Foods To Avoid When Pregnant

Foods to Avoid When Pregnant

* Avoid alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol has been linked to premature delivery, mental retardation, birth defects, and low birth weight babies.

* Limit caffeine to no more than 300 mg per day. The caffeine content in various drinks depends on the beans or leaves used and how it was prepared. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 150 mg of caffeine on average while black tea has typically about 80 mg. A 12-ounce glass of caffeinated soda contains anywhere from 30-60 mg of caffeine. Remember, chocolate contains caffeine -- the amount of caffeine in a chocolate bar is equal to 1/4 cup of coffee.

* The use of saccharin is strongly discouraged during pregnancy because it can cross the placenta and may remain in fetal tissues. But, the use of other non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA is acceptable during pregnancy. These FDA-approved sweeteners include aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet), acesulfame-K (Sunett), and sucralose (Splenda). These sweeteners are considered safe in moderation so talk with your health care provider about how much non-nutritive sweetener is acceptable during pregnancy.

* Decrease the total amount of fat you eat to 30% or less of your total daily calories. For a person eating 2000 calories a day, this would be 65 grams of fat or less per day.

* Limit cholesterol intake to 300 mg or less per day.

* Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish (also called white snapper), because they contain high levels of mercury.

* Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style cheese. These cheeses are often unpasteurized and may cause Listeria infection. There’s no need to avoid hard cheese, processed cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt.

* Avoid raw fish, especially shellfish like oysters and clams.

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Article from WebMD
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Eating Right When Pregnant

Good nutrition during pregnancy, and enough of it, is very important for your baby to grow and develop. You should consume about 300 more calories per day than you did before you became pregnant.

Although nausea and vomiting during the first few months of pregnancy can make this difficult, try to eat a well balanced diet and take prenatal vitamins. Here are some recommendations to keep you and your baby healthy.

Goals for Healthy Eating When Pregnant

* Eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Recommended daily servings include 6-11 servings of breads and grains, two to four servings of fruit, four or more servings of vegetables, four servings of dairy products, and three servings of protein sources (meat, poultry, fish, eggs or nuts). Use fats and sweets sparingly.

* Choose foods high in fiber that are enriched such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables.

* Make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your daily diet while pregnant. You should take a prenatal vitamin supplement to make sure you are consistently getting enough vitamins and minerals every day. Your doctor can recommend an over-the-counter brand or prescribe a prenatal vitamin for you.

* Eat and drink at least four servings of dairy products and calcium-rich foods a day to help ensure that you are getting 1000-1300 mg of calcium in your daily diet during pregnancy.

* Eat at least three servings of iron-rich foods per day to ensure you are getting 27 mg of iron daily.

* Choose at least one good source of vitamin C every day, such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, honeydew, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, green peppers, tomatoes, and mustard greens. Pregnant women need 70 mg of vitamin C a day.

* Choose at least one good source of folic acid every day, like dark green leafy vegetables, veal, and legumes (lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas). Every pregnant woman needs at least 0.4 mg of folic acid per day to help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

* Choose at least one source of vitamin A every other day. Sources of vitamin A include carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, water squash, turnip greens, beet greens, apricots, and cantaloupe. Know that excessive vitamin A intake (>10,000 IU/day) may be associated with fetal malformations.

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Articles from WebMD
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Top 12 Healthy Frozen Dinners

Frozen meals have come a long way since the TV dinner. Here are our picks for the healthiest ones.

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Feature - Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Roasted poblano chilies, steak tips with Portobello mushroom, pumpkin squash ravioli … these sound like mouth-watering restaurant entrees, but you can get them at your local supermarket. Just stroll down the freezer aisle to find these and many other enticing frozen dinners that can be ready in minutes.

Frozen dinners are hotter than ever, claiming more shelf space than most any other type of frozen food. Forget the old-fashioned TV dinner featuring Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Today, you can find ethnic, vegetarian, low-calorie, supersized, natural, and organic meals on your frozen food aisle.

Frozen meals these days are trending toward less sodium, more vegetables, zero trans fats, more fiber, and 100% whole grains, says Leah McGrath, RD, corporate dietitian for the Ingles grocery chain. Some of the latest frozen meal choices include paninis/grilled sandwiches, gluten-free meals, and steamer bowls.

"Steaming is the hottest trend with frozen meals because of a new technology that allows you to steam in the container," she says. "And that word 'steam' means healthy, lower fat, and easy to most consumers, so it has been a big seller."

It's no surprise frozen dinners are popular. They're fast, convenient, and pre-portioned, a boon for singles, busy families, dieters, older people, and office workers. They can also be a money-saver when compared to restaurant meals.

"At a time when most people are looking to save money, a frozen meal costing between $2.50-$4 is less expensive than eating out," says McGrath.

With so many choices, the challenge is to find frozen meals that taste good, satisfy your hunger, and are healthy. WebMD went to the supermarket to find out which frozen dinners fit the bill.
Best Frozen Meals: 12 Healthy Options

There are too many healthy frozen dinners on the market to list, but here are 12 of the healthiest to consider when choosing your next frozen entree. All are relatively low in calories and fat, have some protein for satiety, and are not too high in sodium:

1)Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake
2)Healthy Choice Cajun Style Chicken and Shrimp
3)Lean Cuisine Sundried Tomato Pesto Chicken
4)Healthy Choice Pumpkin Squash Ravioli
5)Kashi Black Bean Mango
6)Lean Cuisine Beef Chow Fun
7)Smart Ones Thai Style Chicken Rice Noodles
8)Healthy Choice Sweet Asian Potstickers
9)Lean Cuisine Glazed Chicken
10)Kashi Ranchero Beans
11)Healthy Choice Café Steamer 5 Spice Beef & Vegetable

How to Choose Frozen Dinners

Ready to find your own favorite frozen meals? There's no getting around it: You'll need to read the " nutrition facts" panel on the package to see whether your choice is a healthy one.

In general, look for meals that include one or more servings each of vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat, fish, or poultry. These tend to be lower in calories and higher in vitamins and minerals as well as fiber (which helps fill you up).

Skip frozen dinners with cream sauces, gravies, or fried foods. And although dessert may look like a bonus, experts suggest having a piece of fresh fruit instead, for more fiber, nutrition, and fewer calories.

Here are the experts’ guidelines for choosing a healthy frozen dinner. Keep in mind that some healthy meals will meet some, but not all, of these recommendations:

* 300-500 calories
* 10-18 grams of total fat, or less than 30% of total calories
* Less than 4 grams of saturated fat
* Less than 600 milligrams of sodium
* 3-5 grams of fiber
* 10% of the Recommended Daily Value of vitamins or minerals
* 10-20 grams of protein

It's also important to pay attention to serving sizes. Although they may be lower in calories, smaller entrees may leave you hungry. But don't be afraid to add a few extras to boost nutrition and satisfaction, experts say.

"Adding fruit, a side salad, and low-fat dairy boosts the nutritional value of the meal [and] adds fiber and calories, so it will fill you up and satisfy your hunger," says, Linda McDonald, MS, RD, editor of Supermarket Savvy newsletter.

If you want to boost the protein, add 1/2 cup of beans or a sprinkling of nuts to your meal.

The Facts on Frozen Dinners

One thing to watch for: Even with a trend toward lower sodium, most frozen meals are high in it, says McDonald.

"Sticking with the brands that claim to be lighter and healthier (such as Lean Cuisine, Kashi, Healthy Choice, Weight Watchers Smart One’s) makes it easier to make a healthier choice since they must be low in fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol to meet the Food and Drug Administration requirements for 'healthy' meals," she says.

But there are no guarantees. You still need to read the label to be certain.

Look for frozen meals with less than 800 milligrams of sodium (that's about 1/3 of a day's recommended allotment). If you're on a low-sodium diet, divide your recommended daily number of sodium milligrams by three, and use that number as a guide.

Although most brands of frozen meals are reputable, some labels may use wording that could mislead you. For example, it's not always clear what makes products labeled "natural" qualify for that terminology. And, some labels boast that their dinners are "preservative free" – but most frozen meals don't include preservatives anyway, because freezing prevents spoilage.

The bottom line: Don't assume a product is healthy without checking out the nutrition facts panel.

Nutrition - Food Allergies

Shortly after Ben began eating his lunch, his childcare provider noticed he seemed to be trying to scratch an itch in his mouth. After he vomited and began wheezing, the care provider sought medical treatment for Ben, who was later diagnosed with a food allergy, in this case to peanuts.

Along with milk, eggs, soy, wheat, tree nuts, and shellfish, peanuts are among the most common foods that cause allergies.

Learning how to recognize an allergic reaction will help you get your child the medical care needed if a reaction occurs. If your child has already been diagnosed with a food allergy, it's important to know:

- how to accommodate your child's dietary needs
- what emergency preparations to make in case your child has an allergic reaction

About Food Allergies

With a food allergy, the body reacts as though that particular food product is harmful. As a result, the body's immune system (which fights infection and disease) creates antibodies to fight the food allergen, the substance in the food that triggers the allergy.

The next time a person comes in contact with that food by touching or eating it or inhaling its particles, the body releases chemicals, including one called histamine, to "protect" itself. These chemicals trigger allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, or cardiovascular system. These symptoms might include a runny nose, an itchy skin rash, a tingling in the tongue, lips, or throat, swelling, abdominal pain, or wheezing.

People often confuse food allergies with food intolerance because of similar symptoms. The symptoms of food intolerance can include burping, indigestion, gas, loose stools, headaches, nervousness, or a feeling of being "flushed." But food intolerance:

- doesn't involve the immune system
- can be caused by a person's inability to digest certain substances, such as lactose
- can be unpleasant but is rarely dangerous

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), up to 6% of children in the United States under age 3 have food allergies. They are less common in adults but, overall, food allergies affect nearly 11 million people in the United States.

Common Food Allergens

A child could be allergic to any food, but these eight common allergens account for 90% of all reactions in kids:

milk
eggs
peanuts
soy
wheat
tree nuts (such as walnuts and cashews)
fish
shellfish (such as shrimp)

In general, most kids with food allergies outgrow them. Of those who are allergic to milk, about 80% will eventually outgrow the allergy. About two-thirds with allergies to eggs and about 80% with a wheat or soy allergy will outgrow those by the time they're 5 years old.

Other food allergies are harder to outgrow. Only about 20% of people with allergies to peanuts and about 10% of those allergic to tree nuts outgrow the allergies. Fish and shellfish allergies usually develop later in life and are even more rarely outgrown.

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Food Allergy Reactions

Food allergy reactions can vary from person to person. Some can be very mild and only involve one part of the body, like hives on the skin. Others can be more severe and involve more than one part of the body. Reactions can occur within a few minutes or up to a few hours after contact with the food.

Food allergy reactions can affect any of the four following areas of the body:

- skin: itchy red bumps (hives); eczema; redness and swelling of the face or extremities; itching and swelling of the lips, tongue, or mouth (skin reactions are the most common type of reaction)

- gastrointestinal tract: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

- respiratory tract: runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath

- cardiovascular system: lightheadedness or fainting

A serious allergic reaction with widespread effects on the body is known as anaphylaxis. This sudden, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction involves two or more of the body areas listed above. In addition, there also can be swelling of the airway, serious difficulty with breathing, a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and in some cases, even death.

Diagnosing a Food Allergy

If you suspect that your child might have a food allergy, contact your doctor. To diagnose an allergy, the doctor will likely ask about:

- your child's symptoms
- how often the reaction occurs
- the time it takes between eating a particular food and the start of the first symptoms
- whether any family members have allergies or conditions like eczema and asthma

The doctor will look for any other conditions that could cause the symptoms. For example, if your child seems to have diarrhea after drinking milk, the doctor may check to see if lactose intolerance could be the cause rather than a food allergy. Celiac disease — a condition in which a person cannot tolerate gluten, a protein found in wheat and certain other grains — also can mimic the symptoms of food allergies.

If the doctor suspects a food allergy, you'll likely be referred to an allergy specialist, who will ask more questions, perform a physical exam, and probably perform tests to help make a diagnosis.

One of those tests might be a skin test. The test involves placing liquid extracts of food allergens on your child's forearm or back, pricking the skin, and waiting to see if reddish raised spots (called wheals) form within 15 minutes. A positive test to a certain food only shows that your child might be allergic to that food — the allergist may do additional tests for confirmation.

The allergy specialist might also perform blood tests, called RASTs (radioallergosorbent tests), which check the blood for IgE antibodies to specific foods. The results show the concentration of IgE in the blood. For several foods, different cutoffs indicate a high likelihood of an allergy. If someone has both a positive skin test and and a RAST above the cutoff, an allergy to that food is diagnosed and no further testing is needed.

If the test results are still unclear, the allergist may perform a food challenge. (More often, though, this test is done to determine if someone has outgrown a certain allergy.) During this test, a person might be given gradually increasing amounts of the potential food allergen to eat while being watched for symptoms by the doctor. The test should only be performed in an allergist's office or hospital that has access to immediate medical care and medications because a life-threatening reaction could occur.

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Treating a Food Allergy

After diagnosing your child with a food allergy, the allergist will help you create a treatment plan. No medication can cure food allergies, so treatment usually means avoiding the allergen and all the foods that contain it.

You'll need to familiarize yourself with food labels so you can avoid the allergen. Since 2006, a new food labeling law has made this a little easier. Makers of packaged foods are required to clearly state, in or near the ingredient lists, whether the product contains milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or soy.

Although there's no cure for food allergies, medications can treat both minor and severe symptoms. Antihistamines might be used to treat symptoms such as hives, runny nose, or abdominal pain associated with an allergic reaction.

If your child wheezes or has asthma flares (also called attacks) as the result of a food allergy, the doctor will likely recommend that a bronchodilator such as albuterol (which can be inhaled from a handheld pump device) be taken right away to reduce breathing difficulties.

But remember: If your child experiences an allergy-triggered asthma attack, it's important to consider also giving epinephrine and seek emergency medical treatment immediately, in case the asthma symptoms are part of anaphylaxis.

Epinephrine is often used to treat severe allergic reactions, or anaphylaxis. If your child has severe food allergies, your allergist will want you to have two epinephrine autoinjectors (commonly called EpiPens) on hand at all times in case of a life-threatening reaction. This will mean keeping epinephrine in your home, briefcase or purse, and also at relatives' homes and your child's day care or school.

Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis that would require epinephrine include:

- hoarseness
- sensation of tightness in the throat
- difficulty breathing
- any symptoms from two or more of the body systems, such as hives and abdominal pain, or any other combination of two or more symptoms that affect different parts of the body

After your child receives epinephrine, you should go immediately to a hospital emergency room so additional treatment can be given, if needed. Also, they'll observe your child for at least 4 hours to watch for signs of a second wave of symptoms (called a biphasic reaction) that occurs in many cases.

You and your child's allergist should work together to develop a written food allergy emergency action plan to give to the school, childcare provider, and any other caregivers.

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This article taken from http://kidshealth.org
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Chocolate Lowers Risk Of Heart-Related Deaths

Heart attack survivors who eat choccolate two or more times per week can cut their risk of dying from heart disease about threefold compared to those who never touch the stuff, scientist have reported.

Smaller quantities confer less protection but are still better than none, according to the study which will be published in next month's issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Earlier research had established a strong link between cocoa-based confections and lowered blood pressure or improvement in blood flow. It had also shown that chocolate cuts the rate of heart-related mortality in healthy older men and post-menopausal women.

The new study, led by Dr. Imre Janszky of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, is the first to demonstrate that consuming chocolate can help ward off the grim reaper if one has suffered attack.

"It was specific to chocolate - we found no benefits from sweets in general," said Mr. Kenneth Mukamal, a researcher at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and a co-author of the study.

It seems that antioxidants in cocoa may be contributing to the life-saving property of chocolate, he told AFP.

Antioxidants are compounds that protect the body against free radicals - molecules which accumulate in the body over time that can damage cells and are thought to play a role in heart disease, cancer and the ageing process.

The the study, Dr. Janszky and colleagues tracked 1,169 non-diabetic men and women, aged 45 to 70 yeards old, in Stockholm Country during the early 1990s from the time they were hospitalized with their first heart attack.

The participants were queried before leaving hospital on their food consumption habits over the previous year, including how much chocolate they ate on a regular basis.

"Our findings support increasing evidence that chocolate is a rich source of beneficial bioactive compounds," the researchers concluded.

The results held true for men and women and across all the age groups included in the study. Other factors that might have affected the outcome - alcohol consumption, obesity and smoking - were taken into account.

So should we all be loading up on cocoa-rich sweets?

"I'm pretty cautious about chocolate because we're working on weight problems with so many individuals," said Dr. Mukamal, who is also a physician.

"However, I do encourage those who are looking for healthier desserts to consider chocolate in small quantiies," he said.

"For individuals with no weight issues and who have been able to eat chocolate in moderation and remain slim, I do not limit it," he added.

The researches said that clinical trials were needed to back up their findings.

In the meantime, however, a bit of chocolate may not be amiss, they suggested.

Article taken from "Mind Your Body" - 20 August 2009
Straits Times Publication, Singapore

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