Category: PREGNANCY

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FOOD DURING PREGNANCY : WHAT AND WHY

A healthy diet is extremely important in our everyday lives. It’s actually much more important than many of us seem to know, and not many truly understand the reason why it is so vital to eat well, together with what it means. 

We don’t learn enough in schools or from our society about the right and good food choices, and the advertising commercials make us think much too often  that we are eating what’s right for us and our family, but this is really only a brand that has paid a lot of money to make us think we are buying and eating the right food and food products. 

In my opinion food, nutrition and the reasons why we need fuel for our bodies and minds to maintain the optimal function and health should be taught in schools throughout childhood starting very early, even in kindergarden. That way our wonderful, precious children will have a great, strong foundation of well balanced life and will bring healthy eating habits into their adulthood, therefore maintaining a stronger form of wellness and overall wellbeing all their lives. So to me, you see, it only makes sense that this should be done, and I do not quite understand why this has not already been happening for some years now. It would be just wonderful if all of us parents would just stick together and convince kindergartens and schools to FINALLY change their menus into more heathy, fresh, clean foods and snacks for our kids.

 The strangest thing is that even doctors don’t study nutrition and the real connection between food and our bodies thoroughly during their studies in school, unless they are specializing in topics that are food related. I believe this is something that is not so complicated to add into our society and should have been done much more and much earlier, since the relation to what we eat has been proven to be so important.Many people are now changing this themselves and there seems to be a lot of confusion among people about what is really healthy and how we should really be eating. Why are doctors still advising mothers to feed their young babies parmesan cheese and prosciutto?  (which small children should NOT be eating, in case you are wondering)

Like I have written here before on the blog, when I got pregnant with my first son many of my friends would say to me “oh you are so lucky you’re pregnant you can eat whatever you want, go nuts on the ice-cream and pizza!”. Meanwhile, I felt just the opposite. During pregnancy and then breastfeeding later on, was exactly the time I would have to take very good care of myself, my health and be careful about what I ate. During pregnancy so many things are being created, growing and changing each day in our body and if we want our baby in the making to reach the optimal start for a good life we need to eat well and be sure nutrition is high and regularly entering your body. Vitamins, minerals, protein, calcium and fat for most meals of the day will not only give you and your baby the power you need each day while maintaining a healthy weight, but could also be a key to a delivery without to many complications. A healthy mamma, healthy baby.

Eating well and regularly also maintains your blood sugar  at the right level so you don’t feel super hungry and eat a whole bunch of the wrong food due to a craving. Instead, you will feel balanced and will crave more heathy food. 

You don’t have to eat for two, this is an old saying that is not true. Your baby foetus does not need a large plate of food, rather a regular sized meal that will be easy on your digestion and count as good source of vitamins, minerals, folate,  protein, calcium and fat. You may want to have a snack in the afternoon that includes nuts, seeds or fruit, if you are pregnant now in this lovely december season I recommend tangerines or clementine as a snack as they are now in season and you have them so juicy and fresh on every other corner in town.

Maintaining healthy weight is also important for you and your baby  during pregnancy. The whole baby progress will feel better, and it will be easier to carry your baby belly if you are not too much overweight, helping not to strain your joints and ligaments, but you should definitely not be thinking about being too skinny ether. It is best to speak with your doctor and he should suggest you the weight that is the best for you and your body type and height.

I tried to eat a lot of vegetables when I was pregnant and actually I still do even when I am not pregnant. Vegetables and fruit was my main food choice, plus some legumes, fish, eggs, whole grains. Every now and then my body would go crazy and crave meat, and in general personally I feel better when I eat meat every now and then (from an organic farm of course, I am very careful and mindful about where I buy my meat from). Drinking lots of water and exercising regularly are also very important. Believe me, if you are pregnant with your first baby you will need that abdominal strength to push that baby out 🙂

Here are some ideas to maintain good health and food choices during pregnancy.

Whole grain toast with smashed avocado: squeeze lemon over and add some hemp seeds and/or pumpkin seeds on top. This is great for breakfast or lunch. You may also scramble some eggs ( I do my eggs plain with no butter and no milk) or add a salad with dark leafy greens, extra virgin olive oil with carrots and beets .

If you are pregnant during summertime watermelon is wonderful, I ate so much watermelon during my pregnancy and then I was so happy to learn that watermelon is naturally high in amino acids, vitamin A and folate.

Brown rice or quinoa with steamed vegetables such as kale, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green peas, zucchini or any of your favorite greens. 

Roasted beets with walnuts and apples: Beets are are known for lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow in your body, have B vitamin folate which helps reduce the risk of birth defects and fight inflammation. However, the sugar levels are high in beets, so it is a good idea to eat them with some kale or something very green.

I use to do my own mix of nuts and dried fruit in a bag or a box and kept it with me in my purse on the go, just in case I started to crave something or run out of energy. Walnuts, almonds, cashews mixed with dates, goji berries and mulberries are known to be high in iron as well so they go well with the protein from the nuts.

Always carry your water bottle with you everywhere you go. Make sure your water source is good and it is good to invest in a good water bottle that is BPA free, something like Klean Kanteen, or a glass bottle. It is also better for the environment.  

 I just love Almond Butter. I used to slice an apple and dip it in some almond butter…. so yummy!

Home made hummus: spread it on a wholewheat toast with some fresh tomatoes and basil. Or use it as a dip with raw fresh organic vegetables.

Oatmeal: I cook mine with water and add  home made almond milk at the very end. While I cook it I also add cinnamon, walnuts, a full teaspoon of coconut oil and chopped up medjool dates.

I was crazy about trying out new soup recipes, so I made all different kinds of vegetable soups.

Home made gluten free breads: you can search the internet for so many easy recipes!  I will share mine very soon here on the blog.

Smoothies: I made a smoothie every morning and I added some muesli with it for some crunchiness as everything I ate in my pregnancy had to be crunchy otherwise I would get nauseous, especially in the first 4 months 🙂

Do NOT SMOKE!!!!!! I can not believe I am even writing this, but I do see women here in Italy smoking during pregnancy and that is a pure violation to your child. Remember, you are not bound to have a child,  but if you do, you are bound to protect it in the best way you can. You must set your needs aside for the next year or so, and this means also after your child is born. Smoking around a new born can have serious side effects on the child. Keep this in mind also when you take your child to an aperitivo which I see often in Italy: just keep your baby away from the smoke. Also remember that drinking alcohol during pregnancy is not ok either. I know the culture here in Italy is different, but why bother, it is just a period of your life and you must think of your child’s needs above yours. 

Pregnancy can be a confusing time for many women. So many changes and so many new confusing things to keep in mind. Plus, many women are very sick in the first months and some even through the whole pregnancy. But this is in most cases, I hope, also thankfully a beautiful time to do as much as you can to just enjoy this special moment. You are a goddess, and you are making a baby inside your body: plus, you are very lucky that you are able to make one. There are women who can’t get pregnant so we must be thankful for this miracle. Keep in mind this is just temporary, and you will look back to this time one day with warm thoughts while you watch your child grow up. Do the best you can to treat yourself well, relax and enjoy. More than listening to your friends and the internet, listen to yourself and your instincts. Most of the time you will know what is best for you and your baby. Follow your heart, you are doing the best you can and you don’t have to be perfect, just do your best. Your body will change so much and you will grow, but if you keep your pregnancy as healthy as you can you will stay pretty close to your old body , but keep in mind the miracle you are creating! What you get from all of this is so much better than a perfect body 🙂 

be proud of yourself, you are doing a wonderful job.

love JM

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Gluten free letter from Tania

A letter from my wonderful friend Tania Beltrano. Her wonderful message does not need any explanation her lovely words says it all. I hope you find this useful and helpful.
love JM

I am a mum to one. Yes, I wrote mum ( I am Candian). She is a wonderful teen of almost 15. Love of my life and very easy to mother.  Always has and always will be,  well one could hope😝 Anyways, the one thing that many could consider as “not so easy” concerning my daughter is her gluten-free diet, a way of life for us since 2010. And no, we didn’t happen upon this journey to be trendy or follow some fad diet. We were actually forced to adopt it. My daughter from the age of around 5 would complainweekly about stomach pain. I’d have her try to pinpoint the exact location of the pain and ask her age-appropriate questions about how it felt,  such as; “do you feel like throwing up, or do you feel as if a sharp object has pierced you?” A bit much for a 5-year-old to answer but she’d usually answer that it was a combination of both. So in other words, if your kid ever feels like throwing up a sharp object you may want to consider getting him/her tested for Celiacdisease….

Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder and the positive aspect of this disorder is that you can keep the unpleasant symptoms of it at bay but ONLY if you follow a gluten-free diet to a T. I’m talking nada, zip, zero, NIENTE gluten. Cross contamination is real and if you are a person who suffers from not only Celiac but a sensitivity to the protein called gluten as well,  then you really need to be careful. It is taxing and quite sad, as a gluten sensitive person who consumes even a minuscule amount can become violently ill within a matter of seconds. My daughter does not suffer the allergy so gluten does not affect her in this way. What happened to her was that from when we discovered it and stopped gluten completely her body began a period of reparation. Within a year of cutting out the gluten that was poisoning her system, she underwent a massive growth spurt. The girl grew and a lot!

The peculiar thing about this ordeal was that her father and I had brought her to various doctors concerning these stomach aches but they were largely be dismissed as a common childhood ailment. In 2007, we moved to a new neighborhood and the new pediatrician we chose was originally from Greece. When my daughter had her annual physical, I explained that she had experienced persistent stomach pains since early childhood. Without skipping a beat the doctor asked if I’d heard about a condition called Celiac disease. Ce..li..a – what? Any ailment ending with the word disease concerning your child is enough to place you on the verge of a massive panic attack. She then went on to explain it in layman’s terms to me. She said the reason I’d hadn’t heard of it and it was never mentioned to me by any North American doctors was because it was still relatively unknown here.  This disease is recognized in Europe, especially in western Europe’s Mediterranean countries, like Italy,  where the rate is quite high. I am guessing my daughter has a genetic disposition to it since my parents are Italian.People with celiac disease carry one or both of the HLA DQ2 and DQ8 genes. Anyways, h ere is a quick dictionary explanation of Celiac:

” a hereditary digestive disorder involving intolerance to gluten, usually occurring in young children, characterized by marked abdominal distention, malnutrition, wasting, and the passage of large, fatty,malodorous stools.“ 

The doctor explained that a quick blood test could determine if my daughter suffered from it but for total accuracy and to rule it out completely she’d need a biopsy of her small intestine.  We went ahead with the procedure and she had her blood drawn and a week after received a call from the doctor telling me that she had tested positive for Celiac. Next step was the “feared” biopsy and she’d have to consume gluten until after testing was done.

The biopsy date arrived and I almost fainted in the room with her. Let me tell you, it is no fun watching your 8 yr old child go under anesthesia. Her father and I were pretty scared and she was freaking out. The look on her face when she went under was enough to traumatize anyone. Weeks passed and it was determined beyond a reasonable doubt that my child had Celiac disease. Now what? Meet with a nutritionist. Change our entire lifestyle. In theory, it was easy enough. The doctor explained that her levels would be normalized through a strict, no gluten diet. Cut out wheat, oats, barley, rye, bulgar, etc….simple enough? Not so fast. This was an 8 yr old child in a classroom filled with cupcake eating kids celebrating birthdays every month. Also, gluten-free alternatives oftentimes have triple the amount of sugar. Not to mention freakin’ expensive or the fact that I was constantly forced to travel with my alternatives, such as pasta, bread etc. That sucker gluten is hidden in almost everything. Want licorice?  My daughter and I absolutelyadore it but almost every brand of it contains gluten. Those hard to pronounce, gross, chemical ingredients such as Avena sativa Cyclodextrin, that we shouldn’t be consuming anyways,  yep gluten.

The one thing that saved me from an epic meltdown ( God sure does work in mysterious ways) was that about 6 months prior to this diagnosis I’d taken an online course concerning nutrition. Funny thing,  thesame one Johanna attended, although we still had yet to meet.  Luckily, I had grown up eating well. Mostly organic and natural due to the fact that my parents were Italian so they settled in Canada armed with a knack and love for gardening and fresh, delicious homemade food.  We had a large garden in our yard containing all the good stuff – tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant you name it. We had fruit trees – peaches, apricots, cherries, figs. Ahh, now I am feeling nostalgic, but I digress. We ate clean and had a tasty homecooked meal prepared by my mother’s beautiful hands every evening; dinnertime was family time. In any case, other than knowing I ate well growing up I still had no clue as to what every vegetable or protein’s function and purpose was. Simply put, why we eat what we eat? The course I took helped, as it simplified this gluten-free endeavor without overwhelming me.

To make an, “oh, so long story” short,  I will just leave you with this. My daughter is now in her teens and fits in just well with everyone else. Her levels have normalized completely. She is a tall, strong, badass soccer goalkeeper that plays 15 hrs a week on 2 different winning teams. Also, being that we are rooted in 3 countries – living in the USA but we travel yearly to both Canada and Italy, I have to say that we’ve found Italy as very advanced in their knowledge of Celiac. We can dine at restaurants where I have yet to experience a server that has a look of confusion on his or her face when “senza glutine per favore”  is mentioned.  They seem to have a vast knowledge of this disease and the intricate food preparation that goes along with it.

Vancouver, BC is another place with fantastic knowledge and such variety of gluten-free cuisine. I think this has to do with the mindful, healthy, hippy culture of this great city. In any case, it is a relatively simple place to visit if you have Celiac and want to eat well. I must admit though, in my observation, NYC has the most options but maybe because we live here and have learned to navigate our way through the gluten-free fortress.

I wrote this article in hopes that you can gather some useful information. Whether you have a child that is suffering from stomach pains or a lot of temper tantrums, anger issues etc. My daughter has a very calm character but I remember back in her gluten days after a day of quite a few carbs containing wheat she’d have temper tantrums, unexplainable ones that seemed to pop up out of the blue. Those subsided altogether once she was no longer being

“gluten-ed”. Or maybe you just want to test out a different eating lifestyle for yourself or your family and would like some basic information to see if it’s for you.

Below I have listed some of our favorite companies that make gluten-free products and quite a few are from Italy. Also, I don’t have celiac but follow a gluten-free diet to support my daughter. I can honestly admit I do feel lighter and my skin has cleared up.

Pasta 

Romo

La Veneziana (personal Favorite and Italian)

Bonaturae

Ancient Harvest

Flour 

Bob’s Redmill

Whole line devoted to various products 

Schar (My favourite and Italian), Glutino

Pamela’s Products

We are discovering new ones daily and our local health food store has a large variety of products.

Also, if you live in Nyc, the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center is excellent.

 

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RELIEF OF LOWER BACK PAIN DURING PREGNANCY

This little routine was my best friend during both of my pregnancies. They’ve actually remained staples for whenever I feel stress in my lower back.  Nowadays I am usually cooking dinner with at least one of my boys on my hip 🙂

I was involved in a bad car accident when I was living in New York. I got hit by a car while biking. Actually in the beginning my doctors were not sure I’d survive. After hours of scans and check-ups they told me that from the impact I received they were amazed at the shape my spine and body were in. I was recovering really fast. I told them I was a Pilates instructor and that I had been doing Pilates (the original true method by Romana’s Pilates) more or less every day for the past 5 years. They instructed me to never stop and I believe they all signed up for Pilates based upon their amazed reactions. There is good reasoning behind why more and more doctors are recommending Pilates to their patients. After the accident it took me many months of pre-Pilates routines and practicing small exercises to rebuild my body. I did this  back then to soften my muscles and the breathing really helped to relieve the tension that was built up in my back. This was not  strictly Pilates, it is a blend of Pilates, yoga and classical exercise many professional trainers and athletes do. But after a full day of teaching Pilates my back was sometimes very stressed and I started with this routine and each time I felt much better. Then during my pregnancies my back started acting up a bit again, so  I started practicing my routine about 4 times a week to help relieve the tension. It is so important to make time to take care of our bodies, I might have ended up with some terrible physical problems if I had not taken such good care after what happened. So I hope I have inspired you to all help heal your problems if you have them. Or make your body strong to prevent them.

I asked my friend Manuela to join me for an hour or two to help me show you all the exercises.  I thought it might be helpful to see it performed with a beautiful belly to understand each position and how to get into them. After our session she told me she felt more relaxed and her back definitely felt better. I would now love to take the opportunity to thank and congratulate her as she delivered her healthy baby boy a few months ago and is now rocking motherhood!

 

You start by sitting up tall and centered on a block or a rolled up blanket. Close your eyes, feel your body and take slow, deep breaths through your nostrils for a few minutes just to center yourself and focus only on you. Dedicate this moment to you.

Take your left arm up and reach it in order to find a good stretch on your left and keep on breathing deeply. Make sure your sit bones are grounded to the floor and gently pull your navel in and up towards your spine. If you are pregnant be gentle and just create a loving hugging feeling towards your baby, let your core muscle hug the baby in and up towards your center and keep breathing slowly through your nostrils. Then repeat on the other side you can do 4-6 sets on each side.

Lean forward and find your way to all force – which means on your hands and knees. Shoulders over wrists and hips over knees. Inhale and round your back pulling your navel in and up towards your spine, gently squeeze your seat (butt) and then exhale and open up your chest and shoulders and look up. Always have the feeling of your waist is getting longer without you lifting or raising your shoulders up.

Now find your way to lie on the floor with a little fold up towel or blanket under your head. Just make sure you are comfortable.

Have another towel by your side and place it on the middle of your foot, make sure your hips are even and square then press your hip bone forward to increase the stretch and flex your foot so the heel goes up towards the ceiling. Keep on taking deep breaths and relax your shoulders. Make sure to do both sides and if you have the time it id great to repeat a few times – each leg up to 4 sets.

Now look at the photo below and find your way into this position. Bend your right knee and place your left ankle on the right knee and grab the right thigh or knee and make small movements. Rock from side to side and you will soon feel how the circulation around your hip will start to flow – this is my absolute favorite. Make sure to keep your neck and shoulders relaxed and your waist nice and long. You can control how much stretch you get by how much you pull your leg towards you and push the opposite knee away from you. Remain here and take 10 deep breaths on each side and repeat as desired.

Then keep your leg position but lower the leg you hold on to towards the floor, then lean towards one direction and look the opposite way. You will experience a great stretch in your lower back, hips and even your chest and shoulders. Relax and breath deeply, switch sides a few times.  I like to remain on each side for about 10 deep breaths and I do about 4 – 6 sets on each side depending on the time I have.

Then take a few breaths just lying on the floor with your legs bent – take few deep breaths here 2-6 and feel how much circulation you have in your lower back and hips before you move in to the next position. You can also let your knees relax together.

Now find your way slowly to “child-pose” meaning your big toes together and knees apart. Open your knees as much to fit your beautiful belly in-between your thighs. Walk your hands forward and let your forehead rest on the floor. If you are far into your pregnancy, have a big belly or are simply more comfortable  then place a little towel under your forehead. Now really, really relax and just keep breathing deep long breaths. Place your mind inwards, calm down and make a connection towards your little baby 🙂

Finally, if you still have some time to relax even more and this right here is my all time favorite pregnancy pose! Place your feet up against the wall. This is great for swollen feet and tired legs as during pregnancy blood circulation flows much slower down towards your feet. This will leave you feeling energized and brand new beautiful pregnant mamma 🙂 I used to take mini naps like this when I was feeling tired. Oh, how I miss being pregnant.. it really is a wonderful time, at least for me it was.

If you have an extremely supportive partner or friend who is willing to pamper you during this time of rest have them give you a little head massage for deeper relaxation. I did this here for my sweet Manuela.

I started by gently pressing and massaging the area where her neck and head meet.

Next gently press her shoulders down where she can feel a great stretch over the chest area, keep this for a few deep breaths then take a little break and repeat about 3 times.

Gently press between the eyes three times with the head straight down towards the floor and then massage little circles between the eyes.

Keep massaging until you find your way towards the sides of each eye. Perform about 20 circles here or as much as the beautiful mamma pleases 🙂

Then I hook my fingers under the eyebrow in each corner towards the nose. This area is very sensitive so press gently about 5-10 times.

You may certainly be creative and add more treats to this rest and spoil the mamma to be. She truly deserves it!

When you are all done place the soles of your feet together, bend at your knees and feel a wonderful stretch in your hips for a few breaths.

Gently roll over to one side and take a few breaths before rising. When you do,  do it very slowly to prevent you from getting dizzy.

I am sure you are feeling much, much better by now; at least I truly hope so. If this routine got you going then feel free to incorporate more exercises into it. I would love to hear all about it. Just make sure to listen to your body. Never do anything that does not feel positive to you,your own body knows it’s limits.

Love JM

@Photo, www.mamafedona.com

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WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE A BABY

What an extremely exciting time when a couple in-love makes the decision to create a life together.  For some it comes easily and for many others it proves difficult or even impossible. The reasons for this can be many. As always it depends on the individual and if there are any issues with her ovaries or his semen. Remember that lifestyle plays a huge part in this equation and is a very important factor. You should think about the answer to the following questions: Are you sleeping well? Is there stress that you are currently dealing with? Do you make poor choices when it comes to food? Also, last but definitely not least , do you smoke or consume too much alcohol?

When trying to conceive it feels like the pressure is mostly on the woman to take good care of herself due to the fact that the baby will be growing inside of her. This is true and she should take extra steps to ensure good health for herself and that of her unborn child. Women must eat good, fresh and clean foods. When I say clean, I mean homemade or at least not processed factory made junk. This is because you would not believe how many companies out there put so much extra CRAP (excuse my language) in their  products, even ones who claim to be “Organic”. Organic does not equal healthy anymore due to the fact that many brands use the word as a marketing ploy; it works and we are suffering because of it.

Along with eating well, a good night’s sleep is also extremely necessary. Our bodies must rest to restore our system for the next day and prepare  for what’s to come. A restful, deep sleep also reduces stress levels in our body and boosts our mood and sense of calm.

Exercise is also very important as it helps your body self-regulate by increasing circulation throughout it which helps a great deal. By exercising you reduce stress levels which help you to sleep better.Exercise also causes cravings for healthier more nutritious food. In the end all these factors help you to  reach new and better life choices.

It is super important to give your body the tools it needs to function at it’s best.  

The above doesn’t apply only to women. Men that are trying to impregnate their partners need to provide healthy and strong sperm. Many men think that they don’t have to quit smoking, eat well or that they can sit at a desk all day without moving their bodies. This could not be further from the truth. Once a couple has made the decision to conceive together they then both have to take a closer look at their lifestyles. I mean we should all give ourselves the gift of a healthy life even if we are not trying to have a baby. Maybe the baby thing is a good excuse and will give you motivation to make a change to better your health and life.

In doing all the above, might I add that your goal should not be to become skinny. You should not be on a low-fat or fat free food diet. Your body needs fat to survive, this applies especially to women. Our hormonal system requires fat so it can function strong and well. Regular menstruation without too much pain is what we want. If this is out of balance we experience painful cramps, too heavy of a flow and irregularity. Our brains and babies need fat to grow and develop.

Breast milk is very fattening and those of you who’ve breastfed might have noticed extra fat around  the circle on your upper back. Don’t worry once you stop feeding thatdisappears on it’s own, so do your best to embrace and be proud of it because you are doing an amazing job 🙂

Fat is not the enemy but make sure to eat only good fats such as:

– Nuts and seeds : almonds, macadamia, walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp-seeds and sesame seeds.

– Avocado

– Coconut ( if you have it fresh that is always best). * I add 100% Organic coconut milk to many foods I prepare such as soup.

– Fish * Make sure you are buying wild, fresh fish and of high quality. Stay away from shell fish and bottom feeders. From time to time I do love a good, tasty Salmon. As a person that comes from Iceland, I truly do know a thing or two about good fish 🙂

Well take this all in and think about if any of my advice could be of use to you; I truly do hope so. I know it can be hard and frustrating when you are waiting for something to happen and every month you are disappointed. Don’t give up. Protect your love and the passion that you have towards each other – it is important. Be kind to yourself and your body, you deserve it.

love, JM

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WHEN YOU ARE MAKING A NEST

View More: http://federicasimonifoto.pass.us/manuelaIf there is a time to be as healthy as you can and to take steps towards good care of yourself it is when you are pregnant or trying to conceive. We are talking about food, stress, emotions, love and exercise.

  I am sorry to break the news but you are not eating for two. You will slowly need to add  more calories into your diet of course, but good calories that provide you with energy and nutrition to build a healthy pregnancy and strong baby. The ideal foods are vegetables, fruit, nuts,seeds and lean protein.  You might experience some cravings , although not all women do,  but they might misguide you towards thinking all you need to eat is sugar and bad carbs but it’s just your body’s way of  telling you that it is starved of proper nutrients and you will need to eat a more balanced diet that will keep your blood sugar steady. This will ensure that you are getting all you need to be ready to go through the most healthy pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding possible. This will include clean eating, buying fresh ingredients from your local health food store (when possible organic is always preferable). Prepare your own food on most days, you can always make plenty and freeze it for a later date if you are short on timetapeto. My favorite go to meal is soup! Super easy and you can just load up on all the healthy things you need , make sure they are all seasonal though. Follow your instinct, eat sensibly and take good care of your body, mind and soul. You are creating a baby. You are a Goddess. If there is ever a moment to treat yourself well and feel the best way possible it is NOW. 

Practice yoga, pilates, swim and walk. Keep moving and glowing. I understand it can be overwhelming and exhausting at times but you deserve only the very best. If you are expecting your first child please enjoy every single moment and take it as it is. You will never be pregnant with your first child again, this is truly a new experience. Relax and explore your feminine powers they are incredible

love, JM