Vitamin D, best natural protection against swine flu in pregnancy

If you are a pregnant Hot Mama or a Hot Mama with a new baby, the possibility of contracting the swine flu is not a happy thought. Pregnant women are more at risk because if they contract the flu, it is a much stronger and potentially more dangersous virus. In my past blog, I wrote about my apprehensions about the swine flu vaccine, due to the fact that it contains thimerosol. Thimerosol is a mercury containing perservative used in some vaccines. While the research is inconlusive about the damaging effects of mercury exposure on a developing baby's brain, there are many healthcare professionals who strongly believe that there is a definite link between autism and mercury exposure.

If you are a Hot Mama who has made the choice not to get vaccinated, there is new evidence that Vitamin D offers significant protection against the Swine Flu. Vitamin D is a powerful immune booster and has shown to fight several germs, including viruses and bacteria. In one study, it was shown that Americans with the lowest vitamin D levels were 40% more likely to have reported respiratory infection than those with normal levels.

How does a Hot Mama get enough Vitamin D? Unfortunately, it is very difficult to get enough vitamin D from food. The skin absorbs vitamin D if exposed to the sun without sunblock. If you are trying to prevent premature aging and skin cancer and are wearing sunblock with at least an SPF of 15, 99% of all Vitamin D will be blocked. Also, if you are a Hot Mama living in the upper half of the United States from November-March, it is impossible to get enough vitamin D even if you are sunbathing sans clothing or sunblock.

I recommend that my Hot Mama's take a supplement that contains somewhere between 400-1000 IU of Vitamin D a day. This amount is safe for pregnant women. Vitamin D levels can easily be tested by your doctor. If you are deficient, your doctor or nutritionist may want you to take more. Make sure you don't overdose on Vitamin D, however. Taking too much for too long can be toxic.

Postpartem depression and natural cures

If you are a Hot-Mama with the post baby blues, here are some ideas that may lift your mood without having to resort to taking anti-depressants:

1. Eat animal based omega-3 rich foods such as salmon and sardines regularly. If fish is not your thing, try a supplement like krill oil which has not been contaminated with pcb's. Omega-3 fat supports healthy brain function and a deficiency can lead to depression and anxiety.

2. Exercise! Studies have shown exercise to be as effective in treating depression as prescription anti-depressants. Remember, the best time to exercise is when you don't feel like it!

3. Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, commercial breakfast cereals, crackers, cakes, and white pasta. Over-eating sugar and carbohydrates causes a drastic rise and drop in blood sugar levels, which can seem like an emotional roller-coaster. Sugar is the first thing we want to eat when we are over tired, so do your best to rest when you are tired and take naps when your baby is napping.

4. Get outside for at least twenty minutes a day. Being exposed to the sun is necessary for the production of serotonin in your brain which is the "feel good" neuro-transmiter. Sun exposure also insures that you are getting enough vitamin D. Studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency can lead to depression and moodiness. If you are unable to spend enough time in the sun, take a quality vitamin D supplement daily.

Eat fiber, lose weight

Want to lose weight post-baby, prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy, prevent painful hemorroids while pregnant, control blood sugar?

The secret is FIBER. While not a sexy topic of conversation, read on. All you have to lose is inches from your waist and numbers from your cholesterol reading.

Why do we need fiber?

Fiber is especially important for the following:

- reducing the risk of colon and rectal cancer by permitting carcinogens in food to pass more quickly through the intestinal tract

- helping to regulate blood glucose levels in diabetes and in those who are trying to regulate their blood sugar for weight loss purposes

- helping prevent cardiovascular disease

- helping prevent and treat diverticulosis, constipation, and hemorrhoids

- helps to satisfy appetite by creating a feeling of fullness (feeling full = eating less = weight loss)

- has a cholesterol lowering effect

Most Americans do not get enough fiber. How much is enough? The National Cancer Institute recommends 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily. If you are not accustomed to eating that much fiber, increase your intake gradually. Too much too soon can lead to intestinal cramps, bloating and yes, gas.

All vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes have fiber. Animal products do not have any. Most of the fiber in fruits and vegetables is in the skin. Fruit and vegetable juices are usually striped of all fiber. To add more fiber to your diet, eat vegetables and fruits with their skins, whole grain cereals, whole grain breads, beans, peas, and nuts.

Lose weight with shakes post baby

Trying to lose those last few pounds post baby? No time to eat breakfast? Making a nutritious, low calorie shake may be the answer. Foods that contain liquid such as shakes and soup are very weight loss friendly. These types of foods are very filling. Studies have shown that the sense of satiety isn't the same unless the liquid is actually part of the food. Eating a turkey sandwich and drinking a large glass of water is not as filling as having a large bowl of veggie turkey soup. The veggie turkey soup actually has less calories!

A shake can be a great breakfast on the run, a snack, or even a meal replacement for a busy new mother. Oftentimes the act of feeding your baby gets in the way of taking the time to feed yourself! All shakes are not created equal, however. I recommend making your shakes yourself instead of visiting a smoothie shop. Many of the shakes at smoothie shops are just dessert in a cup and can contain up to 1200 calories.

Here is my favorite low-calorie, anti-oxidant and protein rich shake:

1 cup original flavor Almond Milk (40-60 calories)

1 cup mixed berries

1 scoop vanilla whey protein (should be about 100 calories)

1 tbsp stevia or truvia for extra sweetness (splenda can be used instead, but I prefer stevia)

This whole shake has about 230 calories and should keep you full for several hours!

Best iphone app for weight loss post baby

As a nutritionist, I often hear complaints of, "I think I am doing everything right and I still can't lose weight!" In this instance, the first thing I tell my clients to do is to keep a food journal. The act of writing down everything that is passing your lips completely eliminates unconscious eating.I have found that even if a client is given a specific diet plan, most find themselves "grazing" on other food and not even remembering that they did so. For a Hot Mama with a new baby, the act of keeping a food journal can be more than challenging in her hectic, sleep deprived schedule. If you are a Hot Mama with an iphone, the ap "Lose It" is just the solution. This ap logs your food intake and daily exercise. It creates a calorie plan based on your age, gender, height, and the amount of weight that you want to lose each week. It even tracks your weight loss progess and diplays your nutrient intake for the day. Better yet, this app is free! Note: If you are breastfeeding, you will want to adjust your calories up 500 per day and only aim for a loss of one pound per week. Adequate calorie and nutrient intake is crucial for nourishing your baby and maintaining your ability to produce milk.

Sleep and post pregnancy weight loss

Exercising and eating healthy and still can't lose that last ten baby weight pounds? Not getting enough zzz's may be the culprit. Numerous studies have shown that women who sleep five hours or less a night weigh more than women who get at least seven hours of sleep. These studies take into account exercise and calorie intake; both being equal in each group. Lack of sleep may decrease metabolic rate (the amount of calories burned at rest) and increases cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol levels have been linked to weight gain (especially around the middle). Getting enought sleep can be particularly challenging for a new mother, but it may be an easier and less expensive solution than hiring a personal trainer, buying the next clothes a size, or losing your mind as your weight loss attempts just seem futile! Here are some tips for my Hot Mamas in need of a decent night's rest:

1. Enlist the help of Daddy. You spent nine months of pregnancy without the comforts of a glass of wine, your favorite sushi, and being able to take a gosh darn aspirin when you had a headache, not to mention the "YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" experience of delivery so that you both can have a beautiful, healthy baby. It's time for Daddy to step up. If your baby is waking up in three hour intervals, let Daddy take one shift a night.

2. Avoid caffeine after noon, no matter how tired you are. Grit it out and go to sleep earlier.

3. Make sure you are sleeping in a very dark room without any flashing lights such as computer screens, televisions, or flashing phones or clocks. Light inhibits the release of melatonin, which is the hormone that helps you fall asleep. Watching television or surfing the net before bed is a no no.

4. If you can afford it, hire a night nurse for a few nights a week.

5. As tired as you may feel, try to keep up some type of exercise program. Exercise is a great sleep aid.

6. Take naps. A great time to catch up on sleep is when your baby is sleeping.

Lactose Intolerance and Pregnancy

Lactose Intolerance and Pregnancy

Hot Mamas who are lactose intolerant have a particularly difficult time getting the recommended 1,000-1,200 mg. of calcium a day. Why worry about getting enough calcium? Have you ever observed a woman who is hunched over with bad teeth? Not very Hot, indeed. Adequate calcium intake is imperative for healthy teeth and bones. If the body isn’t getting enough calcium, it takes pulls it from the bones. Bone loss leads to osteoporosis and a predisposition towards chipping and breaking teeth. The likelihood of this scenario is even greater in pregnant and nursing women. As your baby is growing both in and out of the womb, his or her teeth and bones are developing. If you are not getting enough calcium, your body will take it from your bones to adequately nourish your baby. Since dairy products provide the greatest source of calcium, getting enough is particularly challenging for those who are lactose intolerant. Never fear, follow this list and you will be walking tall with all of your teeth intact way into Hot Mama maturity.

1. Take a calcium supplement that also contains magnesium and vitamin D, which aid absorption. Calcium citrate is more easily absorbed and is well tolerated by those whose tummies may become irritated by calcium supplements. As the body can only absorb about 600mgs of calcium at one time, split your dose between breakfast and dinner. One brand that I particularly like is Blue Bonnet. It comes in liquid form, which is better absorbed and tastes great!

2. Make sure you are getting adequate vitamin D. Spending 20 minutes a day in direct sunlight without sun protection is a good way to get your vitamin D. Egg yolks and salmon are also good sources.

3. Eat calcium rich foods such as canned salmon or sardines with bones, sesame seeds, almonds, and green leafy vegetables such as collards, kale, and broccoli.

4. Eat dairy alternatives such as fortified coconut milk, almond cheese, and coconut based yogurt. These products can be found at your local health food store, Whole Foods, and Trader Joes. (Avoid soy products.)