Best and worst fast-food salads

Salads are a great way to fill up with healthy fiber-rich foods. But, don't be fooled. Some are loaded with sodium and fat (especially the dressings). So, if you are trying to keep the calories down while eating healthy fast-food, check out the best and the worst choices.
Taco Bell tops the list taking the first two "best" salads:

1. Taco Bell Chicken Ranch Taco Salad (Fresco Style). This salad has 240 calories, 6 grams total fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1,110 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber, and 23 grams protein. Ingredients: beans, fiesta salsa, lettuce, rice, southwest chicken, tomato.
2. Taco Bell Chipotle Steak Taco Salad (Fresco Style): 220 calories; 7g total fat; 2g saturated fat; 960 mg sodium; 6g fiber; 41g protein. Ingredients: beans, fiesta salsa, lettuce, rice, steak, tomato.

Click here to see more. Be sure to NEVER choose one with crispy/deep fried chicken!

Vegetarian Baby?

November is Vegan Awareness Month (and National Good Nutrition Month and Diabetes Awareness month)
Before the baby comes...

Many people choose a vegetarian eating plan and they may worry about their protein intake during pregnancy. Whether or not you consider yourself "strict vegetarian" or if you just prefer to limit your intake of animal products, it is important to evaluate your diet for optimal health. There are different forms of vegetarian diet, including:

• Vegan - no flesh foods (red meat, poultry, fish), milk products or eggs.
• Ovo-lacto vegetarian - no flesh foods but milk products and eggs are allowed.
  
• Ovo vegetarian - no flesh foods or milk products, but eggs are allowed.
• Lacto vegetarian - no flesh foods or eggs, but milk products are allowed.
  

The more restrictive the diet, the more challenging it is to meet all your nutritional needs. The Vegetarian Society has an information sheet addressing some of the concerns you may have. Click on the post title to read.

In general, vegetarian eating lowers the risk of the following conditions:

• Obesity
• Tooth decay due to typically eating less junk food (this is up to you)
  
• Hypertension
• Constipation
• Heart disease
  
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancer
  
• Gallstones

It may take more work and effective meal planning to follow a vegetarian diet that is healthy during pregnancy, because it can be more difficult to meet nutrient needs as foods are eliminated. Many people rely on dietary supplements to fill this need. A vegan, however, who avoids all animal products, will need to take vitamin B12, iron and perhaps zinc, and vitamin D. You should discuss your strict dietary plans with your doctor who can best advise you. A registered dietician can also help you create a balanced meal plan.

Other resources:
American Dietetic Association
Vegetarian Society
Your Health (addresses DHA, omega 3 needs)
Vegetarian Resource Group

After the baby comes...

If you want your baby to eat the vegetarian way, it is important to plan ahead to be sure he/she won't be nutritionally deficient. Discuss your plans with your pediatrician. A breastfed baby receives all the nutrients needed for the first six months of life. Sometimes a vitamin D supplement (200 IU) is recommended for the baby. This is the sunshine vitamin and sometimes we don't get enough daily sun to do the job. Vegetarian breastfeeding moms may also consider a B12 supplement. You can get more information on breastfeeding at LaLeche League International.
Baby eats veggies...

When it comes to feeding your baby solid foods, around six months of age, the Vegetarian Society also has an information sheet for baby here. You may find that getting involved in a support network of vegetarian moms will be helpful as you learn to create healthy baby foods and child-friendly vegetarian meals. Gerber reminds us that "vegetable proteins are sometimes more difficult for your baby to digest and absorb than animal proteins. Be sure to fully cook beans and legumes. This allows for proper digestion of proteins by your baby." (Source: Teddy Bears & Bean Sprouts publication, 2004 Gerber Products Company). Variety will help your baby to enjoy solid foods.

You might enjoy reading some other vegetarian mom blogs
Vegan Mom Blog
Non Vegetarian Mom/Vegan Baby
Vegetarian Baby
Homemade Baby Food (Veggie)
Green Baby Guide
Vetetarian Mom Blog
Pregnancy & Baby

The Big "C" (constipation)

Constipation is one of the most common conditions of pregnancy and it can compound the risk of developing painful hemorrhoids so it's worth dealing with now. There are measures you can take to reduce these unpleasant symptoms.
Because the digestive process slows in pregnancy, constipation is even more common than in the general population. Here are some suggestions by Dr. Mercola, not specifically addressing pregnancy constipation but some of his suggestions are excellent. He is a proponent of natural products and his website does promote his own line. WeeCare does not endorse these products but his video about constipation is excellent so click the post title to see his video. We encourage you to discuss any supplements or medications with your doctor. While laxatives are helpful in pregnancy, this is not the best solution. Prevention and bowel training along with exercise, water intake and diet will make a difference.

Ideas from his website, along with our own suggestions that particularly help pregnant women follow:

• Try squatting. This is the best, natural position to help expel stool from your colon and reduce your risk of hemorrhoids, and it’s still the way many people around the world go to the bathroom. In your home, you can get many of the same benefits by placing a stool near your toilet to raise your knees, purchasing a special squatting device to modify your toilet, or simply squatting on your own toilet.

• Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods. Vegetables are phenomenal sources of fiber. Fruits with skins, whole grains (not just darker-colored white bread), beans are very good. See this chart for fiber content of foods. For added fiber to help normalize your stool, try whole organic flaxseeds. Grind the seeds in a coffee grinder, then add a tablespoon or two to your food.You can also try psyllium. Psyllium is unique because it's an adaptogenic fiber, which means it will help soften your stool if you’re constipated, or reduce frequency of your bowel movements if you have loose stools. Products such as Metamucil employ this substance and it is safe in pregnancy.
  

• Exercise regularly. This helps stimulate circulation and intestinal function, causing your bowels to move properly - so, take a walk!

• Schedule bathroom time. Sometimes our busy lives make us postpone this important function and by so doing, we train our body to hold the stool and then, especially if we are not well-hydrated, constipation ensues. Plan time daily for this, even when you don't think you need to "go" and relax with a book, puzzle, etc. You can train yourself - your body will get the idea but it starts in your head.

• Drink plenty of water. If your body perceives dehydration (before you even feel thirsty), it will draw fluid from the colon, leaving the stool hard and dry. Ensuring adequate water intake will reduce this problem. Keep a water bottle handy and sip, sip, sip.

• Supplements? Some women who are enemic in pregnancy take iron supplements on the recommendation of their doctor. In some cases this may aggravate constipation. If this is the case with you, it is important that you increase your iron-rich foods as these sources of iron are more easily digested than supplemental iron taken as medicine. Check this list for food suggestions, and include red meats, egg yolk, whole grains such as oatmeal, spinach and beans in your diet. Many of the iron-rich foods also contain good amounts of fiber so this dietary measure can help in two ways.
  

If you still have problems after trying these things, discuss it with your health care provider. You may need a mild laxative such as Miralax or Milk of Magnesia but this should be with the approval of your doctor or midwife.

Whole Grain vs Brown Bread

Is Brown Bread Equal to Whole Grain Bread?

In pregnancy, dietary concerns arise. Most women find that hormones cause their digestive system to be sluggish. Constipation is rampant here! So, besides getting the best nutrients for you and your baby, using whole grains can help with this annoying and painful problem. Read more about it at Health Castle.