghum
•    Oat (G)
•    Brown Rice
•    Rye (G)
•    Tapioca

Pastas
•    Kamut* (G)
•    Quinoa
•    Spelt (G)
•    Brown Rice

For alot of women, the idea of getting pregnant is a great incentive to finally get healthy.   For others, especially those experiencing infertility, getting pregnant is a means to an end.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard: “I’ll give up my diet soda if it means I’ll get pregnant, but as soon as I’ve got my baby in my arms…”.  This resistance always appears before they’ve experienced the full array of benefits that healthy living brings.

When you decide to get healthy in preparation for baby, you are giving a great gift to yourself and everyone around you.  The side effects of a healthy diet and lifestyle are amazing and include:

1.  Smiling more- the combination of endorphin producing exercise and a nutrient rich diet inevitably leaves you feeling centered and more joyful.

2. Glowing skin- our skin is our largest organ and a direct reflection of our digestive function.  Eating a pure diet lessens toxic buildup, while sweating helps to release toxins through the pores.

3. Fabulous digestion- Exercise and a high fiber diet ensure toxins are helps the natural process of peristalsis, optimizing your digestion.

4. Effortless weight loss- in your pre-pregnancy stage, don’t be surprised if some extra pounds fall out, without even trying.  Replacing foods with limited nutritional value with an array of organic fruits, vegetables, grains and lean protein can have this effect!

New motherhood brings all sorts of new and sundry experiences.  Before being a new mom I can honestly say I had never spent consecutive days without getting dressed, had poop in my hair, or been irrationally paranoid.  As a new mother these were daily occurrences.

After having my daughter I literally wore a lovely Medela nursing bra and underwear (these were not panties so I will not call them that) for three weeks straight.  No pajamas.  No nothin’.  That was way too much effort.  In the first few weeks I did not move much from our rocking chair, nor did I stop nursing for what felt like more than 20 minutes so I saw no need to get dressed or on some days to even fasten the bra.   My husband felt like he was living like Hugh Hefner, except with less bronzer and lace and more lanolin and lactation.

I had not blow dried my hair in much too long, so I thought it strange that as I ran my fingers through my hair I felt the subtle residue of product.  Was it product?  Nope!  It was not gel or anything for root volume: It was baby poo, mustard yellow.  And it was in my hair.  My life had changed.  I sat in my bra, in a chair that I had not owned three weeks earlier, and I had poo in my hair.  Did I mention that I emailed my pediatrician almost daily about the healing of my daughter’s umbilical cord?  I sent him graphic pictures of her perfectly healthy belly button.  She was fine, but I had turned into a half dressed, paranoid, health hazard.

With the first child life is changed.  I cried incessantly over everything and nothing while hormones raged and subsided in my unsuspecting body.  Absolutely everything was new and for me very difficult.  I instantly loved my daughter, but past that nothing else involving motherhood was instinctive.  It  was hard, and the learning curve steep.

So the moral of this frightening story is that it could be worse, you could be like I was, and it does get better. I can’t quite remember when or how I gained a little perspective and put some clothes on, but I did.  Life with a new baby settled into a rhythm that the two of us could enjoy.  After a few weeks I spent less time in the chair, I saw the light of day, emails to my pediatrician lessened, and there was actual product in my hair.

Don’t think you can pass up a big mac combo?  I’ve heard that before and the only way out of your quandary is to find some equally delicious recipes to satisfy your craving.  Fast food is a habit and while I’m all about meals to go, there are certainly some choices that are better than others.  If you’re craving a quick fix on the road, consider some healthier choices like Panera Bread (great soup and salad), Real Food Daily (for my vegetarian friends in LA), Fresh Direct (a favorite for my NY clients who tell me “recipe” is a bad word) or the Whole Foods hot food bar (my personal favorite).  The rest of you might like to try some of these delicious recipes and recreate your burger combo at home.

Instead of french fries, try yam fries

Yams are a lower glycemic variety of potato, that not only tastes delicious, but may be the secret ingredient for pre-conception twin creation. The Harvard Medical School Nurses Study noted that that the trans fats found in a small serving of commercial French fries are enough to adversly affect fertility.

2 medium yams, cut into 1/8 -inch strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon parsley
¼ teaspoon sage
¼ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
Sea salt or dulse flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice sweet potato into circles or thin strips.  Baste with olive oil, and add spices.  Place a single layer on baking sheet, and cook for 45 minutes or until tender inside and crisp outside.

Black bean burgers

Black beans are considered a reproductive tonic in Chinese Medicine and are loaded with protein, fiber, folate, iron and antioxidants all essential vitamins and minerals for your fertility.  The Harvard Medical School Nurses study found iron rich foods like lentils to support ovulation and fertility in women.

1 cup black beans
1 small carrot, chopped or grated
1/3 cup onion
¾ to 1 cup crushed gluten free crackers
2 to 3 cloves chopped garlic
1 tablespoon herb de Provence
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 to 3 tablespoons unrefined olive oil
Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until thoroughly combined.  Form mixture into patties or smaller “cakes.” If they are not holding together because they are too “wet,” add more crackers.  Place in an oiled skillet and cook 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until browned.  Serve with Ezekial sprouted grain buns.

Opt for natural sodas

Instead of drinking soda, substitute the following combination of juice and sparkling water to offer a fizzy satisfaction.   By doing so you will avoid harmful chemicals that disrupt the proper release and regulation of hormones and benefit from the natural nourishment of fruits and water.

½ cup limeade, lemonade or any unsweetened juice
½ cup sparkling water

Combine ingredients in a tall glass and enjoy!

Store bought varieties to try:  Reeds Gingerale (made with real ginger), Izze sparkling juice (delicious flavors),Closest to cola: Zevia

Recipes from Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul

Breastfeeding, women have been doing it since the dawn of time, right?  Then why is it so darn hard?  I could not get either baby #1 or baby #2 to latch on.  I had all of the equipment and accessories to aid this allegedly natural process:  The nipple shield, Haberman Feeder, hospital-rented pump, Medela nursing stool, Boppy, a small syringe to express milk directly into the infant’s mouth, and a team of people (consisting of my mother and husband) holding the baby and pushing her onto my breast. Not so easy.  Then around day two or three, all efforts of getting my newborn child to latch on got harder, literally.  My milk came in.   My breasts resembled large rocks.  I was willing to try anything and everything to get my child to eat.  The responsibility of feeding a baby was overwhelming, especially when breastfeeding did not come easily.

I understand all of the theory behind breastfeeding. I believe in it for my children and for my health and recovery.  I have talked to my share of lactation consultants. Baby must place whole mouth around entire nipple area and suck.  I get it.  I know about the football hold, although I never liked it.  I simply find nursing very difficult and so do my babies.  With my second I pumped with my Medela Pump in Style for three months straight.  I could not get him to latch on at all.  After three months the Pump in Style and I were no longer on speaking term, but then miraculously Baby #2 was ready to nurse, which we then did happily until 14 months.

In my experience nursing, it took me a lot of rigmarole and various accoutrements in the beginning.  But with patience, a bit of forbearance, creativity and definitely a tear or two, you and your baby can work it out.  I do not tout any product as the cure-all.  Perseverance may be your greatest accessory.  The mother-child nursing dance can be complex and difficult, but once the steps are learned and the partners take their places, its beautiful and natural. (To you for whom nursng is easy, be grateful. I of course will be a bit envious!) When the nipple shield and syringe are no longer necessary, it will be you and your baby skin to skin.  All of the struggle will have been worth the effort for the joy of nursing your sweet baby.

There are plenty of scientific articles and studies that discuss and herald the importance of sleep to stave the aging process, to boost metabolism and so forth.  For me I operate in the short term.  I need sleep for sanity.  Without sleep I am cranky, my head hurts, and function at a sub-optimal level.

Right after the baby is born there is a sort of false euphoria as the adrenaline pumps through your blood stream and temporarily you can survive being up all night long and busy all day.  This is not sustainable.  No matter the drive to fold the laundry, catch up on email, touch base with work, or whatever the pressing matter may be, you must sleep when your baby does.  With the first child it is a luxury that your body both needs and deserves, so take it.

I remember being so stressed about my newborn child’s well being that I physically could not sleep.  I was exhausted.  Finally, I think three or four weeks in, my husband took our daughter downstairs for one segment of the night and I slept for 4 hours straight.  I awoke feeling like a new woman.  It was amazing what sleep had done for my mental well being.

With the first child I still could not relax enough to nap with my child.  I thought that time would be better spent scrubbing, calling, or pumping.  I was wrong.  Subsequent pregnancies, when the time to sleep is not as apparent with toddlers running a-muck, have taught me that sleep is imperative to emotional survival.  Motherhood can be a battleground and sometimes the only way to equip yourself for the fight is to sleep.  It hones the necessary skills and sharpens the senses.  It keeps me sane!

I say if there is too much to do, just take a short nap.  Know that on your list of pressing things that must be done, sleep should be at the top.  Take a short nap, check it off, and have renewed patience, love, and insight.  If still wracked with guilt or bombarded by tasks left undone, take an inventory of the last time you had a full and consecutive night’s rest.  Getting up every three hours does not count.  Remember this, and rest.  It is good for your mind and good for your soul.

Here are some great articles on sleep:

Sleep Helps New Moms Fit into Their Old Jeans (NPR)


The Sleep-Deprived New Mom (MomTalk)

Growing up, do you remember how you felt if your mom was unhappy?  One friend summed it up with the following: “If mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy”.  No matter who is taking care of the kids, the same principle applies:  creating pleasure in your own life spreads joy around your home and through your cells.  Pleasure comes in many forms and actually creates a chemical release that can shift your entire state of mind, instantly.  Become a pampered mom or mom-to-be and choose pleasures that take you out of the daily grind and into your joy.

Move your body

A little bit of sunshine and movement can provide an endorphin infusion and help you to instantly shift your mood.  Making exercise part of your everyday routine is a great way to stay centered amidst life’s daily demands.  Make sure you choose an activity you absolutely love, so it never feels like a chore!

Have an orgasm

According to Dr. Christiane Northrup, author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, the physcical process of orgasm releases a chemical called nitric oxide causing blood vessels to relax and increased flow to the reproductive organs, resulting in increased pleasure.

Get a massage

Another great way to release endorphins and draw upon the pleasures of physical touch.  Mayan abdominal massage is used during the fertility and postpartum periods both to lift the uterus and help the body recover after childbirth.  If you like the idea of massage through pregnancy, find a practitioner who specializes in prenatal massage.

Redecorate and Redefine

If you are in a rut, consider making some changes in your environment.  Add some new colors, move things around or consider doing some feng shui, the ancient art of placement, to bring new flavor to your surroundings.  Removing clutter is often a first step to bring peace and pleasure into your home.

If pregnancy is new territory for you, it’s good to be prepared and know what to expect.  Although each pregnancy is different, here are some common experiences many women share:

Weight gain

The additional pounds are worth embracing right from the get go!  Your body immediately begins to adjust to pregnancy with increases in blood volume, water, tissue and fat to nurture your baby’s growth.  Expect to gain around 5 pounds in the first trimester and 1-2 pounds each week following.

Morning sickness

Morning sickness often hits around the 8th week as a result of hormonal changes in the body.  Not everyone experiences the nausea and with luck on your side you can expect morning sickness to mellow out by your second semester.

Breast tenderness

Pregnancy signals your breasts to prepare for milk production, which can also bring on swelling and soreness.  Expect breast tenderness to decrease around month three or four and look forward to gaining a full cup size after birth!

Food cravings and aversions

Many women report that they immediately lost the taste for alcohol and sushi even before they knew they were pregnant.  Expect to feel a little more hungry during your first trimester (barring the invasion of morning sickness) and be sure to get an additional 300 or more calories  per day.

Mood swings

Shifting levels of of progesterone and estrogen can make it a little more challenging to find your center.  Expect to feel the ups and downs and take the opportunity to focus on activities that bring a sense of peace and calm into your life.

Frequent urination

During the first trimester the uterus may press on your bladder, creating more frequent urgings.  Expect this to shift in the second semester as the uterus shifts upward to the abdomen, only to return in your ninth month when the baby drops into the pelvis to prepare for birth.

Constipation

While your baby is pressing on your bladder, he or she may also be putting a kink in your digestive flow.  It’s not necessarily babies fault, the hormone changes are also decreasing your peristalsis.  Expect to eat a high fiber diet of fruits and veggies with lots of water to help clear your system.

Fatigue

Pregnancy brings emotional and physical demands that can leave you feeling wiped out.  Listen to your body by taking a nap when you are tired and doing your best to get eight hours of rest each night.  Expect to feel a little more lively in your second semester, however even though there may be lots to get done, slow down your rest essential to your well-being and peace of mind.

Varicose Veins

During pregnancy additional blood volume and extra pressure on your uterus and legs can cause blood to pool and create varicose veins.   Both weight gain and hormonal changes are contributors to these raised blueish, purple veins that may spontaneously appear.  Managing your weight gain, exercising and taking, raising your legs and taking Vitamin C can all help to minimize varicose veins in pregnancy.  Expect that these temporary visitors may disappear after childbirth or once you have re-established your pre-baby weight. 

It’s way worth it to get enough Vitamin D to keep you and your baby’s bones strong from the get go.  Why is it so important?  According to one study, your kids bone density is predetermined by your vitamin D levels at birth.  Lower levels may create a predisposition to multiple sclerosis in mothers and adolescents, wheezing disorder in babies, lowered fertility rates and pre-emclampsia.

The best way to get Vitamin D is to go outside and bask in the sunlight.  Of course this is easier said than done, especially in the northern climates where incidence of vitamin D deficiency is rampant.  Even if there is a cloud layer, try to get outside each day and spend 10 minutes in the sun without SPF protection, which can block vitamin D.  It is also recommended to take a Vitamin D supplement with a minimum of 5mcg through pre-conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding.  The following foods are great sources of Vitamin D:

Source: Linus Pauling Institute

Food	Serving	Vitamin D (IU)	Vitamin D (mcg)
Pink salmon, canned	3 ounces	530	13.3
Sardines, canned	3 ounces	231	5.8
Mackerel, canned	3 ounces	213	5.3
Quaker Nutrition for Women Instant Oatmeal	1 packet	154	3.9
Cow’s milk, fortified with vitamin D	8 ounces	98	2.5
Soy milk, fortified with vitamin D	8 ounces	100	2.5
Orange juice, fortified with vitamin D	8 ounces	100	2.5
Cereal, fortified	1 serving (usually 1 cup)	40-50	1.0-1.3
Egg yolk	1 large	21	0.53