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Should You Limit Carbs While Pregnant?
Low carbohydrate diets seem to be the talk of the town. Are they right for everyone? Are they a good idea while pregnant? Carbohydrates have a bad reputation and perhaps rightfully so when generally referring to the type of carbohydrates consumed in the SAD (Standard American Diet). It is easy to label all carbs as bad and write them off but perhaps we should understand the role they play in the body, specifically while pregnant. What exactly is a carbohydrate? Simply put, carbs are a source of energy used by the body and can either be simple or complex. The quality of carbs matters and should be considered when deciding…
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Why You Should Eat Organic Foods While Pregnant
Pregnancy is such a unique time in a woman’s life. Her body is busy building tissues of her developing fetus so the foods she eats are, in part, fueling her baby’s growth and development. This fact makes the quality of the mother’s diet very important. Fresh fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Unfortunately, many farmers use harmful chemicals to treat their crops in order to control weeds or deter other pests from destroying their harvest. The CDC states, “Some pesticides have been linked in human studies with problems including miscarriages, birth defects, and learning or developmental disabilities in children. Some pesticides also may pass into breast milk.”…
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Why You Should Strength Train During Second Pregnancy
Strength training is one of the most useful forms of exercise for humans, but especially for pregnant women. Though it may have been traditionally thought of for men, research now shows us how beneficial it is for everyone. On average, women are waiting longer now to conceive, making strength training even more helpful during pregnancy and in recovery. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body must adjust to the physical, hormonal, and emotional changes taking place. The uterus will expand, abdominal muscles stretch, ribs can push out, extra pressure is on the pelvic floor, among many other changes. Strength training can improve the strength and length of muscles and tissue…
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Pregnancy Nightmares
Everyone dreams, even if you don’t remember your dreams. Humans spend a great portion of life sleeping, thus dreaming. When sleeping, people cycle through periods of deep rest and REM (dream) sleep. Because we experience many bouts of REM sleep, multiple dreams are had each night. There are many theories about dreams and their purpose. While it is easy to blame pregnancy nightmares on hormones, it might be worth taking a deeper look. A new perspective may change your whole outlook and experience while dreaming and may impact waking life too. Substances, like alcohol, can interfere with not only the sleep cycle, but also our ability to recall dreams. When…
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Hysterectomy After Childbirth-Is It My Fate?
A hysterectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgeries on women, second to a C-section. The National Women’s Health Network states, “By the age of 60, more than one-third of all women have had a hysterectomy.” While there are completely legitimate reasons to have a hysterectomy, such as cancer, not all circumstances warrant one. Prolapse is a common justification used by doctors in performing this surgery, but jumping into surgery for this reason, without first rehabilitating the pelvic floor muscles, along with addressing postural and breathing patterns, is a mistake. The majority of women will give birth at some point in their life (about 85% of women). The uterus…
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The Cost of an Unhealthy Lifestyle
In life, most things we want have a price tag, including our health. It’s no secret that the more unhealthy someone is, the more frequently they must go to the doctor, especially as they age. This article states, ” A 65-year-old, healthy couple can expect to spend $266,600 over the course of their retirement on Medicare premiums alone.” The standard American diet causes many costly health problems and most trendy diets are hard to stick to, so many people find themselves yo-yo dieting, which can also cause tons of health issues. Strict or extreme diet protocols can leave many feeling defeated. I have heard some people say that they are…
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Should You Eat And Exercise According To Your DNA?
Perhaps you’ve seen new trends emerging that promise better results in weight loss and fitness when you eat and exercise according to your DNA. This might be especially enticing if you have struggled with managing your weight for many moons. You may believe that you will enjoy these types of foods more or will want to exercise regularly if they align with your genes. What about in pregnancy; can living a lifestyle that “honors” your DNA help impact the health profile of your child before birth? Rapidly developing technology gives humans more access to resources that are life-changing. For instance, genetic testing, that is relatively cheap and easy to get,…
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Mom Obligation And Guilt
As someone who has worked with many new moms, I see how guilt and obligation creep into the minds of these women, take over, and haunt them. I have heard it all, such as, “I feel guilty leaving the house” (even if it’s just for an hour to take some much needed time for herself), “I need to have another baby so my first baby isn’t an only child”, and “I feel like a bad mom because of …”. Fill in the blank, the list of reasons is endless. Most of us fear judgement in various situations, but that fear seems heightened in motherhood and dictates a lot of the…
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3 Ways To Trick Yourself Into Eating Healthier
Good nutrition is important for long-term health. Nothing you didn’t know already, but what if you hate the way most healthy food tastes? Should you force-feed yourself? No, but you can “trick” yourself into incorporating more wholesome foods. While you may be fed up with how you look and feel, making health related changes is uncomfortable and usually comes with a big side of resistance. You likely have an idea about what it will take to achieve healthy results and it’s often something that feels like a punishment. No wonder most resolutions fall flat within a few weeks or less. So much of creating a healthy lifestyle is about honoring your…
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What Valentine’s Day Taught Me About The Heart
I used to love Valentine’s Day as a kid. My dad would give both my younger brother and me a heart shaped box filled with chocolates, one for each of us. It is hard for me now to see those heart shaped boxes in the store. I have hated this holiday for many years but now I want to change my focus. Instead of feeling sorrow and loss around this holiday, I want to focus on making it about strengthening hearts and creating more health for families. My dad died on Valentine’s Day when I was eight years old and left me confused, devastated, and angry. I really loved him and…
