As magical and wonderful as pregnancy is, there are certain symptoms that you may deal with while pregnant that are less than...well...magical. Because of a combination of wacky hormones fluctuations and the fact that a human is growing inside of you, making for less space to digest your food, you may notice that your once calm and well-functioning digestive system is now causing you some serious discomfort and frustration.
My last day of "work" is next Wednesday and I'm kind of freaking out. I've decided to take an early maternity leave to stay home with my son, who is 2, while we wait for the arrival of his baby sister in June. I have mixed emotions about making this transition from working mom/business owner to stay-at-home-mom. On one hand, I cannot wait to be done and focus on my little guy and get ready for the new baby to come.
Most of us mindlessly eat once in awhile. You may catch yourself snacking when you're bored, tired, or out of habit every now and then, which is fairly normal and likely won't negatively effect your weight or health. But it's when mindless eating or snacking becomes a daily occurance or happens several times a day, that it can lead to unhealthy weight gain and health issues over time. Here are some tips that may help:
As Moms, we all know how important breakfast is, both for ourselves and our kids. Having breakfast within an hour of waking up gives us the energy we need to start the day, kick-starts our metabolisms, helps us focus and concentrate all morning, and can even control our appetites and cravings all day, preventing unhealthy snacking later (especially when breakfast includes enough protein). This, in turn, helps us to reach a healthier weight.
Preparing for pregnancy usually involves a little planning, such as making sure your finances are in order, perhaps chatting with your family doctor and maybe even starting to eat better and improve your lifestyle. But asking your doctor to test your blood for certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies may not be on your radar. Your doctor may automatically check your iron levels, as this is fairly standard in prenatal bloodwork, but chances are, she won't check your Vitamin D levels at all before or during your pregnancy, unless you specifically request it.
I can't tell you how many times I've been asked about the safety of soy foods in the past several years, especially more recently. It seems like everyone is confused about whether or not soy is still a healthy option.
My guess is that lots of moms like you prepare healthy meals for your kids. But you? You eat the scraps and then snack on convenience foods throughout the day yourself. Sound familiar? According to a recent Becel survey, 48% of Canadian moms spend the majority of their free time planning healthy meals for their families while only 1 out of 10 spend that time preparing healthy lunches for themselves.
How many times have you gone to the grocery store and spent more money than you planned, buying foods that you didn't need, and forgetting the few key ingredients that you actually did need? And how many times have you had to take extra trips to the store during the week to buy one or two ingredients? Oh, and what about forgetting veggies that are in your fridge and having to throw them out because they went bad?
Creating a healthy and safe atmosphere for your baby during meal times is really important for many reasons, but especially to help them establish a healthy relationship with food. Starting solid foods is huge milestone in your little ones life and it should be a fun, no-pressure, relaxed experience for them (and you!).
I'm always on the look out for healthier baking recipes because admittedly, I love things like muffins and scones and cookies—who doesn't though?! Although I've tried many recipes over the years, no other muffin recipe has measured up to this one. This recipe is a combination of my Grandma's Bran Dried Fruit Muffins and my Mom's Banana Muffins. I remember when I was breastfeeding my first child, this was the perfect snack (paired with a glass of milk or some yogurt). High fibre, comforting, filling and EASY!
At some point in our early childhood (around the age of 4), we lose the ability to eat intuitively all of the time—meaning that we start eating for reasons other than just physical hunger. We become influenced by people and things around us, such as our parents, siblings, and friends (and the media) and start eating because of the sight of food, the smell of food, out of habit, because we're told to, or because we're bored, sad or happy, or tired (emotions).
We as parents need to be aware that our kids are very susceptible to poor body image, disordered eating behaviours and worse, full-blown Eating Disorders—which by the way, can be deadly. Eating Disorders, disordered eating patterns, and body image issues are serious business and they are more prevalent than ever in our society today. Kids as young as 5 years old are showing signs of distorted body image, largely due to mainststream attitudes towards food and weight and the intense societal pressure to look a certain way in order to be "good enough."
As parents, we want our kids to eat a well-balanced diet and grow to enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods. In our well intentioned efforts, we often verbally "encourage" or "discourage" them to eat certain foods, only to increase picky eating tendencies or send the wrong messages about foods. Here are five things that parents often say to their kids about food, why it may not be the best thing to say, and what to do or say instead.
I just finished a session with a client who was feeling frustrated and defeated when she came in. This client has been struggling with her weight for years. And years and years. She's tried all of the "quick-fix diets" and has experienced some temporary success, only to fall back into old habits and eventually, gain more weight than she had before. Over the years, her metabolism has suffered from all of the yo-yo dieting, making it even harder for her to lose weight long-term.
Theresa Spence, A First Nations Chief, is on Day 34 of her politically-motivated hunger strike, in attempt to set up a meeting with First Nations Leaders, the Prime Minister and the Governor General. No doubt, Chief Spence's health is deteriorating daily, considering the fact that she is depriving her body of calories, essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein and fat, and vitamins and minerals.
According to a press release put out by the American Academy of Neurology today, a new study that will be presented at the Academy's National Conference in March, has reported that sweetened beverages—especially diet drinks—may increase the risk of depression. This is depressing news for diet pop addicts and proves to be yet another reason why we should ditch (or at least cut back on) sweetened beverages in general.
According to an article in Psychology Today, research shows that fewer than half of the people who set New Year's resolutions actually stick to their goals after 6 months. And after a year, the number declines to about 10%.
Are you planning on setting a New Year's resolution this year? I am, but I haven't figured out what my resolution is yet—I want to make sure that it's attainable and realistic, unlike certain resolutions that I've set in the past.
Have a healthy breakfast everyday within an hour of waking up. Breakfast will give you energy for the day ahead and also help to prevent overeating later in the day.
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Only indulge in treats that are worth it. There's no point in eating for the sake of eating. Pick one or two treats that you really love.
Following the the unthinkable, horrific tragedy in Newtown Connecticut on Friday that stole the precious, innocent lives of 20 sweet, beautiful children, I cannot begin to even fathom what you, the parents of those babies, must be going through. The excruciating sadness that that you must feel every moment of every day in the wake of losing your baby; your life.
