Q.
Answer
Eating healthfully during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby. After all, the food you eat is your baby's only source of nutrition. Smart choices about pregnancy nutrition can help you promote your baby's growth and development. Here's help making every bite count.
Grains
Grains provide essential carbohydrates, your body's main source of energy. Many whole-grain and enriched products also contain fiber, iron, B vitamins, various minerals and protein. Fortified cereals can help you get enough folic acid.
How much: Choose six to nine servings a day. If that sounds like a lot, don't worry. It may not be as much as you think.
One serving equals:
â 1/2 cup (about 120 grams) hot cereal or 1 cup (20 to 60 grams) cold cereal â different cereals vary in weight
â 1/2 cup (about 87 grams) cooked pasta or rice
â 1 slice whole-wheat bread
To optimize pregnancy nutrition, trade sugary cereals and white bread for whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and whole-grain bread. Try wild rice or barley in soups, stews, casseroles and salads. Look for products that list whole grains, such as whole-wheat flour, first in the ingredients list.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are critical components of pregnancy nutrition that provide various vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to aid digestion. Vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables, helps you absorb iron and promotes healthy gums for both you and your baby. Dark green vegetables have vitamin A, iron and folate â other important nutrients during pregnancy.
How much: Choose five or more servings of fruit and vegetables combined every day. Top your cereal with slices of fresh fruit. Make a veggie pizza. Add extra vegetables to your casserole.
One serving equals:
â 1 medium-sized piece of fruit
â 1/2 cup (90 grams) fresh, frozen or canned fruit
â 2 cups (about 60 grams) raw, leafy vegetables
â 1/2 cup (about 60 grams) cooked or other raw vegetables
â 3/4 cup (about 186 grams)100 percent fruit juice or vegetable juice
If you're tired of apples, oranges and green beans, branch out. Try apricots, mango, pineapple, sweet potatoes, winter squash or spinach. Make trail mix with a variety of dried fruit. Fruit juice counts, too, but remember that too much juice can lead to undesired weight gain.
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans
Foods in this group have plenty of protein, as well as B vitamins and iron. Protein is crucial for your baby's growth, especially during the second and third trimesters.
How much: Choose two or more servings of protein-rich foods a day. Eat whole-wheat toast with peanut butter for breakfast. Try scrambled eggs or an omelet for lunch. Serve a salmon fillet for dinner. Add chickpeas or black beans to your salad. Snack on a handful of soy nuts.
One serving equals:
â 2 to 3 ounces (55 to 85 grams) of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
â 1/2 cup (about 100 grams) cooked dried beans
â 1 egg
â 1/2 cup (124 grams) tofu
â 1/3 cup (about 45 grams) nuts
â 2 tablespoons (32 grams) peanut butter
If your traditional sources of protein no longer appeal to you â likely during the first trimester â experiment with other options. Fish is an excellent source of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which can promote your baby's brain development. Avoid fish that's potentially high in mercury, however, including swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and shark.
Dairy products
The calcium in dairy products and calcium-fortified soy milk helps build your baby's bones and teeth. Dairy products also have vitamin A, vitamin D and protein.
How much: Choose four or more servings a day. Drink the milk in your cereal bowl. Eat yogurt for your afternoon snack. Have a glass of milk with dinner. Add cheese to a salad.
One serving equals:
â 1 cup (245 grams) skim or low-fat milk
â 1 cup (227 grams) fat-free or low-fat yogurt
â 1 1/2 ounces (43 grams) natural cheese
â 2 ounces (about 56 grams) processed cheese
If you have trouble digesting dairy products, get creative. Try calcium-fortified orange juice. Experiment with lactose-reduced or lactose-free products. Use an over-the-counter lactase enzyme product when you eat or drink dairy products.
Eating healthfully during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby. After all, the food you eat is your baby's only source of nutrition. Smart choices about pregnancy nutrition can help you promote your baby's growth and development. Here's help making every bite count.
Grains
Grains provide essential carbohydrates, your body's main source of energy. Many whole-grain and enriched products also contain fiber, iron, B vitamins, various minerals and protein. Fortified cereals can help you get enough folic acid.
How much: Choose six to nine servings a day. If that sounds like a lot, don't worry. It may not be as much as you think.
One serving equals:
â 1/2 cup (about 120 grams) hot cereal or 1 cup (20 to 60 grams) cold cereal â different cereals vary in weight
â 1/2 cup (about 87 grams) cooked pasta or rice
â 1 slice whole-wheat bread
To optimize pregnancy nutrition, trade sugary cereals and white bread for whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and whole-grain bread. Try wild rice or barley in soups, stews, casseroles and salads. Look for products that list whole grains, such as whole-wheat flour, first in the ingredients list.
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are critical components of pregnancy nutrition that provide various vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber to aid digestion. Vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables, helps you absorb iron and promotes healthy gums for both you and your baby. Dark green vegetables have vitamin A, iron and folate â other important nutrients during pregnancy.
How much: Choose five or more servings of fruit and vegetables combined every day. Top your cereal with slices of fresh fruit. Make a veggie pizza. Add extra vegetables to your casserole.
One serving equals:
â 1 medium-sized piece of fruit
â 1/2 cup (90 grams) fresh, frozen or canned fruit
â 2 cups (about 60 grams) raw, leafy vegetables
â 1/2 cup (about 60 grams) cooked or other raw vegetables
â 3/4 cup (about 186 grams)100 percent fruit juice or vegetable juice
If you're tired of apples, oranges and green beans, branch out. Try apricots, mango, pineapple, sweet potatoes, winter squash or spinach. Make trail mix with a variety of dried fruit. Fruit juice counts, too, but remember that too much juice can lead to undesired weight gain.
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans
Foods in this group have plenty of protein, as well as B vitamins and iron. Protein is crucial for your baby's growth, especially during the second and third trimesters.
How much: Choose two or more servings of protein-rich foods a day. Eat whole-wheat toast with peanut butter for breakfast. Try scrambled eggs or an omelet for lunch. Serve a salmon fillet for dinner. Add chickpeas or black beans to your salad. Snack on a handful of soy nuts.
One serving equals:
â 2 to 3 ounces (55 to 85 grams) of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
â 1/2 cup (about 100 grams) cooked dried beans
â 1 egg
â 1/2 cup (124 grams) tofu
â 1/3 cup (about 45 grams) nuts
â 2 tablespoons (32 grams) peanut butter
If your traditional sources of protein no longer appeal to you â likely during the first trimester â experiment with other options. Fish is an excellent source of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which can promote your baby's brain development. Avoid fish that's potentially high in mercury, however, including swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and shark.
Dairy products
The calcium in dairy products and calcium-fortified soy milk helps build your baby's bones and teeth. Dairy products also have vitamin A, vitamin D and protein.
How much: Choose four or more servings a day. Drink the milk in your cereal bowl. Eat yogurt for your afternoon snack. Have a glass of milk with dinner. Add cheese to a salad.
One serving equals:
â 1 cup (245 grams) skim or low-fat milk
â 1 cup (227 grams) fat-free or low-fat yogurt
â 1 1/2 ounces (43 grams) natural cheese
â 2 ounces (about 56 grams) processed cheese
If you have trouble digesting dairy products, get creative. Try calcium-fortified orange juice. Experiment with lactose-reduced or lactose-free products. Use an over-the-counter lactase enzyme product when you eat or drink dairy products.
How do you control bouts of nervousness during pregnancy? What about Insomnia?
MissNobody
I've had a history of psychological problems (depression, suicide thoughts) in my early twenties, episodes that happened within a year or so. I got medical help and got better..
I'm 26 now and pregnant with my first child, and ever since the last trimester of pregnancy started, I haven't been able to sleep well. During those bouts I also feel much moodier, sensitive and generally low. I know that both insomnia and mood swings are normal during pregnancy, but I'm worried that, given my background, they might trigger a postpartum relapse into depression.
I would like to avoid medication, and wouldn't go to a psychiatrist unless absolutely necessary (my insurance doesn't cover psychological help, and I have an unstable financial situation right now). Could you please give me some advice?
Answer
If you can I would recommend changing the foods ion your diet there are plenty of foods that aid in helping the body fall asleep naturally:
Two green veggies namely radicchio and dandelion greens are known to be extremely effective in this regard.
Deep root veggies such as turnip, beetroot, burdock root and carrot help in treating insomnia sleeping disorder.
Cucumber helps to calm and cool the liver. It is beneficial for treating some specific kinds of sleeping disorders. Persons who complain that they face difficulty in falling asleep can largely benefit by taking cucumber in the night.
If you drink peppermint tea, it can work wonders for you by cooling your liver and thus contributing in inducing sleep.
Foods rich in calcium including soy help to boost the production of l-tryptophan, which eventually transforms into melatonin hormone that promotes sleep.
Increase your intake of foods that contain high quantum of melatonin hormone. Good examples are rice, oats, ginger, barley, sweet corn and bananas.
Chamomile tea is also quite effective in keeping away various sleeping disorders. To get its maximum benefit, brew it for a minimum of 20 minutes.
On one hand, where you are recommended to increase the intake of above mentioned foods, it is also important for you to know that which foods are not good for you, so read on...
High carbohydrate foods such as white sugar are just not good for your liver.
Fried foods and other foods rich in fat content are a total no.
Spicy foods such as chili peppers and salsa should be avoided as they heat your liver.
Foods to aid in mood and anxiety:
The B Vitamin Group
This group of vitamins can contribute significantly to your overall mental and physical health. Specifically, the following vitamins from the B group can help:
* Niacin (B3) - Niacin is a very important vitamin for energy production. Two unique forms of vitamin B3 are required for the body to convert proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into usable energy. Niacin is also used to synthesize starch that can be stored in the body's muscles and liver for eventual use as an energy source. Deficiencies in vitamin B3 are thought to be linked to depression and anxiety, as B3 helps to support the neurotransmission system of the brain. For this same reason, adequate levels of Niacin are also thought to help prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Foods rich in Niacin include chicken, tuna, salmon and mushrooms.
* Thiamin (B1) - Thiamin rich foods help your body by providing energy, coordinating the activity of nerves and muscles and supporting proper heart function. Low levels of thiamin in the body can cause restless nerves and irritability, like that seen by patients suffering from panic and anxiety disorders. While it is not believed that a lack of thiamin actually causes these disorders, recommended levels of thiamin in the body can help improve how a person with panic or anxiety disorder feels.
Foods rich in thiamin include tuna, sunflower seeds, black beans, and yellow corn.
* Vitamin B6 - B6 is one of the best vitamins for supporting the nervous system, so it can help support the body in warding off all sorts of feelings like sadness, depression, anxiety and panic. It is also helpful in the breakdown of sugars and starches in the blood, supporting proper insulin function, which helps provide energy and prevent fatigue.
Foods rich in Vitamin B6 include bell peppers, spinach, bananas and tuna.
* Vitamin B12 - Vitamin B12 is a critical nutrient in supporting the production of red blood cells, preventing anemia. In addition, it promotes proper development of nerve cells and helps your cells metabolize protein, carbohydrate and fat. Clinical depression and memory loss can sometimes be linked to a Vitamin B12 deficiency. In addition, heart palpitations and fatigue, just as often seen in anxiety patients, are side effects of being deficient in B12.
Foods rich in B12 include baked snapper, venison, scallops and yogurt.
In addition to these B vitamins, it is recommended that you ensure that your levels of Biotin, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, and Pantothenic acid, all B vitamin derivatives, is adequate, to support overall physical and mental health.
Foods such as Calf's liver, beans and sunflower seeds are all good choices to provide a wide variety of B vitamins.
Be sure to take your Prenatals they are a vital importance in pregnancy!
If you can I would recommend changing the foods ion your diet there are plenty of foods that aid in helping the body fall asleep naturally:
Two green veggies namely radicchio and dandelion greens are known to be extremely effective in this regard.
Deep root veggies such as turnip, beetroot, burdock root and carrot help in treating insomnia sleeping disorder.
Cucumber helps to calm and cool the liver. It is beneficial for treating some specific kinds of sleeping disorders. Persons who complain that they face difficulty in falling asleep can largely benefit by taking cucumber in the night.
If you drink peppermint tea, it can work wonders for you by cooling your liver and thus contributing in inducing sleep.
Foods rich in calcium including soy help to boost the production of l-tryptophan, which eventually transforms into melatonin hormone that promotes sleep.
Increase your intake of foods that contain high quantum of melatonin hormone. Good examples are rice, oats, ginger, barley, sweet corn and bananas.
Chamomile tea is also quite effective in keeping away various sleeping disorders. To get its maximum benefit, brew it for a minimum of 20 minutes.
On one hand, where you are recommended to increase the intake of above mentioned foods, it is also important for you to know that which foods are not good for you, so read on...
High carbohydrate foods such as white sugar are just not good for your liver.
Fried foods and other foods rich in fat content are a total no.
Spicy foods such as chili peppers and salsa should be avoided as they heat your liver.
Foods to aid in mood and anxiety:
The B Vitamin Group
This group of vitamins can contribute significantly to your overall mental and physical health. Specifically, the following vitamins from the B group can help:
* Niacin (B3) - Niacin is a very important vitamin for energy production. Two unique forms of vitamin B3 are required for the body to convert proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into usable energy. Niacin is also used to synthesize starch that can be stored in the body's muscles and liver for eventual use as an energy source. Deficiencies in vitamin B3 are thought to be linked to depression and anxiety, as B3 helps to support the neurotransmission system of the brain. For this same reason, adequate levels of Niacin are also thought to help prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Foods rich in Niacin include chicken, tuna, salmon and mushrooms.
* Thiamin (B1) - Thiamin rich foods help your body by providing energy, coordinating the activity of nerves and muscles and supporting proper heart function. Low levels of thiamin in the body can cause restless nerves and irritability, like that seen by patients suffering from panic and anxiety disorders. While it is not believed that a lack of thiamin actually causes these disorders, recommended levels of thiamin in the body can help improve how a person with panic or anxiety disorder feels.
Foods rich in thiamin include tuna, sunflower seeds, black beans, and yellow corn.
* Vitamin B6 - B6 is one of the best vitamins for supporting the nervous system, so it can help support the body in warding off all sorts of feelings like sadness, depression, anxiety and panic. It is also helpful in the breakdown of sugars and starches in the blood, supporting proper insulin function, which helps provide energy and prevent fatigue.
Foods rich in Vitamin B6 include bell peppers, spinach, bananas and tuna.
* Vitamin B12 - Vitamin B12 is a critical nutrient in supporting the production of red blood cells, preventing anemia. In addition, it promotes proper development of nerve cells and helps your cells metabolize protein, carbohydrate and fat. Clinical depression and memory loss can sometimes be linked to a Vitamin B12 deficiency. In addition, heart palpitations and fatigue, just as often seen in anxiety patients, are side effects of being deficient in B12.
Foods rich in B12 include baked snapper, venison, scallops and yogurt.
In addition to these B vitamins, it is recommended that you ensure that your levels of Biotin, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, and Pantothenic acid, all B vitamin derivatives, is adequate, to support overall physical and mental health.
Foods such as Calf's liver, beans and sunflower seeds are all good choices to provide a wide variety of B vitamins.
Be sure to take your Prenatals they are a vital importance in pregnancy!
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