Food safety for pregnant women

What is food poisoning?

Food poisoning (also known as foodborne illness or food-related illness) is caused by eating food that has been contaminated by bacteria, viruses or parasites. Food can become contaminated by these microorganisms at any time before you eat it, including at home during:

• handling
• storing
• cooking

There are many signs of food poisoning, but most types cause one or more of the following:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• stomach pain and cramps
• fever and chills

Symptoms can start within hours after eating the contaminated food, or sometimes not until days or even weeks later. Usually, people recover quickly and completely.

However, food poisoning sometimes causes serious complications, including death. This is the case for people who are more at risk for both food poisoning and related health complications, like pregnant women.

Food poisoning and pregnant women

Because of all the changes happening in your body, you and your unborn baby are at an increased risk of food poisoning. Your immune system is weakened, so it could be harder for you to fight off infections.

Some bacteria, such as Listeria can go through the placenta. So if you become sick, there is an increased risk that your baby could get infected. Your unborn baby’s immune system is not developed enough to fight off harmful bacteria.

Food poisoning can be even more dangerous to your baby’s health than to yours. If you develop food poisoning during the first 3 months of pregnancy, it can cause a miscarriage. It if happens later in the pregnancy, it can cause your baby to be born prematurely. Food poisoning can also cause a stillbirth or a baby who is born very ill. Because your baby depends on you for everything it needs, it is very important that you be careful about what you eat and how you store, prepare and cook your food.

This guide offers helpful advice on how to reduce your risk of food poisoning.

Safe food alternatives for pregnant women

Some types of food can be a higher risk for pregnant women because of how they are produced and stored. To lower your chances of getting food poisoning, you should avoid those foods. The following chart can help you make safer food choices.

Safe food alternatives for pregnant women

Type of food	Food to avoid	Safer alternatives
Hot dogs	Hot dogs straight from the package, without further heating.	Hot dogs that are well cooked to a safe internal temperature. The middle of the hot dog should be steaming hot or 74 °C (165 °F). Tip: Avoid spreading juice from hot dog packages onto other food, or to cutting boards, utensils, dishes and counters. Wash your hands after touching hot dogs.
Deli meats	Non-dried deli meats, such as bologna, roast beef and turkey breast.	Dried and salted deli meats, such as salami and pepperoni. Non-dried deli meats that are well heated and steaming hot.
Eggs and egg products	Raw or lightly cooked eggs, or egg products that contain raw eggs, including some salad dressings, cookie dough, cake batter, sauces, and drinks (like homemade eggnog).	Egg dishes that are well cooked to a safe internal temperature of 74 oC (165 oF). Cook eggs until the yolk is firm. Homemade eggnog heated to 71°C (160 °F). Tip: Use pasteurized egg products when making uncooked food that calls for raw eggs.
Meat and poultry	Raw or undercooked meat or poultry, such as steak tartar.	Meat and poultry that are cooked to their safe internal temperature. (Refer to the Internal Cooking Temperatures Chart.)
Seafood	Raw seafood, such as sushi. Raw oysters, clams and mussels. Refrigerated smoked seafood.	Seafood cooked to a safe internal temperature of 74 °C (165 °F). Oysters, clams and mussels that are cooked until the shell has opened. Smoked seafood in cans, or seafood that does not need to be refrigerated until it is opened.
Dairy products	Raw or unpasteurized dairy products. Unpasteurized and pasteurized soft cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert. Unpasteurized and pasteurized semi-soft cheeses, such as Havarti and Monterey Jack. All unpasteurized and pasteurized blue-veined cheeses.	Pasteurized dairy products. Pasteurized cheeses such as cheese curds, cheddar, and cottage cheese. Pasteurized processed/spreadable cheeses such as cream cheese. Pasteurized and unpasteurized hard cheeses such as Romano and Parmesan.
Sprouts	Raw sprouts, such as alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung beans.	Thoroughly cooked sprouts.
Pâtés and meat spreads	Refrigerated pâtés and meat spreads.	Pâtés and meat spreads sold in cans, or that do not have to be refrigerated until they are opened.
Fruit juice and cider	Unpasteurized fruit juice and cider.	Unpasteurized fruit juice and cider that are brought to a rolling boil and cooled. Pasteurized fruit juice and cider.

What do I need to know when shopping for food?

You should:

• buy cold or frozen food at the end of your shopping trip
• check the “best before” date on your food
• check fruits and vegetables to avoid buying items that are bruised or damaged
• avoid spreading bacteria from raw food to ready-to-eat food by:
  • putting raw food in individual plastic bags (which can be found in the produce section and at some meat counters)
  • keeping your raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood away from other food in your grocery cart
  • labelling and using the same bag or bin for raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood
• refrigerate or freeze raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood as soon as you get home from the grocery store; perishable food should not be left out for more than:
  • 1 hour during summer outdoor activities
  • 2 hours at room temperature
• wash your reusable grocery bags often, especially if you are carrying raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood

What do I need to know when storing food?

It is important to keep cold food cold and hot food hot. Perishable food should never reach temperatures between 4 °C to 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). This is because this temperature range is where bacteria can quickly grow and cause food poisoning.

You can reduce your chances of getting food poisoning if you:

• set your fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or lower
• set your freezer at -18 °C (0 °F) or lower
• put raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood in sealed containers or plastic bags on the bottom shelf of your fridge - this prevents raw juices from dripping onto other food
• store cut fruits and vegetables in the fridge
• refrigerate or freeze raw meat, poultry, fish, seafood and leftovers immediately; dangerous bacteria can grow if left out for more than:
  • 1 hour during summer outdoor activities
  • 2 hours at room temperature
• cook raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood by the “best before” date, or no more than 2 to 4 days after buying it
• freeze raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood if you do not plan on cooking by the “best before” date

Fridge and freezer storage

If you freeze food that is well-wrapped, it can last longer.

What do I need to know when defrosting food?

You should:

• defrost your raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood in:
  • the fridge
  • the microwave
  • a sealed bag or container submerged in cold water
• if you use the microwave, cook it immediately after thawing it
• defrost larger pieces of meat (such as a whole turkey) in its original wrapping and submerge it in cold water
  • change the water often to make sure that it stays cold (approximately every 30 minutes)
• do not refreeze thawed food

You cannot always tell if food is safe by its look, smell or taste. When in doubt, throw it out!

What do I need to know about food and cleanliness?

Reduce the risk of bacteria growth and food poisoning by properly cleaning your:

• hands
• kitchen surfaces
• utensils
• fruits and vegetables
• reusable grocery bags and bins

Hands

You should always wash your hands:

• before and after touching raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood
• after using the washroom
• after touching pets
• after changing diapers

Wash your hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds. A hand-rub sanitizer can be used if soap and water are not available.

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Before you eat or cook fresh fruits and vegetables:

• gently wash them under cool, running, drinkable water
  • you do not need to use anything other than water to wash fruits and vegetables
• use a scrub brush on fruits and vegetables that have a firm skin, such as:
  • carrots
  • potatoes
  • melons
  • squash
• avoid soaking fresh fruits and vegetables in a sink full of water. Sinks can contain bacteria that can be transferred to your food

Kitchen surfaces and utensils

You can prevent the spread of bacteria in the kitchen if you:

• clean sinks, kitchen surfaces or containers immediately after they have been  in contact with raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood
• do not reuse plates or utensils that have touched raw food
  • wash them in the dishwasher or in warm, soapy water
  • use only clean plates and utensils for your ready-to eat foods
• use one cutting board for ready-to-eat foods, and a different one for raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood
• use paper towels to wipe kitchen surfaces, and change dishcloths daily
• avoid using sponges because they are hard to keep bacteria-free
• clean your counter tops, cutting boards and utensils before and after preparing food using a kitchen sanitizer (follow the directions on the container) or prepare a bleach solution in a labelled spray bottle (you can use a ratio of 5 ml of household bleach to 750 ml of water) and rinse with water

What do I need to know when cooking food?

It is not always possible to tell if food is safe by its colour or how long it has been cooked. Cooking food according to the proper internal cooking temperature can help you make sure your food is safe to eat. Always cook raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood to a safe internal temperature. Follow these tips to avoid eating under cooked meat:

• Use an instant read digital food thermometer for a more accurate reading. Meat can turn brown before all the bacteria in your food are killed.
• Remove your food from the heat and insert the digital food thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Make sure it is inserted all the way to the middle and does not touch any bones.
• For hamburgers, insert the digital food thermometer into the side of the patty, all the way to the middle.
• When cooking several pieces of meat, make sure to check the internal temperature of the thickest pieces. Food can cook unevenly.
• Keep hot foods at or above 60 °C (140 °F). Bacteria can grow quickly in the temperatures between 4 °C to 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F).
• Clean your digital food thermometer in warm, soapy water between each temperature reading.

Leftovers

Even leftovers can cause food poisoning if not properly stored or reheated. Follow these tips to help prevent you from getting sick.

• You can quickly cool leftovers by putting them in shallow containers. To lower the chances of bacteria growing in your food, you should refrigerate or freeze leftovers as soon as possible.
• Perishable food should not be left out for more than:
• 1 hour during summer outdoor activities
• 2 hours at room temperature.
• Store leftovers safely by cutting and deboning the meat from large cooked birds, such as turkey.
• Avoid overstocking your fridge, so that cool air can circulate better.
• Eat refrigerated leftovers as soon as possible (within 2 to 4 days).
• When reheating food, make sure it is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 74 °C (165 °F). Bring gravies, soups and sauces to a full, rolling boil and stir during the process.
• You should avoid reheating the same leftovers more than once.

Women Health Tips from Gynecologist’s Perspectives

• Are you taking new patients? This seems like an obvious question, but many prospective patients forget to ask this up front, get very interested in a particular gynecologist and then find there are no openings available.
• Do you take my form of insurance coverage? Do you submit directly or will I have to pay you and file for reimbursement?
• If you don’t have insurance coverage, ask about fees and how they are to be paid. For example, will you be expected to pay at the time of the visit or will you be billed?
• Which hospitals are you affiliated with? If this Ob-Gyn does not have admitting privileges to any hospitals ask why. Also ask how hospitalizations are handled.
• Do you have any sub-specialty training?
• Ask whether the Ob-gyn has any special training or experience managing any complicated medical, obstetric or gynecologic conditions you may have (such as diabetes, endometriosis, infertility, etc.).
• Do you agree to an informational interview/introductory visit by prospective patients? What is the charge for such a visit? (insurance companies generally do not cover such a visit).
• Do you have a general information pamphlet you can send me and/or a biographical overview for the gynecologist? Once you’ve made an appointment with a new gynecologist, it is usually a good idea to ask the office to send you any new patient forms before your first appointment so you can make the most of your time there.
• How does the practice handle emergency (or after hours) visits or phone calls?
• Does the practice have a doctor on call 24 hours a day or do they share call with other groups? If an answering service picks up calls after hours, how long is it usually before someone returns your call? If you phone the office, can you talk to a gynecologist or other health care provider immediately? Some physicians return all calls at a certain time each day, while others reserve a special line for messages or have nurses or physician assistants answer questions. The most important factor is not who answers the calls, but how quickly they are answered and whether you have access to emergency medical advice.
• Who covers for the doctor when s/he is unavailable?
• Ask whether other physicians or non-physicians (such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant) will participate in your care. If so, ask whether this is considered optional.
• If you are nearing menopause: ask about the doctor’s approach to menopause and hormone replacement therapy.
• Does the gynecologist (or another affiliated health care provider) answer e-mail questions?
• Does the gynecologist or the practice have a web-site to which you can get practice related or medical information?
• What are your views about recommending alternative, complementary or integrative medical approaches?

Important Questions to Ask Your Gynecologist During Your First Visit:

• Ask any of the questions listed above that you didn’t get answered before your first visit.
• Write down any questions you have about your condition before your visit and ask them during the visit.
• Are there any other questions I should have asked you?
• When should I schedule my next visit?

Important Questions to Ask Yourself After Your First Visit:

• What did I think of Dr. So-and-So?
• How was the overall experience of the visit?
• Was I treated with courtesy and respect by the physician and the office personnel?
• Do I feel like I’m in good hands?
• Did I feel comfortable asking all of my questions?
• Did I feel rushed?
• Did I feel heard and understood?
• Do I want to see this doctor again?

Your relationship with your gynecologist is one of the most intimate professional relationships you may have. While this relationship will take time to nurture, you should have a feeling even on the first visit that this is a person you will be able to trust with your most private or serious concerns.

Foods men should include in their diets to improve health and prevent disease.

Men are different from women in all kinds of ways -- including their nutritional needs. Just as women need particular nutrients during pregnancy or for protection from breast cancer, men need nutrients that can help them maintain muscle mass, prevent prostate cancer, and more.

Many foods that tend to be favorites among men are not the best choices for good health. Yet a healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease and cancer, the No. 1 and No. 2 killers for men over 35. They can also enhance performance, from the board room to the bedroom.

Nutrients that are good for the heart improve circulation to all parts of the body, and these same nutrients provide a layer of protection against cancer and other chronic diseases,

Quality nutrients are also critical for maintaining immune function and preventing bone loss, muscle loss, and oxidative damage from the environment, Of course, any one (or 10) foods can't do the job alone. An overall healthy lifestyle, which also includes not smoking and getting regular physical activity, is what's really important for health, say the experts.

It is not about one single food or even a handful of foods. What is more important is the pattern of regularly consuming a diet rich in a variety of essential nutrients,

Still, adding nutrient-rich super foods to the diet, as well as taking a daily multivitamin designed exclusively for men (for nutritional insurance), can give men's nutrition a boost.

Food for Men No. 1: Oysters

Could there be something to the legend that oysters are the food of love? Well, it's true that just a few oysters each day will deliver a full day's supply of the antioxidant mineral zinc. Zinc is involved in hundreds of body processes, from producing DNA to repairing cells.

Research shows that adequate zinc may protect against cellular damage that leads to prostate cancer. "Sexual functioning of the male reproductive system, including increased sperm counts, is also enhanced with zinc."

You can also get your daily recommended dose of 11 milligrams a day by eating other shellfish, lean beef, lean pork, or legumes.

Food for Men No. 2: Bananas

Bananas are a great portable source of quick energy and are rich in potassium, which is needed to regulate nerves, heartbeat and, especially, blood pressure. Diets rich in potassium and magnesium (which is also found in bananas) can reduce the risk of stroke.

As a super source of vitamin B-6, bananas can also aid your immune system, help form red blood cells, ensure a well-functioning nervous system, and assist protein metabolism. So enjoy a banana each day, at breakfast on your whole grain-cereal or before your workout at the gym.

Not a banana fan? Orange juice, milk, tomato products, and beans are other good sources of dietary potassium.

Food for Men No. 3: Fatty Fish

No list of superfoods would be complete without the healthy fat, omega-3 fatty acids. These polyunsaturated fats are the preferred form of fats in your diet for many reasons. They can benefit the heart, circulation, and immune system and reduce the risk for prostate cancer, among other things.

Omega-3 fatty acids are potent anti-inflammatory foods that can help lower triglyceride [blood fat] levels, reduce aches and pains in athletes, and offer relief with certain kinds of arthritis.

Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, herring) are the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact the American Heart Association recommends that everyone eat fish twice weekly.

You can also get omega-3s in plant-based foods, like flaxseed, walnuts, soy, canola oil, and fortified products such as eggs. But there are other good reasons to eat fish.

Fatty fish are also a good source of vitamin D, a nutrient that tends to be deficient in our diets and [which] in adequate supply can help prevent cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and bone disease.

Food for Men No. 4: Broccoli

While virtually all vegetables deserve a place on the superfoods list, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are helpful in the prevention of heart disease and cancer. It's loaded with vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and a phytochemical called sulphoraphane, which has strong anticancer (prostate and colon) properties.

Amazing 8 Health Benefits of Almond Milk

Almond milk is becoming more and more popular and probably substituting the dairy milk place. Though almond milk doesn’t contain the much protein and calcium as in normal dairy milk, but successful in providing other health benefits such as improved vision, increased memory, weight management, stronger and healthier bones.

It also supports the heart health and contains those essential elements which provide best health without any side effects. To make this possible it is needed to pick the almond milk with less preservatives and additives.

Though almond milk is used as a best substitute for dairy milk, including mother milk, it provides the various extra nutrients than that of normal dairy milk. The availability of excess nutrients is the major reason for the recommendation of this milk than the dairy’s and here are some benefits of the almond milk…..

1. Blood pressure maintenance

Regular consumption of almond milk reduces the high blood pressure and maintains it. The essential minerals and vitamins of this milk helps in movement of blood and oxygen supply in the veins and thereby allows the free flow of it in different parts of the body. Vitamin D content of it and phosphorus like minerals maintains the blood pressure and also supplies the body with healthy nutrients.

2. Healthy Heart

Almond milk is complete cholesterol free and regular consumption of it reduces the risk of heart disease. Consuming almonds and almond milk without excess preservatives and additional additives are the best source of potassium the key element of regulating the tension and strain of the heart and provides healthy heart.

3. Strong Muscles

Almonds are known for the best strength provider to those who are trying to building their muscle strength and contain those vitamins and minerals that directly impacts on the muscle mass. The riboflavin of almonds is proven to work with iron in regulating muscle strength and growth. Almonds are the best sources of protein helping in healing and building all the bodily parts.

4. Diabetic control

Almonds are the best friends to those diabetics who are suffering with blood sugar problems. This almond milk regulates the carbohydrates impact on the bodies occurred in normal dairy milk due to its simple sugars. These simple sugars are very low in almond milk and show sugar friendly qualities helps in digesting fully by the body without any miss of vital nutrients.

5. Strong Bone health

Almond milk though offer less amount of calcium than cow’s milk it offers more than 30 percent of the recommended amount of daily requirement of the body reducing the risk of arthritis and osteoporosis attacks. The vitamin D helps in providing healthy and stronger bones and teeth formation.

6. Weight management

Almond milk are best for those who are in weight management process as it contains zero fats and provides just required amount of calories. Even though it is low in calories it fills the appetite and gives you rich feeling and helps in controlling the ease of eating more and more.

7. Vision development

Almond milk contains all those vitamins and nutrients which are beneficial for vision improvement. The vitamin A source of this milk treats naturally the vision defects occurred by the usage of computers, televisions, smart phones for long time duration.

8. Improved Memory

Almonds and Almond milk are the best sources of those rich nutrients helps in improving the brain health and memory. The unsaturated fats help in reducing the nervous break downs and boosts up the central nervous system to increase the capacity of its working.

5 Things Your Wrinkles Say About Your Health

You can try to erase wrinkles with cosmetic procedures, or you can accept them as a badge of aging—a sign that you've lived your life long and well. You probably know that some creases can indicate a quick smile and a genial nature; others, a lifetime of lounging in the sun. What you may not realize is that your wrinkles can also reveal potential health concerns. 

Take a look at the following 5:

1. You're at risk for osteoporosis.

Your skin may actually be a window to your bones. Researchers looked at more than 100 women in their late 40s and early 50s who were in the first three years of menopause and found that those with the most and deepest wrinkles actually had the lowest bone density. (None of the women were on hormone therapy.) "Both bone and skin share common building blocks, a group of proteins known as collagens, which decrease in both as we age".

2. You have early stage heart disease.

A diagonal wrinkle in your ear lobe may be an early warning sign of ticker trouble. In fact, folks with this ear crease (known as "Frank's sign," after the researcher, Sanders T. Frank, who discovered it in 1973) were much more likely to show signs of heart disease during a CT scan than people who didn't have the crease, according to a 2012 study done at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. One theory is that the wrinkles are caused by the collapse of tiny blood vessels to the ear lobe, and this is a reflection of the changes in blood vessels around the heart.

3. You have high blood pressure.

Women who look younger than their years—meaning they have less facial sagging—tend to have lower blood pressure. The study also found that both men and women from families with longevity were less likely to have skin wrinkling on their upper arms than other people the same age.

4. You're under a ton of stress.

Doctors say worrying can give you wrinkles. When you're stressed, you tend to furrow your brow, which over time can lead to permanent forehead wrinkles. But you'll see them elsewhere on your face as well: When you're constantly anxious, your body pumps out large amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which degrades collagen in your skin. (Are you just stressed, or is it an anxiety disorder? It's more common than you think.)

5. You're eating too much sugar.

When you consume the sweet stuff, the sugar attaches to proteins in your body to form AGEs—a fitting acronym for advanced glycation end products. AGEs break down collagen and elastin, and that can lead to even more fine lines and wrinkles. If you've got a sweet tooth, try to quench it with fruit: Many fruits (but especially pomegranates and mangos) have anti-glycating properties, which means they can reverse the damage done to your skin. 

5 Tips for Getting Pregnant

For some women, conceiving can be as easy as tossing out their contraception, whether they're working on their first baby or their fourth. For others, reaching the goal of fertilization becomes a nightly chore, a mad mating dance that revolves around ovulation kits, specific sexual positions, and, more and more commonly, a succession of fertility tests to help pinpoint possible problems.

Whether you've just started trying to become pregnant or have been at it for a while, heeding some common sense advice that's based on good science can help boost your odds of conceiving. Here, noted fertility experts from around the country have outlined the do's, don'ts, and don't-bother-withs of getting pregnant.

Have sex frequently.

It may seem like a no-brainer, but given many couples' hectic schedules, it's easy to overlook this one. If you're not timing your cycles or you have irregular periods, you can cover your bases by having sex every other day, say fertility specialists.

Figure out when you ovulate.

Women with very regular 28-day cycles can just count 14 days from the first day of their period to determine their ovulation date. If your cycles aren't regular (or even if they are), an ovulation kit can help you pinpoint your most fertile time.

Most ovulation kits measure the level of luteinizing hormone (LH), one of the hormones that signals the ovaries to release an egg, present in your urine. LH begins to surge around 36 hours before you ovulate, but most kits don't detect it until 24 hours prior. A woman with a 28-day cycle should start testing her urine on day nine or ten after the start of her period so she doesn't miss her surge.

A new palm-size, electronic device called ClearPlan Easy measures LH and estrogen levels, and can signal ovulation up to five days in advance.

Monitoring cervical mucus is another way to track ovulation. This method involves checking your secretions for a few months until you notice a pattern. Estrogen causes mucus to thin after your period, while rising levels of progesterone right after ovulation make it thicken. Once you pinpoint when you ovulate, you can plan to have sex several times leading up to that day.

The drawbacks: Many women find this method inconvenient or inaccurate since such factors as nursing and antihistamines, even fertility drugs, can dry up mucus.

Charting your basal body temperature is useful for figuring out when you ovulate. "Your temperature usually dips by half a degree 24 hours before you ovulate; then it goes up as you ovulate. But since basal body temperature can be thrown off by a number of things, such as illness, don't rely on it alone.

Step up sex before ovulation.

As soon as you pick up a hormonal surge, have sex that day, plus the next two days. Pregnancy rates peak two days before ovulation. Some experts speculate that's when cervical mucus is at its optimum for helping sperm travel to the egg and break down its shell-like coating.

Sperm can live inside the uterus for 24 to 48 hours, which means there will be plenty on hand to greet the egg once ovulation starts.

Another reason to have sex before you ovulate, as opposed to the day it happens: An egg survives for only 12 to 24 hours after ovulation, so if you begin to ovulate in the morning and wait until nighttime to have sex, the egg may lose its viability by the time the sperm gets to it. Cervical mucus starts to become thick and impenetrable right after ovulation, rendering it "hostile" to the passage of sperm.

Enjoy yourself.

The most important thing to remember is to keep sex fun. When it becomes a chore, it's easy to view sex as just one more item on your to-do list.

Give it time.

Barring fertility problems and other conditions or habits that can interfere with conception, half of all couples get pregnant within six months, and 85 percent do so within a year.

What To Eat During Pregnancy

A pregnant woman needs to ensure that her diet provides enough nutrients and energy for her baby to develop and grow properly, and also to make sure that her body is healthy enough to deal with the changes that are occurring.

For a healthy pregnancy, the mother's diet needs to be balanced and nutritious - this involves the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and consuming a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. If you are pregnant and your diet may be impacted by ethical beliefs, religious requirements, or health conditions, you should check with your doctor.

A pregnant woman's calorie intake grows during pregnancy. However, this does not mean she should eat for two, i.e. her calorie consumption does not double, it just goes up.

A woman who is not overweight at the start of her pregnancy, should gain between 25 to 35 pounds by the end of the nine months

Weight gain, if the mother is carrying just one baby, varies considerably. A woman whose body mass index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9 should gain from 25 to 35 pounds (11.4-15.9 kilograms) during the nine months. A woman who is overweight at the start of pregnancy should gain between 15 to 25 pounds (6.8 to 11.4 kg).

Weight gain recommendations may also vary, depending on the woman's age, fetal development, and her current health.

Excessive or insufficient weight gain can undermine the health of both the fetus and the mother. (Up to the eighth week of pregnancy the baby is called an embryo, after that, when its major structures have formed, it is called a fetus)

What should I eat during pregnancy?

As mentioned above, the mother should follow a varied, balanced, and nutritious diet, and it must include:

• Fruit and vegetables - she should aim for five portions of fruit and/or veggies per day. They may be in the form of juice, dried, canned, frozen, or fresh. Fresh and frozen (if frozen soon after picking) produce usually have a higher vitamin and other nutrient content. Experts stress that eating fruit is usually better for you than just drinking the juice.


• Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods - including potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread.


• Protein - good animal-sourced proteins include fish, lean meat and chicken, as well as eggs. Vegan mothers should consider the following foods as good sources of protein: Quinoa (known as a "complete protein", it is said to have all the essential amino acids), tofu and soy products. Beans, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds and nut butters are also good sources of protein. (Beans, lentils and legumes are also rich in iron)
  
  
  Eating seafood reduces anxiety during pregnancy - pregnant women who regularly ate seafood had lower levels of anxiety compared to their counterparts who did not. 


• Fats - should not make up more than 30% of a pregnant woman's daily calories. A high-fat diet may genetically program the baby for future diabetes.
  
  
  A balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates are important for the developing baby's current and future good health.
  
  
  A high-fat diet during pregnancy raises the risk of stillbirth because the blood flow from the mother to the placenta is reduced.
  
  
  As per Doctor's (Medical Center):
  
  
  - the amount of fat a woman eats before becoming pregnant depends on each person, who should receive an individualized nutritional assessment. For the majority of women, no more than 10% of their daily calorie consumption should come from saturated fat, less than 10% from polyunsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat is the best.
  
  
  - during pregnancy fat should make up between 25% and 35% of a woman's daily calories. This depends on her carbohydrate goals. Monounsaturated fats are preferable to saturated fats.
  
  
  Examples of foods high in monounsaturated fats include olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, canola oil, avocadoes, and many nuts and seeds.


• Fiber - wholegrain foods, such as whole meal (wholegrain) bread, wild rice, wholegrain pasta, pulses, fruit and vegetables are rich in fiber. Women have a higher risk of developing constipation during pregnancy; eating plenty of fiber is effective in minimizing that risk. Studies have shown that eating plenty of fiber during pregnancy reduces the risk (or severity) of hemorrhoids, which also become more common as the fetus grows. Fiber can also help prevent obesity; something the mother should try to avoid.


• Calcium - it is important to have a healthy daily intake of calcium. Dairy foods, such as milk, cheese, milk and yoghurt are rich in calcium. If the mother is vegan, she should consider the following calcium-rich foods, calcium-fortified soy milk and juices, calcium-set tofu, soybeans, bok choy, broccoli, collards, Chinese cabbage, okra, mustard greens, kale, and soynuts.


• Zinc - is a vital trace element. It plays a major role in normal growth and development, cellular integrity and several biological functions, including nucleic acid metabolism and protein synthesis. Since all these functions are involved in growth and cell division, zinc is important for the growth and development of the fetus.
  
  
  The best sources of zinc are chicken, turkey, ham, shrimps, crab, oysters, meat, fish, dairy products, beans, peanut butter, nuts, sunflower seeds, ginger, onions, bran, wheat germ, rice, pasta, cereals, eggs, lentils, and tofu.
  
  
  If you are concerned about your zinc intake, talk to your doctor who may advise supplements.

7 Pregnancy Warning Signs

1. Bleeding

Bleeding means different things throughout your pregnancy. “If you are bleeding heavily and have severe abdominal pain and menstrual-like cramps or feel like you are going to faint during first trimester, it could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy,” Peter Bernstein, MD, ob-gyn professor at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, says. Ectopic pregnancy, which occurs when the fertilized egg implants somewhere other than the uterus, can be life-threatening.

Heavy bleeding with cramping could also be a sign of miscarriage in first or earlysecond trimester. By contrast, bleeding with abdominal pain in the third trimester may indicate placental abruption, which occurs when the placenta separates from the uterine lining.

“Bleeding is always serious,” women’s health expert Donnica Moore, MD, says. Any bleeding during pregnancy  needs immediate attention. Call your doctor or go to the emergency room.

2. Severe Nausea and Vomiting

It's very common to have some nausea when you're pregnant. If it gets to be severe, that may be more serious.

“If you can’t eat or drink anything, you run the risk of becoming dehydrated,” Bernstein says. Being malnourished and dehydrated can harm your baby.

If you experience severe nausea, tell your health care provider. Your doctor may prescribe medication or advise changing your diet.

3. Baby’s Activity Level Significantly Declines

What does it mean if your previously active baby seems to have less energy? It may be normal. But how can you tell?

Some troubleshooting can help determine if there is a problem. Bernstein suggests that you first drink something cold or eat something. Then lie on your side to see if this gets the baby moving.

Counting kicks can also help, Nicole Ruddock, MD, assistant professor of maternal and fetal medicine at University of Texas Medical School at Houston, says. “There is no optimal or critical number of movements,” she says, “but generally you should establish a baseline and have a subjective perception of whether your baby is moving more or less. As a general rule, you should have 10 or more kicks in two hours. Anything less should prompt a phone call to your doctor.”

Bernstein says to call your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor has monitoring equipment that can be used to determine if the baby is moving and growing appropriately.

4. Contractions Early in the Third Trimester

Contractions could be a sign of preterm labor. “But a lot of first-time moms may confuse true labor and false labor,” Ruddock says. False labor contractions are called Braxton-Hicks contractions. They’re unpredictable, non-rhythmic, and do not increase in intensity. “They will subside in an hour or with hydration,” Ruddock says. “But regular contractions are about 10 minutes apart or less and increase in intensity.”

If you're in your third trimester and think you're having contractions, call your doctor right away. If it is too early for the baby to be born, your doctor may be able to stop labor.

5. Your Water Breaks

You walk into the kitchen for a drink and feel a flood of water rush down your legs. “Your water could have broken,” Ruddock says, “but during pregnancy the enlarged uterus can cause pressure on your bladder too. So it could be urine leakage.” Ruddock says that sometimes water breaking is a dramatic gush of fluid, but other times it is more subtle.

“If you are not sure if it is urine versus a true rupture of the membrane, go to the bathroom and empty your bladder," she says. "If the fluid continues, then you have broken your water.” Call your doctor or go to the hospital.

6. A Persistent Severe Headache, Abdominal Pain, Visual Disturbances, and Swelling During Your Third Trimester

These symptoms could be a sign of preeclampsia. That’s a serious condition that develops during pregnancy and is potentially fatal. The disorder is marked by high blood pressure and excess protein in your urine that typically occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy.

“Call your doctor right away and get your blood pressure tested,” Bernstein says. “Good prenatal care can help catch preeclampsia early.”

7. Flu Symptoms

Our experts say it’s important for pregnant women to get the flu vaccine since pregnant women are more likely to get sick and have serious complications from the flu than other women during flu season.

But if you do get the flu, "don’t rush into a hospital or doctor’s office where you can spread it to other pregnant women," Bernstein says. "Call your doctor first."