What to eat when you are expecting?

Getting to be a mother is indeed a blissful feeling. The joy finds no bounds when you come to know that another life is inside you .Naturally you become doubly responsible to handle this particular phase carefully and confidently .You need to sail through the difficult period smoothly.

                                 What you eat can easily determine the wellness of your expecting period. Armed with this knowledge you can easily handle the usual complications of pregnancy like Obesity, Diabetes and hypertension nausea etc. So read on…

Go whole on cereals and pulses, millet:

 A regular intake complex carbs are very essential. It is ideal to have 60% of whole grains such as Millet like Ragi, Bajra, Jowar and  legumes such as Rajmah, Chick Peas etc. along with usual Whole wheat Rotis, cooked rice ,dals  etc. They also give you the daily dose of B-vitamins, fibre along with the extra calories for the healthy development of foetus. The fibre helps greatly in keeping   your sugar levels under control and prevents Constipation, a common problem in expecting women.

 Be generous on Milk and Milk products:

 For healthy bone development of the foetus and to prepare the body for milk production for future lactating period, be generous on milk and milk products for they are the ultimate sources of high quality Calcium and Protein.

Never miss out on the bowl of vegetable salad:

A bowl of fresh vegetable salad can do more than one good to you. They form a cool healthy snack giving a great amount of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Also adds to the nutrient density of your meals. The fibre helps in fighting any digestion problems during the gestational period.

  

Have small and frequent meals to avoid Nausea:

Never have large meals which can cause a lot of heaviness and strain on your digestion and abdomen. You could have small meals like splitting your lunch or dinner. Then do some smart snacking which are rich in fibre. This way you could very well fight your nausea away too. This is especially very useful who put on excessive weight during pregnancy and to deal with any acidity problems.

Good to go on ‘Sour’ foods:

During pregnancy the taste buds crave for the sour foods due to some physiological and hormonal changes. A good intake in the form of Citrus fruits and berries give a good amount of Vitamin C that can control  nausea ,prevailing in some women for all the 9 months.

Take the fruit route:

 Fruits, an important part of your daily diet can help in giving the very essential Folic acid and Vitamin C that help in strengthening the uterus and help in Iron absorption. This is very essential as the blood volume increases rapidly for to cope up with the demand of blood production for delivery and for the growth of baby itself. Folic acid also helps in averting neural defects in new-borns .

Go green:

The green leafy vegetables can provide a great deal of iron ,calcium and fibre  that can help a lot in satisfying the demands of Iron requirement and protect a lot of moms-to be  from Anemia.

 Add more of fish, eggs:

Cut down on meat and chicken based flesh foods. Add more Fish and eggs give the good form of fat, protein to prepare for your body to take on the more demanding motherhood. Good fat will keep any induced stress related increased cholesterol levels at bay.

Cut back on salt:

Toxemia is an abnormal condition of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and oedema and protein in the urine. Increased levels of sodium in your blood are responsible for this condition. It is not only the common salt that causes hypertension. Please take care of your intake of Baked foods, aerated drinks and processed foods also.

Handle sweet cravings smartly:

Craving for sweets is very common during pregnancy. If you are dealing with a weight issue then go for more of fruit juices, milk shakes ,dark chocolates, whole grain muffins  than eating high calorie ,sugar laden chocolates, fondant cakes/tarts etc. which can form an undue burden on already increasing weight.

 Do regular Yoga, Exercise:

Once you have successfully finished with the first trimester, it becomes very essential to kick start with your Yoga and exercise programmes. Breathing exercises are a must till the end of gestational period. However, always consult your gynecologists before starting your  physical  exercises to check on your current status of health.

Get holistic a little!

 Go spiritual and connect with god for a happy and safe delivery of the baby. Naturopathy says having warm Jeera water and hot Rice Kanji with a dash of ghee does help in easing out digestibility problems during the last trimester Be confident to embrace motherhood , happily!!

Get help from your husbands:

It is good to get some help from expecting fathers too. Have a chat with them to make them understand the responsibilities that are coming up in near future.This helps a lot to overcome the difficulties and pressures of motherhood in a great way.

Salads are indeed Indian-Just 2 cups a day for great health

Most of us do not consider this to be Indian right? But a salad is a dish consisting of small pieces of food mostly raw vegetable and fruits sometimes with cooked meat or eggs, grains or legumes. But salads are not complicated or foreign as they may sound to be. A simple plate cucumber slices spiced up with a pinch of Chat Masala and a squeeze of lime is all what you need to take the body to good health or just a cup  of cut fruits as easy as a Guava,Apple or Papaya has absolute heath benefits on your skin and eyes and overall immunity.

Indian food culture have an array of salads both in the north Indian and south Indian cuisine. We have different varieties like Kachumber,Raita and from North,Kosumalli and Pachidi from South are some tasty choices.

Yes, there are other amazing varieties of salads from the western and oriental cuisine too. Most salads are served cold, although some, such as south German Potato salad are served warm. Some consider the warmth of a dish a factor that excludes it from the salad category calling the warm mixture a casserole, a sandwich topping or more specifically, name it for the ingredients which comprise it.Salads may be served as an appetiser, a side dish or a starter served with soups or meat dishes.

 What are nutritional benefits of eating salads?

1. Certainly, there are benefits to consuming plenty of raw fruits and vegetables. These foods supply us with high nutrient levels and are generally low in calories too.
2. Eating lots of raw foods is a key feature of an anti-cancer diet style and a long life.   nutrients per calorie. 
3. Raw vegetables are dramatically low in calories and we probably only absorb about 50 calories a pound from raw vegetables.
4.  Eating lots of raw foods is a feature of a healthy diet. I always encourage people to eat more raw food.
5. One of my common statements is — the salad is the main dish. Raw food is necessary for digestive efficiency, proper peristalsis and normal bowel function.
6. Certain foods, especially fruit, avocado and nuts undergo significant change with cooking and are best eaten raw.    
7. The fibre quotient of raw foods are very high.Fiber is present in all plant foods in varying amounts. Most fiber is classified as soluble (meaning that it partially dissolves in water) or insoluble (meaning that it resists digestion and does not dissolve in water).
8. Many fruits like apples, pears, strawberries, and blueberries are rich in  soluble fiber that is associated with lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, regulating blood sugar, and a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
9. Many vegetables carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, nuts, grapes, and tomatoes are great sources of insoluble fibre.
10.  A bowl of fresh vegetable or fruit salad has wonderful benefits .Our grandmas called it roughage, and one of the benefits of insoluble fiber is that it helps keep you regular, prevents constipation, and reduces the risk of diverticular disease.
11. Most of raw veggies and fruits have immense effect on immunity and enhance resistance in the blood.

So just go ahead make your own exotic or a plain salad and add healthy years to your life.Also scout around the net for some great recipes of Indian salads made of vegetables and fruits.